Pigeon Forge, TN – It started as a nice gesture, from a nice guy and a great TEAM. Troy Buff, NHRA Top Fuel driver, for Coghlan Motorsports, took a few minutes, at the O'Reilly Nationals in Dallas, Texas, to talk with a young fan, Cole Runyan. That gesture ended up as a lifetime experience for Cole.
After Dallas, Cole spoke non-stop of Troy and eagerly watched every NHRA race broadcast hoping to see his new friend, repeatedly asking Dad (Ty Runyan) why Troy wasn’t in the next race. A week before the final race in Pomona, Daddy took time to write Coghlan Motorsports and let them know what an impact their driver – Troy, made on his son. Ty also conveyed Cole’s concern.
After reading his email, Troy called Ty to convey how much the email meant - Troy had been “having a rough time”. Having not heard from his main sponsor, he and Coghlan Motorsports wouldn’t be part of the season finale - the Auto Club Finals, in Pomona, California.
During their phone conversation, Ty asked if the team would be racing in Pomona. Troy told him they would not, because of lack of sponsorship. Without a sponsor for Pomona, the Coghlan Motorsports team owners, Renee' and Tim Coghlan, had no choice but to watch the last race of the season from their home in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. After several attempts at obtaining a sponsor did not materialize, Troy Buff had also resigned himself to watching the race from the stands.
Ty didn’t know how to explain this to his son. “Imagine what it feels like, having your heart sink every time you see your child’s eagerness fall to disappointment as he searches the race broadcasts looking for his new hero, and then you discover that hero has fallen on tough times. If you could do something, wouldn’t you? What parent wouldn’t reach out to make their child’s dream come true?” Ty then spoke with Cole and his wife, Shelly, and they concurred that this “nice guy” - Troy - should have a sponsor for the Pomona race. Ty told Buff that they would sponsor his car for Pomona.
Dad and Cole worked on the message. Cole wanted to say “Go Troy Go!” Dad added “From your #1 Fan, Cole Runyan. With Love from Daddy and Titus Electrical Contracting”. “It’s taken a lot of fast work and long hours by a great and committed Team”, offers Renee’ Coghlan, “but Troy Buff, Coghlan Motorsports, and Cole Runyan are racing in Pomona. The events leading up to this race have been simply amazing. Our entire season, though limited, has been amazing. Troy Buff is not only an excellent driver, he truly is one of the nicest guys one could ever meet; on and off the track. The entire Coghlan Motorsports Team is an exceptional group of men and we are winners, with or without a trophy in hand, and we’re grateful to Ty and Shelly Runyan for making not only Cole’s dream come true, but continuing that of Troy’s and the Coghlan Motorsports team.
It will be a huge weekend in Pomona, the NHRA Season's final event, as the championships are determined and a little boy realizes his dream. Qualifying begins Thursday, November 9, at 2:30 Pacific Time, with elimination rounds on Sunday, November 12 on ESPN2.
After Dallas, Cole spoke non-stop of Troy and eagerly watched every NHRA race broadcast hoping to see his new friend, repeatedly asking Dad (Ty Runyan) why Troy wasn’t in the next race. A week before the final race in Pomona, Daddy took time to write Coghlan Motorsports and let them know what an impact their driver – Troy, made on his son. Ty also conveyed Cole’s concern.
After reading his email, Troy called Ty to convey how much the email meant - Troy had been “having a rough time”. Having not heard from his main sponsor, he and Coghlan Motorsports wouldn’t be part of the season finale - the Auto Club Finals, in Pomona, California.
During their phone conversation, Ty asked if the team would be racing in Pomona. Troy told him they would not, because of lack of sponsorship. Without a sponsor for Pomona, the Coghlan Motorsports team owners, Renee' and Tim Coghlan, had no choice but to watch the last race of the season from their home in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. After several attempts at obtaining a sponsor did not materialize, Troy Buff had also resigned himself to watching the race from the stands.
Ty didn’t know how to explain this to his son. “Imagine what it feels like, having your heart sink every time you see your child’s eagerness fall to disappointment as he searches the race broadcasts looking for his new hero, and then you discover that hero has fallen on tough times. If you could do something, wouldn’t you? What parent wouldn’t reach out to make their child’s dream come true?” Ty then spoke with Cole and his wife, Shelly, and they concurred that this “nice guy” - Troy - should have a sponsor for the Pomona race. Ty told Buff that they would sponsor his car for Pomona.
Dad and Cole worked on the message. Cole wanted to say “Go Troy Go!” Dad added “From your #1 Fan, Cole Runyan. With Love from Daddy and Titus Electrical Contracting”. “It’s taken a lot of fast work and long hours by a great and committed Team”, offers Renee’ Coghlan, “but Troy Buff, Coghlan Motorsports, and Cole Runyan are racing in Pomona. The events leading up to this race have been simply amazing. Our entire season, though limited, has been amazing. Troy Buff is not only an excellent driver, he truly is one of the nicest guys one could ever meet; on and off the track. The entire Coghlan Motorsports Team is an exceptional group of men and we are winners, with or without a trophy in hand, and we’re grateful to Ty and Shelly Runyan for making not only Cole’s dream come true, but continuing that of Troy’s and the Coghlan Motorsports team.
It will be a huge weekend in Pomona, the NHRA Season's final event, as the championships are determined and a little boy realizes his dream. Qualifying begins Thursday, November 9, at 2:30 Pacific Time, with elimination rounds on Sunday, November 12 on ESPN2.
