May 24, 2006

OXFORD, Ohio--Former Miami University field hockey player Sarah Clarke '03 has always had a penchant for racecar driving and on today's (May 24) episode of The Tyra Banks Show, Clarke received a unique surprise from one of racing's most prominent figures.

As part of the episode "It's Your Lucky Day", Clarke appeared with Danica Patrick, who presented Clarke with a check for $10,000 to help her continue her passion for racing and re-start her racing career. One of Clarke's former teammates, Jessica Fusco, who works for The Tyra Banks Show and recalled Clarke's hobby of racecar driving from their college days, asked Clarke to be on the show to talk about how she had been racing cars since she was eight years old. Once on the show, Clarke received the surprise of a lifetime when Patrick presented her with the check.

Clarke, a native of West Bridgewater, Mass., has been racing cars since she was in the second grade. At the age of 12, Clarke competed in one of her first big competitions when she raced in the Eastern Grand National Championships in Indiana. She currently resides in California and is a recruiter for Aerotek.

The show is scheduled to re-air locally on Fox WXIX at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, June 7.

It has been a big week for Miami Alumni on national television as Jeff Griffiths `02 was on Monday's episode of Deal Or No Deal where he turned $1,000 into $70,000 with some help from former Miami University standout quarterback and Super Bowl Champion Pittsburgh Steeler Ben Roethlisberger.