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Sprint Cup
CUP: Racing For A Good Cause
There are numerous charitable events happening this week in Charlotte...
(Left to Right) Karson and Breah Knape Walder with Sponsafier winner Fay Knape, Denny Hamlin, Ed Laukes of Toyota, and Michael Waltrip. (Photo: LAT Photographic)
Historically, the NASCAR community has been very active philanthropically, and that’s especially true during the month of May at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Among the myriad announcements made at the track and planned for this week are ventures designed to benefit local and national charities. Following are some of the initiatives.
TOYOTA PICKS WINNER — Toyota Racing named the grand prize winner in its “Sponsafy Your Ride Contest.” Chosen from more than 77,500 entries, “Praying for Karson,” created by Fay Knape of Danbury, Texas, was the overall winner. The design honors Knape’s 1-year-old grandson, Karson, who suffers from a rare interstitial lung disease known as Neuroendocrine Cell Hyperplasia in Infancy (NEHI). There are roughly 150 diagnosed cases of the disease worldwide. Knape saw the contest as the perfect opportunity to raise NEHI awareness and potentially fund research.
Toyota donated $5,000 to Karson’s family to help offset the cost of his medical expenses. “I’ve been a NASCAR fan for years and years, and I’ve never had the opportunity to attend a race. And to put this all together so that it benefits [Karson] in the long run is absolutely amazing,” said Knape. “Being in Charlotte is like a dream come true. I wake up in the morning and ask, ‘Is this really happening to me?’” Knape received a prize package for the weekend’s race festivities in Charlotte, including airfare, hotel accommodations, tickets to the official 2010 NASCAR Sprint All-Star Week events, hospitality suite access, a driver meet and greet with Denny Hamlin, exclusive Toyota racing apparel and spending cash.
And the design will be raced. Michael Waltrip will attempt to qualify the No. 55 “Praying for Karson” Toyota Camry for the June Toyota/Save Mart 350 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Infineon Raceway.
SMOKE SHOW EXPANDS — Texas Motor Speedway President Eddie Gossage and two-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion Tony Stewart said the third annual “Smoke Show” will take place Aug. 17-18 at TMS. The event is a fantasy camp that gives fans the chance to see what it’s like to be a NASCAR driver on race day.
The two-day event will host 30 students each day in an effort to raise money for Speedway Children’s Charities-Texas Chapter and the Tony Stewart Foundation. The event has raised a total of $474,000 over the past two years. Each of those was a one-day event. By adding a second day, Stewart and Gossage hope to raise at least $400,000 this year.
Half of the proceeds from the additional day will be donated to the Tony Stewart Foundation. “I set out to do this event for the Texas Chapter of Speedway Children’s Charities,” Stewart said. “It is extremely generous of them to involve the Tony Stewart Foundation and help me with some causes that are special to me. I really enjoy participating in this event; over the last two years, I have had the opportunity to meet some really great people.”
GALA PLANNED — The 30th Annual AutoTrader.com Speedway Children's Charities Gala will be held in the new NASCAR Hall of Fame in uptown Charlotte on May 26. This year's event will honor 2009 Coca-Cola 600 winner, David Reutimann, and serve as the official kick-off to Coca-Cola 600 Race Week festivities at Charlotte Motor Speedway. All proceeds from the evening will benefit the grant program of the Charlotte Motor Speedway Chapter of Speedway Children's Charities.
Gala festivities begin at 6:30 p.m. with a cocktail reception sponsored by ACN, Inc. The reception will include a silent auction, a photo booth by ShutterBooth and live music from the Rowan Big Band All-Stars, an 18-piece band featuring the style of Glenn Miller. Visit www.charlotte.speedwaycharities.org for more details.
LIVE AUCTION SET — Pieces of NASCAR history will be up for bid during Speedway Children's Charities Live NASCAR Memorabilia Auction on May 29. The auction will be held in Hospitality Village one hour after the TECH-NET Auto Service 300 NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Fans will have the opportunity to bid on the following items: autographed side panels from Kevin Harvick's No. 29 Shell/Pennzoil Chevrolet and Mark Martin's No. 5 Kellogg's/CARQUEST Chevrolet, and a side panel from Austin Dillon's No. 3 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet truck autographed by Richard Childress.
CORNHOLE CLASSIC — Race fans will have the opportunity to enjoy a favorite tailgating pastime May 28-30 at Charlotte Motor Speedway as Speedway Children's Charities teams up with the American Cornhole Organization to host the Scotts Turf Builder Cornhole Classic.
