The Clipsal 500 Adelaide has selected the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation as its charity of choice in 2012.

Type 1 diabetes is a lifelong autoimmune disease that destroys the body’s ability to produce insulin, a hormone vital for life. It is generally diagnosed in young people but can strike at any age. It can be passed through families or arise unexpectedly.

V8 Supercars fans are encouraged to find a JDRF volunteer or Jasper, JDRF’s giant Jelly Baby Mascot at the track and place a gold coin in the bucket, purchase an item of merchandise, take a taxi ride around the track or have their child entertained by Ready Steady Go Kids on the Concert Oval.

There will also be a ‘Race for a Cure Raffle’ with first prize being a Ford Falcon FG MkII XR6 EcoLpi valued at up to $46,833. Tickets are $10.00 each and will be available from volunteers and marquee locations at the Clipsal 500 Adelaide

JDRF is aiming to raise $100,000 at the event.

V8 Supercars drivers Jack Perkins and Greg Murphy have both been personally touched by the disease. Perkins himself is a Type 1 Diabetic, while Murphy’s young sons Ronan and Cormac were diagnosed as infants.

Perkins says that it is an unbelievable gesture by the Clipsal 500 organisers to have JDRF as its charity of choice.

“As an ambassador for JDRF it is truly fantastic that they have been chosen as the official charity for this year’s Clipsal 500 in Adelaide,” Perkins told Speedcafe.com.

“The Clipsal 500 is South Australia’s biggest event, it’s the first event of the 2012 V8 Supercars season, and it’s also the favourite event for most of the teams and drivers in pit lane. It will be a fantastic opportunity for creating further awareness about JDRF, Type 1 diabetes and the ongoing commitment to improving lives and finding a cure.”

The Touring Car Masters category is also doing its bit to support JDRF through a unique ‘billy kart challenge’ to be held at the Clipsal 500 circuit on Thursday and Friday morning.

The program, which has seen Year 7 students from Prince Alfred College build karts themed as TCM vehicles while collecting ‘sponsorship’ donations, is understood to have already raised in excess of $15,000 for the charity.

Touring Car Masters front-runners Jim Richards and Andrew Miedecke are expected to be on-track for the 7:00am festivities, along with their respective racing sons Steve and George.

At the moment, 122,300 Australians have Type 1 diabetes and there is no cure, yet. Children and adults with this disease require a daily regime of 3-6 insulin injections or continuous infusion of insulin through a pump, as well as 6 – 8 finger-prick blood tests, just to stay alive.

Complications of this disease can include coma, blindness, kidney failure, stroke and amputation.

Researchers are working hard to understand the complicated mix of genetic and environmental factors that may cause or trigger this disease. However, it is certain that going on a diet or cutting down on sugar doesn’t stop Type 1 diabetes.