Catchfence

MARTINSVILLE, Va. (December 22, 2010) – When Kevin Harvick says Martinsville Speedway is his “home track,” he means it. And he isn’t just talking about what happens on the race track.

Harvick donated more than 200 toys and $500 worth of gift cards Monday to be distributed to needy youngsters in Martinsville and Henry County for Christmas.

Harvick and his wife DeLana live about 35 miles south of Martinsville Speedway and for the past several years have called the historic track their “home track.” They have partnered with Martinsville Speedway on several events, but none any more beneficial than Monday’s donation.

“Kevin is a fierce competitor on the track,” Martinsville Speedway President W. Clay Campbell said of Harvick, who finished third in this year’s Chase for the Sprint Cup Championship. “But away from the track he’s a kid at heart and he and DeLana love to give back. Living so close to Martinsville, they understand the problems we have in this area, that we’ve got almost 20 percent unemployment and Christmas is an especially tough time.”

The Kevin Harvick Foundation and radio station 93.1 The Wolf sponsored a toy-drive concert last week at Johnny and June’s in Winston-Salem, NC,  featuring country music star Sara Evans.  Admission was a new toy valued at $20 or a contribution of $20 or more. The main beneficiaries of the successful event were foster children in Guilford and Forsyth counties, but the Harvicks made sure some of the toys made their way to Martinsville and Henry County.

“We are happy to donate some of the toys to our friends in need in the Martinsville area,” said Kevin Harvick. “We are extremely lucky to have received such amazing support through the toy-drive concert. The holidays can be hard and we hope all of these kids will know there are many people that care about them.”

Martinsville Speedway passed the toys and gift cards along to Christmas Cheer of Martinsville and Henry County, which will distribute them to needy families in the area.

- Martinsville Speedway, Press Release