Motor Racing and Formula One

Chris DiCicco asked:


A good organization supports charity and NASCAR does just that through its NASCAR foundation. The NASCAR foundation has a program where for a $30 donation you can join in on the NASCAR track walk. The Home Depot, one of the nation’s largest retail home improvement centers, is a major sponsor of the promotions and holds charitable events with proceeds going to the Foundation. But who does the Foundation support and what kinds of events do they hold to raise funds?

One thing they do is sponsor auctions where the proceeds go to one of the foundations supported by the NASCAR foundation. For example, on September 17, 2007, they announced bidding on Jeff Gordon full-sized and autographed fiberglass auto body. The proceeds from this auction go to the Jeff Gordon Foundation which supports pediatric medical care of children with serious and life-threatening disease.

The NASCAR foundation holds the Blood and Marrow Drives at different tracks each year. The donations help out the Jimmie Johnson Foundation and the Hendrick Marrow Program. Other charities of the NASCAR Foundation are:

The Dale Earnhardt Foundation

This is a foundation run by the wife of the racing great who died in a race car crash in 2001. Dale Earnhardt was concerned about education, children, and wildlife and his commitment lives on through this foundation.

The Kyle Petty Charity Ride

Kyle Petty is the son of the King of NASCAR Richard Petty and he sponsors a motorcycle ride across the USA for the Victory Junction Gang Camp as well as other children’s charities.

Victory Junction Gang Camp

This is an organization with the mission of helping to enrich the lives of children with serious illnesses by providing them a camping experience in a medically-safe environment. It was founded by Kyle Petty and his wife Pattie in June 2004. The couple also donated the land that the camp stands on today. The camp is interesting because it was built with a racing theme and all the look of a NASCAR race track. The camp takes cash donations and there are volunteer opportunities. It is also gives a quilt and a teddy bear to each child who stays there so they are always looking for donations of these two items to replenish their supply.

NASCAR Auto Donation Program

There are many ways to donate to the NASCAR foundation. One way is through the NASCAR Auto Donation program. Here, you can donate a vehicle and then any of the proceeds that the NASCAR Auto Donation program gets from the proceeds in an auction are given to charity. All donations are fully tax deductible.

The NASCAR Day Telethon

This was a telethon held on May 18, 2007 across from Lowe’s Motor Speedway in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Speed Channel, NASCAR, and Sirius radio broadcasted this telethon event through the end of the Craftsman Truck Series Race.

There are many other charitable organizations supported by the NASCAR Foundation but it is obvious that NASCAR cares about contributing to the community which is probably one of the reasons why this sport is becoming increasingly popular.



Kaden

Chris DiCicco asked:


The NASCAR Hall of Fame was designated to be built in Charlotte, North Carolina on March 6, 2006 and groundbreaking began in 2007. It is projected to be opened for visitors in 2010. The Hall of Fame will be a welcome asset for tourism in Charlotte plus create jobs for the locals. It will have an office building that will house the business operations of marketing the NASCAR image and licensing. The NASCAR Hall of Fame has also adopted the words “Racing was built here Racing belongs here” as its slogan.

Besides being a very modern building that captures the spirit of racing, the NASCAR Hall of Fame has as its first mission to pick the first inductees. There are some unofficial Hall of Fame sites where people are taking polls and we’ll take a look at some of the popular drivers getting voted for.

Lee Petty

Lee Petty had 54 victories and is the father of Richard Petty. He raced during the 1950s an 1960s when NASCAR really began to take off. His home state is also that of the NASCAR Hall of Fame: North Carolina. He was inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame, The Motorsports Hall of Fame of America, and elected to the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame.

Richard Petty

He is getting a lot of votes at unofficial NASCAR Hall of Fame sites and it is to no surprise. Richard Petty has 200 wins and 7 championship titles. He and Dale Earnhardt are the only two drivers in NASCAR history to have 7 championship titles. Richard Petty was dubbed the title of the “King of Racing.” He is the son of Lee Petty who was also a championship NASCAR driver.

Bobby Allison

Here is another well-known name is racing. He has 84 victories with 3 Daytona 500 championships.

Cale Yarborough

Cale Yarborough has 83 victories plus he’s famous as being the only driver to win 3 straight championships. He is ranked 5th in the All-time NASCAR winner’s list. He has also been the winner of the Daytona 500 four times.

Bobby Isaac

Bobby Isaac had to leave a race in 1977 because of heat exhaustion. During the time they were treating him he had a heart attack and died. In his short life of 45 years, he would achieve 37 victories. He would also set 28 world land speed records at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah (outside of the NASCAR competition). He would eventually be named as one of 50 of the all-time great NASCAR drivers. He is also a 1979 inductee of the National Motorsports Press Association Hall of Fame.

There are other NASCAR driver greats being considered including Buck Backer, Clay Earls, Tim Flock, and Junior Johnson.

Charlotte, North Carolina is a perfect location for the NASCAR Hall of Fame because there are over 50 teams of the Busch, Craftsman Truck, and Nextel Cup Series Championship competition all in close proximity to Charlotte. And Charlotte was the home of the first premier NASCAR race in 1949. That’s why they say racing started in Charlotte and should remain in Charlotte.



Alexis

Ham B asked:


I am going to the race this weekend and I don’t know what color to wear to support my favorite driver. So, will it be green for Amp or blue for the National Guard?

Jennifer

The Cat in the Tin Foil HAt asked:


Imagine all the top F1 guys and Nascar Guys and Touring Car Guys racing each other in equally powered Go Carts!!

Or even better in Dodgem Cars!!!!

Chris

Calchas asked:


I am picking on motor racing as it is a pointless sport with a large following and morally unacceptable in terms of global warming.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bestiarii

Hayley