Bobby Scruggs Scholarships awarded

Pam Dudding

Contributing writer

For many students, receiving a scholarship is very important. And, for many charitable organizations, it means just as much in the giving of the scholarship. 

The Bobby Scruggs Charitable Foundation has been giving students scholarships for many years now. 

Bobby Scruggs was a NASCAR official for almost 40 years. Sadly, he lost his 13-year battle with cancer much too soon, on January 22, 2005.

His motto was “Never give up, go over, go under, go around or go through it, but never give up!”

Jackie Scruggs Taylor shared, “His legacy is being continued through fundraising to offer scholarships to students seeking a career in an area of motor sports or the automotive industry, business, or medicine.”

“There are also interns for motor racing outreach MRO and Wake Forest University Research Center,” she added. “Thus far, 140 scholarships have been awarded to students in 26 schools in southwest Virginia. There have also been 15 interns for MRO’s children’s ministry.”

The students for 2022 to 2023 who are receiving a $1000 scholarship are:

• Hannah L Ratliff – Craig County High School, attending Virginia Western Community College, studying nursing and afterward transferring to Radford University to become an RN. 
• Jodie M. Snider – Craig County High School, attending Virginia Western Community College, studying nursing and transferring to Radford University to become an RN.
• Josiah M. Wayne – Glenvar High School, attending NASCAR UTI Institute, studying welding, and interning with a team or NASCAR when he completes his course of study. 

“The Scruggs legacy continues through these students as they receive assistance to go in the world to complete their education,” Taylor shared. “The NASCAR family has been very supportive, and we are working very diligently to continue assisting students in the future.”

She added, “Bobby always told the drivers, quotation if today had not gone well, tomorrow would be a better day!”

On May 19, the Bobby Scruggs Scholarship partnered online with the Nascar Givathon for donations. 

If students would like to apply for a scholarship, the applications for the 2023 to 2024 scholarships will be on the website at bsmfoundation.org, with the due date of March 15th, 2024. 

Bobby Scruggs would tell them all, “Never give up!”