NASCAR Talk

In 2004, the doors opened on a very special place. A camp, just for chronically ill children, was founded in Randleman, North Carolina. The Victory Junction Gang Camp was the pet project of Pattie and Kyle Petty in memory of their son Adam who died in an on track car crash during a race. The great place gave the ill children a place to get away from their medical issues and just be happy kids. The camp is fully staffed and equipped to meet any needs of the children to keep them healthy as they experience such great activities as horseback riding and even bowling.

Pattie and Kyle have recently confirmed their intent to open another branch of the Victory Junction Gang Camps in the Midwest to help even more children have a great experience. Their preferred location for the new camp is in the Kansas City area. Since the North Carolina camp is continuously at full capacity and turning children away, now seems to be the right time to begin building and expanding the Victory Junction Gang Camps to other parts of the country. The Pettys have asked Ryan Cooper to head up the new facility. Cooper is a firefighter from Florida who rescued people from burning homes after a NASCAR plane crashed into a local neighborhood.

NASCAR and its drivers, along with the NASCAR Foundation, have always been big supporters of the Victory Junction Gang Camps. I’m sure that dedication to the organization will continue as it grows. The new camp near Kansas City is projected to be ready for its first campers sometime in 2010.

NASCAR, Victory Junction Gang, New Victory Junction Gang Camps, Kyle Petty

NASCAR drivers and their team sponsors are known for their charitable acts ranging from Kyle Petty’s Victory Junction Gang Camp to Greg Biffle’s Animal Charities. The California wildfires have caused the need for charity and help from across the country, so of course some of NASCAR’s big names are doing their part to help the victims of the terrible fires.

Native Californian Jimmie Johnson not only won the race in Atlanta this past weekend, he donated those winnings to the Southern California Red Cross to help with the recovery from the devastating wildfires that ripped across the state. The #48 Lowe’s Chevrolet team took home a total of $343,861 in winnings from Atlanta. Every penny of that paycheck will be presented to the Red Cross in a special ceremony in Texas before this weekend’s race by Jimmie Johnson himself. The team’s title sponsor Lowe’s has vowed to match that amount and also raised an additional $10,000 from its employees nationwide. Burton Smith, CEO of Sonic Automotive also pledged to match that amount, bringing the total to over $1 million for the Red Cross and its disaster relief in Southern California.

Johnson isn’t the only NASCAR related person to make donations to aid in the fire relief. The First Family of NASCAR, the France Family, has joined together with the California Speedway to donate more than $250,000 to the cause. Also, the food and beverage provider company at California Speedway has been delivering several pallets of drinks such as water and Gatorade to firefighters in the area. The Speedway also has a list of needed items on their website and is urging people to donate what they can to help.

NASCAR, NASCAR charities, Jimmie Johnson

“With more than 4,000 locations all over the country, the Boys and Girls Clubs of America have been a great organization for kids,” Harvick said. “It is an honor to be teamed up with RoadLoans to present the Boys and Girls Club of Delaware with a check for $7,505.”

Last weekend, NASCAR drivers Kevin Harvick and Tony Raines visited the Boys and Girls Club of greater Newark in Delaware to deliver a $7505 check for the worthy organization courtesy of RoadLoans.com. The money was raised in an online auction for an Ultimate Fan Experience package for the past weekend in Dover, which included premium seats for both the Busch Series and Nextel Cup races. Other items included autographed uniforms from Kevin Harvick, pit passes, and Victory Lane access after the Busch race.

Not only did the drivers present the check to the organization, they also interacted with hundreds of kids signing autographs and taking pictures, as well as a “Q&A” session. Part of the NASCAR Foundation, the Boys and Girls Clubs of America have benefited across the country from NASCAR and its drivers raising money and making appearances. It’s always good to see the stars giving back to those in need.

To see a few more pictures of the event, keep reading after the jump.

NASCAR, NASCAR Foundation, Kevin Harvick, Tony Raines, Kevin Harvick appearance pictures, Tony Raines appearance pictures, Kevin Harvick Boys and Girls Club Delaware, Tony Raines Boys and Girls Club Delaware

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