Some University students got the chance to show their inner Dale Earnhardt Wednesday night at the first ever “Zeta 200” go-cart race.
The purpose of the event, which was organized by Zeta Tau Alpha sorority at Celebration Station, was to help raise money for breast cancer research and awareness.
Students from 15 University fraternities participated in the event and formed a total of 18 teams.
Each 10-member team donated $150 to compete in the race.
Race rules stated teams must change drivers every 20 laps, and the first team to finish 200 laps would win the race.
Lauren McQuiston, Zeta Tau Alpha president, said teams that turned in their entrance fees first were given the best starting positions.
Neil Matthews, the Vice Chancellor of Student Life and Academic Services, was the first driver to start the race.
More than 500 people attended the event.
Some students lined the track fence and stood on picnic tables to watch as the amateur racers tried to out-maneuver one another.
Some of the drivers sported costumes to help make the event more entertaining, inspiring some spectators to blow bullhorns and cheer as the go-carts puttered by.
One team dressed like the characters of the video game “Mario Kart” and threw banana peels onto the track.
With the exception of some harmless bumping, a few wrecks and a delay caused by a barricade failure, the event went smoothly.
Sigma Chi fraternity took home the first place trophy, followed by Acacia and Kappa Alpha Order.
In addition to the race, there was a silent auction for various items members of the Baton Rouge community had donated.
Among the goods up for auction were Polo shirts, a basketball autographed by the Dallas Mavericks and a picture autographed by by the 2003 Tiger football team.
“Zeta 200” is not the first breast cancer fund-raiser the sorority has held.
According to Sara Doucet, Zeta’s public relations representative, the sorority used to hold an annual five kilometer run.
“This is the first year we’ve done the go-cart race,” Doucet said. “In the past we had the ‘Run for Survival’ to help raise money, but we thought we’d make more money if we changed the event.”
The “Zeta 200” raised more than $5,000 through entry fees, sponsorships and raffles.
The money will go to the Zeta Tau Alpha National Foundation, which supports the Susan G. Comen Foundation for breast cancer research and awareness.
Zeta’s national philanthropy is breast cancer and the sorority has given thousands of dollars to help fight the disease.
A press release from Zeta stated the sorority has donated more than $85,000 since 1995 to local and national breast cancer research, education and screening organizations.