“This is going to be a huge season now for our team, sponsors, fans, and especially our Autism Awareness program.”

Dunbar purchased a Pro-4 during the offseason, but he had a change of heart. It’s not that he wasn’t interested in racing at Unity, he said, but that he desired an opportunity to race at more tracks to spread the word about his Autism Awareness program.

He will continue to race and speak in support of Autism Awareness nights at local short tracks, including Unity.

“This car will also enable me to race throughout New England a lot easier,” said Dunbar, 30, who donates all of his proceeds from purse money to the Autism Society of Maine. “The mission is to get Autism Awareness spread as much as we can and the ACT Late Models are the best way to do it in our opinions.

“Not to mention that this is where things are headed in New England.”

A neurological disorder discovered in 1 out of every 150 small children, autism affects the brain’s ability to communicate and reason, particularly in interpersonal relationships. According to the Autism Society of Maine, roughly 1.5 million people have autism.

Dunbar spent eight years working at the Margaret Murphy Center for Autistic Children, where he developed an empathy for children and families coping with the disorder.