Bud McKay completed the ceremonial tossing of the first cell phone for the kickoff of this season’s Cell Phone for Soldiers drive by throwing in the phone he had in his pocket when he flipped his hydroplane in Phoenix at the first race in April.

“At least that phone went out in style,” said McKay, who is the driver of the two-time defending 8-cylinder Lighter-Than-LIGHTS high points champion. GEICO of Lakewood presents the Namron Racing Team hydroplane competing this weekend at Silverdale Thunder.

The cause is for deployed military members overseas and their families. Cell Phones for Soldiers collects used and outdated cell phones and recycles them to earn prepaid calling cards donated to deployed military members and their families. A collection bin will be in the pit area around the GEICO of Lakewood hydroplane. McKay will collect cell phones at the Silverdale, Spanaway and Port Angeles races and turn them into Belfair’s Sand Hill Elementary School in October. The school is an official collection site for the program. McKay hopes fans coming to the racecourse at Silverdale’s Waterfront Park today and tomorrow will bring their old, cell phones to the race and drop off them off in the pits.