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The Victory Junction Gang Camp is probably the most visible program, providing a fun and exciting camp experience for children with chronic or critical illnesses. The camp was first the idea of Adam Petty, who lost his life in 2000, and was brought to fruition by Kyle and Patti Petty. Among the other NASCAR notables who provide a vast amount of time and effort for children’s health includes Richard Childress and Jeff Gordon. Childress helped establish the Childress Institute for Pediatric Trauma, to help injured children around the world. Gordon is known for his many charitable endeavors, including the Jeff Gordon Children’s Hospital in Concord, NC. Gordon is also heavily involved with the Make-a-Wish Foundation, a charity that Dale Earnhardt Jr. has also provided fund-raising as well as meeting a large number of children each year. Their team owner, Rick Hendrick, formed the Hendrick Marrow Program after his bout with leukemia, designed to help provide matches between marrow donors and recipients.

Most Cup drivers have a foundation or charitable organization, and are easily found with a simple internet search. Each driver’s causes reflect a lot about their individual interests. Tony Stewart has donated an immense amount to the Victory Junction Camp as part of his mission to help critically ill children. He is also involved in helping drivers who are injured in racing accidents. Greg Biffle and Ryan Newman are both heavily involved in programs for animals, especially providing education about the spaying and neutering of pets. Martin Truex focuses his charity proceeds on kids in his home state of New Jersey.

While his demeanor might be gruff at times, Kyle Busch has a number of charitable involvements. Kyle has dedicated his foundation’s work to helping orphanages and children’s homes across the country. His brother Kurt has also been involved in helping with health care, career training and rehabilitation for those in need. Kyle’s teammate Denny Hamlin has a foundation that is involved with the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and St. Jude’s Hospital.

The list goes on and on, from Kasey Kahne to Juan Pablo Montoya and from the Women’s Auxiliary of Motorsports to NASCAR’s own foundation. You should spend a few minutes and check out what kind of good deeds your favorite driver is doing when he’s not behind the wheel.

The opinions reflected herein are solely those of the above commentator and are not necessarily those of SPEEDtv.com, FOX, NewsCorp, or Speed Channel

Jade Gurss is the owner of fingerprint, inc., a sports publicity company. He has written two New York Times Best Sellers, including what is believed to be the biggest-selling motorsports book in American publishing history (Driver #8 with Dale Earnhardt Jr.). His two decades of publicity and marketing experience involves nearly every category of motorsports, including nine innovative seasons as NASCAR publicist for the Budweiser brand and Earnhardt Jr. His blog can be seen at: http://fingerprint.typepad.com