NASCAR President Mike Helton, NASCAR Foundation chairman Betty Jane France and Richard Petty were on hand for the announcement of the NASCAR Foundation. Credit: Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images

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.

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"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.

Adam Petty's memory lives on through the Victory Junction Gang. Credit: David Taylor/Getty Images

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.

For more information on the NASCAR Foundation, visit www.NASCAR.COM/foundation.