NASCAR launches charitable foundation

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- NASCAR announced Wednesday the establishment
of the NASCAR Foundation, a 501 {c) (3) non-profit entity that will
serve as the liaison between the sport and all of the charitable causes
supported by its different constituents.

The Foundation will review charity requests on a regular basis and over
time, will expand its focus beyond the industry related charities that
NASCAR currently supports.

Betty Jane France has been a leader of NASCAR charitable projects, most
notably Speediatrics, a NASCAR themed pediatric unit at Halifax Medical
Center in Daytona Beach and Homestead Hospital in Homestead, Fla.
France believes the NASCAR Foundation will be an effective tool in
making a positive and lasting impact in the community.

"NASCAR actively supports charities and is devoted to being a leader in
the area of public service," said France, who will serve as chairman of
the NASCAR Foundation Board. "We are fortunate to have a wonderful
group of drivers, owners, teams, tracks, and sponsors, along with more
than 75 million fans that believe in providing opportunities for those
in need. The NASCAR Foundation will link all of our charitable
initiatives, and working together, we will make a difference."

"NASCAR is committed to helping improve the lives of people and those in
need and we are excited about the opportunities for community service
through our NASCAR Foundation." said Mike Helton, NASCAR president and
NASCAR Foundation Board vice chairman.

Through the NASCAR Foundation, the general public will have
opportunities to become involved with the community service projects
NASCAR supports.

The largest annual charity event supported by the NASCAR Foundation is
NASCAR Day. For a $5 donation, participants receive an official NASCAR
Day lapel pin and have the opportunity to wear their favorite NASCAR
apparel to work. In just its second year, 240,000 pins were sold for
NASCAR Day 2005, raising $1.2 million overall. More than 2,500 companies
participated in NASCAR Day last year, with the initiative benefiting the
three designated charities -- Victory Junction Gang Camp, Speediatrics,
and Speedway Children's Charities.

The NASCAR Foundation will also work with drivers and their foundations
or favorite charity. Kyle Petty, who along with his wife, Pattie,
founded the Victory Junction Gang Camp in honor of their late son, Adam,
says the NASCAR Foundation will be a great asset to furthering the
assistance the sport can provide to those in need.

"From the very beginning, NASCAR has been a tremendous help to the
Victory Junction Gang Camp," Petty said. "We received so much support
from NASCAR when we first announced the camp and it wasn't long after
that, the camp became an official NASCAR charity. That really allowed
the camp to move to a national level and reach an even greater number
of young people.

"The Victory Junction Gang Camp is up and running today in large part
because of NASCAR, its drivers, sponsors and all of the loyal fans who
follow the sport. I believe the NASCAR Foundation is only going to
continue to improve the Victory Junction Gang Camp and benefit all of
the charitable efforts that NASCAR sponsors."

Besides France and Helton, the NASCAR Foundation Board will consist
Jim Hunter, vice president; Todd Wilson, treasurer; and Jennifer F.
Bates, vice chairman, secretary. Sandy Marshall, who has served as
NASCAR's Senior Manager for Community Relations for the past three
years and is based in Charlotte, will be executive director of the
NASCAR Foundation.

http://www.nascar.com/2006/news/headlines/official/01/18/nascar_foundation/

--
- http://groups.yahoo.com/group/pittsburgh-pirates
- http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/nascar-group
- http://groups.yahoo.com/group/politics-usa-republican
- http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/pittsburgh-steelers