• the Botetourt View and support Shirley by contacting her on her facebook account!

For 18 years Shirley Niday of Troutville was the face of Magic City Ford Lincoln Mercury Isuzu on billboards and television. Many people have asked, “Where in the world is Shirley?”  Niday has retired from Magic City due to a return of breast cancer. Ten years ago she battled the disease but in January the disease came roaring back.

NASCAR’s Bill Elliott fondly known to race fans as “Awesome Bill from Dawsonville” will be at Magic City for two hours prior to the race to sign autographs and to cheer Shirley on in her race against cancer. She has been receiving special treatment at Johns Hopkins University medical center near Baltimore, and well, it is time to help her out. The cancer had spread to several locations including her lymph nodes and she is happy to report that the treatment had stopped the tumor growth on her last visit and she must return to Johns Hopkins in October to update her cancer status.

Niday’s daughters Kitty and Nikki run the Old Mill grocery in Fincastle. (It was voted the Best of Botetourt winner in the Botetourt View contest last spring.) The store will be one of the stops on the Poker Run. Her husband Wayne works at Roanoke Cement.

The Troutville resident is happy that Elliott is helping her out.  For many different events in the past 10 years Elliott helped Niday raise money for cancer research. Now it is her turn since treatment and retirement are taking a toll on the bank book!

So what is a poker run? A poker run is completed on a motorcycle or in an antique car or specialty car.  At each stop, the drivers get a playing card. There are five cards like a game of poker.  At the end of the race, the rider with the best hand will get $250! Though admittedly many winners donate their prize back, Niday is still offering the prize. The rest of the proceeds go to a treatment fund for Niday.

Magic City Ford has made a donation for the event. Sandra Harter of Carpet Art in Daleville is donating a Motorcycle rug for the event. Elliott will sign the back of the rug. Other prizes are being collected at this time.  A donation of $2 can get a person’s name in the drawing for the rug! Tickets for the rug and prizes will be available at the Old Mill in Fincastle.

You can contact Niday at Shirley Niday on Facebook.com if you want to contact her about the Poker Run or just to say words of encouragement. Or send an email to sntbird@ntelsos.net.

Here are the particulars:

Shirley Niday Poker Run Saturday September 26

10 a.m.  : Magic City Ford Bill Elliott mingles with fans

Noon:  Shirley Niday Poker Run begins at Magic City Ford travels to Nannies Market on Catawba Road in Trouville goes over to Paint Bank via route 311 in Craig County, travels back to Botetourt County to  the old mill in Fincastle on US 220 and ends at the Copper Top in Buchanan.

4:00 : Copper Top in Buchanan. Finish, grand prize and drawing for the rug.

Time: Approximately 4 hours

Cost per person to enter the Poker Run is $10