Wednesday

The NASCAR Foundation Announces “The Big Five” For NASCAR Day

Filed under Nationwide Series, Other Series, Press Releases, Sprint Cup Series, Truck Series

Annual Celebration Highlights Five Community Service Projects Across The Country
Aimed At Education And Helping Children Live Happier, Healthier Lives

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (March 10, 2010) – The NASCAR Foundation announced today five community service projects across the country as keystone events to take place on NASCAR Day on May 21, teaming with several official NASCAR partners and aimed at education and helping children live happier, healthier lives. “The Big Five” projects include: renovation and race theme decoration of a portion of the Aflac Cancer Center and Blood Disorders Service of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta in Atlanta, Ga.; partnering with Bank of America for a racing-themed educational initiative at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla.; working with Sprint, Inc. for a playground build at the Kansas City Ronald McDonald House in Kansas City, Mo.; A Place for Hope project outside Charlotte, N.C., and a youth initiative at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif.

NASCAR Day is an annual charitable celebration of the NASCAR spirit that enables fans and corporate partners to join together to make a difference in the lives of children. Since it began in 2004, NASCAR Day has raised nearly $8 million for charity.

This year marks the first time that the Foundation has taken on multiple national service projects of this magnitude to celebrate and create awareness for children’s causes through the NASCAR Day platform.

“We are very proud of this program and what it has been able to accomplish over the past several years,” said NASCAR president and NASCAR Foundation Board Member Mike Helton. “The contributions from our fans and partners to NASCAR Day make it possible for the Foundation to take on these multiple community service projects across the country. We hope that our fans will come out to support these efforts or find a way to volunteer in their own community to help celebrate NASCAR Day.”

Fans can help support these initiatives by making a $5 donation for the 2010 NASCAR Day collectible lapel pin or by registering to volunteer at one of the service projects. For more information visit WWW.NASCAR.COM/NASCARDay.

Details of “The Big Five” projects:

* Atlanta, Ga. – Aflac, NASCAR’s official partner, and The NASCAR Foundation have partnered on the project which will involve a room renovation at the Aflac Cancer Center and Blood Disorders Service of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta to help give it a fresh new face-lift with a racing theme. Recognized as one of the top childhood cancer centers in the country by U.S. News & World Report, the Aflac Cancer Center treats more than 370 new cancer patients each year and follows more than 2,500 patients with sickle cell disease, hemophilia and other blood disorders.

* Daytona Beach, Fla. – Bank of America, the Official Bank of NASCAR, and The NASCAR Foundation will work together in Daytona to raise awareness for the critical role math and science play in the sport of NASCAR by bringing more than 100 middle school students to Daytona International Speedway. The NASCAR Day event is part of the “Students at the Speedway” program, the bank’s signature program designed to showcase NASCAR as a strong career path for students who are eager to learn in the areas of math, science and technology.

* Fontana, Calif. – The NASCAR Foundation has partnered with Auto Club Speedway to host a youth initiative at the track on NASCAR Day.

* Kansas City, Mo. – With the help of Sprint, an official partner of NASCAR, and hundreds of volunteers, The NASCAR Foundation will build a brand new playground at the Ronald McDonald House of Kansas City. The playground will be dedicated in memory of Tom Murphy, a former Sprint Executive and NASCAR Foundation Board Member who passed away last year. The Ronald McDonald House serves more than 6,000 families per year and is desperately in need of a playground facility.

* Charlotte, N.C. / Rock Hill, S.C. – A community service project at A Place for Hope. A Place for Hope (APFH) is committed to providing material resources, hands-on educational training and job development programs, and psychological hope for the residents of Blackmon Road. The Blackmon Road Community is one of the poorest communities in South Carolina. The residents of Blackmon Road live without indoor plumbing, bathrooms or showers, without trash pick-up, without paved roads, and without street lights.

In addition to the five service projects, the contributions raised through NASCAR Day will help a variety of other organizations with an emphasis on children’s health and education. Last year, NASCAR Day funds also supported charitable organizations and non-profit programming including gifts to Kyle and Pattie Petty’s Victory Junction camp in Randleman, N.C., the Childress Institute for Pediatric Trauma, the Speediatrics racing-themed pediatric units and others.

One lucky fan will also win the trip of a lifetime to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Awards Ceremony in Las Vegas that includes airfare, hotel and two tickets to the Awards Ceremony in December 2010 through the NASCAR Day Sweepstakes. To learn more visit WWW.NASCAR.COM/NASCARDay.

About The NASCAR Foundation
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, Inc., (NASCAR) launched The NASCAR Foundation in January 2006. The Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit entity that embodies the compassion of the NASCAR Family and its commitment to serving communities. The Foundation seeks to raise funds and increase volunteerism to support non-profit charities and charitable causes throughout the nation with an emphasis placed on initiatives that affect the ability of children to live, learn and play. For more information on The NASCAR Foundation, please visit the website: WWW.NASCAR.COM/foundation.

About NASCAR Day
Annually celebrated on the third Friday in May, NASCAR Day is a charitable celebration of the NASCAR spirit that enables fans and partners to join together to make a difference in the lives of children. NASCAR Day encourages fans to make a $5 donation for a collectible lapel pin which in turn will support programs that help children live happier, healthier lives. Since it began in 2004, NASCAR Day has raised nearly $8 million for charity. Bring your family and friends to a NASCAR Day service project and experience how together you can improve the lives of those we care about the most. Visit WWW.NASCAR.COM/NASCARDay to register as a NASCAR Day team member, to find out about volunteer opportunities or to learn more about how The NASCAR Foundation is helping children in need.

- The NASCAR Foundation, Press Release