Kids color to design No. 37 paint scheme

WILBRAHAM, Mass. -- Crayons and coloring books are probably nothing new at some family restaurants.

Friendly's Ice Cream, however, is offering children the opportunity to get more from their pre-burger artistic moments than something for the family refrigerator. A coloring contest unlike any other in NASCAR history began Monday, June 23, and will continue through August 8. The response has already been very strong.

Using a special coloring contest entry form at Friendly's restaurants, kids can enter a coloring scheme for Derrike Cope's No. 37 Friendly's Chevrolet. The winning entry will be the design used on the car in the New Hampshire 300, Sunday, Sept. 14, at the one-mile New Hampshire International Speedway near Loudon.

"I've heard of 'design a car' contests before but this one is different," said Cope, who said he is eager to see what his Chevrolet will look like in September. "Everybody on our team was so impressed with the idea, we wanted to add a little bit more. The Friendly's folks were more than willing to work with us," he said.

Cope and his team will bring the No. 37 Friendly's Chevrolet to the school of the contest winner, with permission from school officials.

"There isn't a kid on earth who can't color well. All we are doing is taking the art that is usually on refrigerators and freezers -- freezers filled with Friendly's Ice Cream, of course -- and turning it into something bigger for a lucky child," Cope said.

The coloring contest is the first by a NASCAR sponsor aimed directly at children, and including the appearance of the driver and team.

"Friendly's Ice Cream and it's restaurants have always been dedicated to serving families, and especially children," said Peter Bell, Senior Director, Marketing. "This is a way we can involve the entire family, and those guests who are most important to us, in a wholesome promotion surrounding a wholesome sport."