The Cornhole Classic will help kick off Coca-Cola 600 Weekend festivities with a 64-team double-elimination tournament starting May 28 at 3 p.m., and continuing May 29 at 10 a.m., with the championship match held May 30 at 2 p.m. Registration is $40 per team. For more information visit www.charlotte.speedwaycharities.org.
Among the myriad announcements made at the track and planned for this week are ventures designed to benefit local and national charities. Following are some of the initiatives.
TOYOTA PICKS WINNER — Toyota Racing named the grand prize winner in its “Sponsafy Your Ride Contest.” Chosen from more than 77,500 entries, “Praying for Karson,” created by Fay Knape of Danbury, Texas, was the overall winner. The design honors Knape’s 1-year-old grandson, Karson, who suffers from a rare interstitial lung disease known as Neuroendocrine Cell Hyperplasia in Infancy (NEHI). There are roughly 150 diagnosed cases of the disease worldwide. Knape saw the contest as the perfect opportunity to raise NEHI awareness and potentially fund research.
Toyota donated $5,000 to Karson’s family to help offset the cost of his medical expenses. “I’ve been a NASCAR fan for years and years, and I’ve never had the opportunity to attend a race. And to put this all together so that it benefits [Karson] in the long run is absolutely amazing,” said Knape. “Being in Charlotte is like a dream come true. I wake up in the morning and ask, ‘Is this really happening to me?’” Knape received a prize package for the weekend’s race festivities in Charlotte, including airfare, hotel accommodations, tickets to the official 2010 NASCAR Sprint All-Star Week events, hospitality suite access, a driver meet and greet with Denny Hamlin, exclusive Toyota racing apparel and spending cash.
And the design will be raced. Michael Waltrip will attempt to qualify the No. 55 “Praying for Karson” Toyota Camry for the June Toyota/Save Mart 350 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Infineon Raceway.
SMOKE SHOW EXPANDS — Texas Motor Speedway President Eddie Gossage and two-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion Tony Stewart said the third annual “Smoke Show” will take place Aug. 17-18 at TMS. The event is a fantasy camp that gives fans the chance to see what it’s like to be a NASCAR driver on race day.
The two-day event will host 30 students each day in an effort to raise money for Speedway Children’s Charities-Texas Chapter and the Tony Stewart Foundation. The event has raised a total of $474,000 over the past two years. Each of those was a one-day event. By adding a second day, Stewart and Gossage hope to raise at least $400,000 this year.
Half of the proceeds from the additional day will be donated to the Tony Stewart Foundation. “I set out to do this event for the Texas Chapter of Speedway Children’s Charities,” Stewart said. “It is extremely generous of them to involve the Tony Stewart Foundation and help me with some causes that are special to me. I really enjoy participating in this event; over the last two years, I have had the opportunity to meet some really great people.”
GALA PLANNED — The 30th Annual AutoTrader.com Speedway Children's Charities Gala will be held in the new NASCAR Hall of Fame in uptown Charlotte on May 26. This year's event will honor 2009 Coca-Cola 600 winner, David Reutimann, and serve as the official kick-off to Coca-Cola 600 Race Week festivities at Charlotte Motor Speedway. All proceeds from the evening will benefit the grant program of the Charlotte Motor Speedway Chapter of Speedway Children's Charities.
Gala festivities begin at 6:30 p.m. with a cocktail reception sponsored by ACN, Inc. The reception will include a silent auction, a photo booth by ShutterBooth and live music from the Rowan Big Band All-Stars, an 18-piece band featuring the style of Glenn Miller. Visit www.charlotte.speedwaycharities.org for more details.
LIVE AUCTION SET — Pieces of NASCAR history will be up for bid during Speedway Children's Charities Live NASCAR Memorabilia Auction on May 29. The auction will be held in Hospitality Village one hour after the TECH-NET Auto Service 300 NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Fans will have the opportunity to bid on the following items: autographed side panels from Kevin Harvick's No. 29 Shell/Pennzoil Chevrolet and Mark Martin's No. 5 Kellogg's/CARQUEST Chevrolet, and a side panel from Austin Dillon's No. 3 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet truck autographed by Richard Childress.
CORNHOLE CLASSIC — Race fans will have the opportunity to enjoy a favorite tailgating pastime May 28-30 at Charlotte Motor Speedway as Speedway Children's Charities teams up with the American Cornhole Organization to host the Scotts Turf Builder Cornhole Classic.
The Cornhole Classic will help kick off Coca-Cola 600 Weekend festivities with a 64-team double-elimination tournament starting May 28 at 3 p.m., and continuing May 29 at 10 a.m., with the championship match held May 30 at 2 p.m. Registration is $40 per team. For more information visit www.charlotte.speedwaycharities.org.
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