Growing up in Philadelphia without a father and having an older brother who was in-and-out of jail, Richard Gadson admits it would have been easy for him to pursue a criminal life had it not been for the Big Brothers Big Sisters program that set him on the right path.
“I didn’t succumb to the streets of Philly (because of the program),” Gadson said. “My horizons were broadened. My mind was opened.”
Today, the 2025 Mission Foods Drag Racing Series Pro Stock Motorcycle champion is giving back to the program that played such an instrumental role in his life. Gadson is once again providing behind-the-scenes access to professional drag racing for young people in the program, reinforcing the importance of mentorship and perseverance.
The third year of the program kicked off at the NHRA 4-Wide Nationals at zMAX Dragway in Concord, North Carolina, with a group from the Central Carolina Big Brothers Big Sisters organization. The five other races this year where Gadson will have the program are Chicago, Indianapolis, St. Louis, Dallas and Las Vegas…