“I enjoy bringing people into my world and letting them see what I see.” – Dale Jr.
MOORESVILLE, N.C. (Oct. 15, 2010) – To help those less fortunate, The Dale Jr. Foundation is giving others the chance of a lifetime.
Charlotte Motor Speedway will host “Dale Jr. Day” this Monday, Oct. 18, in a major fundraising initiative that gives fans the chance to take laps around the 1.5-mile facility with Dale Earnhardt Jr., NASCAR’s seven-time Most Popular Driver. The event will be The Dale Jr. Foundation’s primary fundraising event of the year in providing funds for local charities – including Make-A-Wish and Victory Junction Gang Camp – with an emphasis on kids.
Dale Jr. Day is a joint effort between The Dale Jr. Foundation and NASCAR Racing Experience. Fans have the option of seven different packages, and while each features its own uniqueness, all donors will have the opportunity to participate in a fan question-and-answer session with Earnhardt Jr. For event information and package details, log onto www.nascarracingexperience.com/NRE/DaleJrDay/index.html or www.TheDaleJrFoundation.org.
“Ever since we started the foundation, we have one big fan event a year to help raise money for the charities we support,” Earnhardt Jr. said. “It’s a big deal to me and a big deal to my fans. We always have overwhelming support, and I really appreciate that. This will be the first time we’ve done a fundraising event that actually involves me driving a race car, so I’m pretty excited about that. I like to bring people into my world and let them see what I see. I think they’ll find a new appreciation for what we all do as drivers.”
The event is open to the accredited members of the media. Earnhardt Jr. will be available for a media session immediately after the Q&A and ride-arounds. (Please contact JR Motorsports Communications for media RSVP.)
“We’ve tried to come up with ways to give value back to our donors through special events like Dale Jr. Day, and we hope for a good turnout this Monday,” said Camille Thompson, marketing manager for The Dale Jr. Foundation. “Our ‘hard card’ membership offers cool merchandise in return for donations, and our eBay program has everything from sports and music memorabilia to autographed die cast cars and fire suits. We like to give back to those who give to us. Most people don’t realize The Dale Jr. Foundation is almost 100 percent funded by contributions from donors, so we appreciate any amount fans are able to give so we can continue to do good things for underprivileged and critically ill children.”
One lucky Make-A-Wish® child will see his dream come true when he pairs up with Earnhardt Jr. for a ride around the track. Thanks in part to an anonymous donation to The Dale Jr. Foundation, the child will live out his lifelong dream of riding with his favorite NASCAR driver during the day’s activities.
Earlier this year, Dale Jr. granted his 200th Wish for Make-A-Wish, making him one of the top five wish-granting athletes in the 30-year history of the Make-A-Wish Foundation. The 200th wish was chronicled on ESPN’s My Wish Series this summer.
Proceeds from Dale Jr. Day will benefit Blessings in a Backpack, Make-A-Wish, The Ronald McDonald House of Charlotte, and Speedway Children’s Charities.
About The Dale Jr. Foundation
The Dale Jr. Foundation is a non-profit charity dedicated to giving underprivileged individuals with a focus on youth, the resources to improve their confidence and education, and the opportunity to achieve extraordinary goals. Since its founding in 2007, The Dale Jr. Foundation has helped over 200 organizations a year. For more information on all its charitable efforts, and to learn more about how to donate, visit www.thedalejrfoundation.org
