Dark skies did nothing to diminish the cheery atmosphere at the Yellow Party hosted by Indianapolis 500 champion Ryan Hunter-Reay and his wife Beccy at AutoNation Mercedes-Benz of Greenway.
The Thursday night fete drew Houston’s race community, who mingled with Verizon IndyCar Series drivers, posed on the red carpet and noshed on bites by Melange Catering. The Yellow Party wad the official kickoff of the Shell and Penzoil Grand Prix of Houston at NRG Park.
The Yellow Party is more than just a good time for Hunter-Reay and his wife Beccy. The 2012 IndyCar champion created the event to raise funds, awareness and hope for those touched by cancer. After Hunter-Reay’s mother passed away from colon cancer, he decided to take action.
“Everybody has been touched by cancer in one way or another,” Hunter-Reay said. “I wanted to bring the cancer community and the racing community together. A big group can make a big difference.”
“I wanted to bring the cancer community and the racing community together. A big group can make a big difference.”
The Yellow Party drew close to 300 people who happily donned bright yellow in some form or fashion for the event. In between sets by Cypress native Kayla Conn, a DJ played and guests hit the photo booth and watched artist Bill Patterson transform a blank canvas into a painting of two race cars.
A live auction included autographed Wolf Henzel racing gloves and a signed Johnny Manziel football. Money raised at the Yellow Party benefited the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center and Racing for Cancer.
Houston was the fourth stop on the Yellow Party circuit, which ends in Sonoma at Mario Andretti’s winery. Before the Yellow Party, IndyCar drivers Josef Newgarden and James Hinchcliffe received private tours of Johnson Space Center by astronauts Andrew Feustel and Anna Fisher.
2014 Indianapolis 500 winner Ryan Hunter-Reay and his wife, Beccy, hosted the Yellow Party, raising funds for cancer research.
