ATLANTA, GA – (September 24, 2015) – Kenton Koch secured the championship in the Mazda-powered Cooper Tires Prototype Lites Championship series on Saturday, August 29th. Koch, whose mother’s transplant inspired him to partner with Donate Life America to spread the life-affirming message of organ, eye and tissue donation, secured the points title with two races remaining after winning nine of the 12 races this season driving for the JDC Motorsports team. Koch will be racing in Atlanta September 30-October 2 and Donate Life Georgia will be on site to share information about organ, eye, and tissue donation and to support Koch as he finishes out the season.

Koch, a twenty-year-old native of Glendora, CA, knows firsthand about the lifesaving power of donation and transplantation. This past January, Koch’s mother received a heart transplant after fighting a downhill battle with dilated cardiomyopathy and spending six months on the national transplant waiting list. “It’s amazing to think that someone else’s heart is beating within her,” said Koch. “Thanks to them and their decision to be a donor, I still have my mom here today.”

“The Mazda culture supports community involvement, most notably with our Mazda Drive for Good campaign. It's fantastic to have our Mazda racers getting involved in ways that are personal. The Koch family is very much a part of the Mazda family and we are very pleased with what Kenton has accomplished with Donate Life. A great racer performing great work both on and off the track,” said John Doonan, Director, Mazda Motorsports.

Nearly 123,000 people in the U.S. are currently waiting for an organ transplant, more than 5,300 locally in Georgia. Those who are waiting are sisters, brothers, sons, fathers, daughters, grandparents, grandchildren, and mothers. “Knowing what it is like to have your mother on the waiting list and dealing with the uncertainty that comes with it, I don’t want others to go through that. Not everyone is as lucky as my mom,” said Koch. Sadly, on average, 22 people die each day because the organs they need are not donated in time.

“With more registered donors comes more hope for those waiting,” said David Fleming, President and CEO of Donate Life America. “The organ shortage is a public health crisis that we know how to fix – all it requires is more signatures.” To learn more about organ, eye and tissue donation and to register your decision to be a donor in Georgia, visit www.donatelifegeorgia.org.

About Donate Life America

Donate Life America is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit alliance of national organizations and Donate Life State Teams across the United States committed to saving and healing lives through increased organ, eye and tissue donation. Donate Life America, with the help of its corporate partners, is dedicated to spreading the word about the importance of being a registered donor so that others may live. Our vision is a nation that embraces organ, eye and tissue donation as a fundamental human responsibility. Donate Life America manages and promotes the national brand for donation, Donate Life℠; develops and executes effective multimedia donor education programs; motivates the American public to register as organ, eye and tissue donors; and assists Donate Life State Teams and national partners in facilitating high-performing donor registries.  www.donatelife.net

About Kenton Koch Racing
21-year old Kenton Koch has been racing for over a decade, starting out in karts at age eight. The Glendora native balanced his school work with racing as he moved up to the Mazda Ladder System where he has won $380,000 to put towards racing in the past 5 years. Kenton currently races in the Cooper Tire Prototype Lite Powered by Mazda where he has 9 wins in 12 races. When not at the racetrack, Kenton is a full-time student at Cal State Fullerton where he is majoring Business. For more information on Kenton Koch Racing, please visit www.kentonkochracing.com.

About JDC MotorSports
Involved in formula car racing since its inception in 1994, JDC MotorSports has established itself as one of the leading junior open-wheel teams in North America. Initially making its mark in the F2000 class of club racing competition, JDC MotorSports expanded into the Pro Mazda in 2005. Over the years, the Minnesota based team has remained focused on helping develop young drivers while winning numerous races and championships. In 2014, JDC MotorSports entered under JDC Miller MotorSports, a program in the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship Prototype Challenge class. For 2015, JDC MotorSports will again operate multicar entries in the Pro Mazda Championship Presented by Cooper Tires and the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda series as well as the Cooper Tires Prototype Lites Championship Powered by Mazda series. In addition the team will run again under the entry of JDC Miller MotorSports.