Yount, Pritchard to play in Yeley golf charity

PHOENIX -- Baseball Hall of Famer Robin Yount and former Arizona State All-American linebacker Ron Pritchard have confirmed that they will participate in the #18 Drives For Kids J.J. Yeley Charity Golf Classic benefiting Phoenix Children's Hospital on March 8 at Kierland Golf Club, joining an already star-laden list of entries.

Yount spent each of his 20 Major League seasons with the Milwaukee Brewers. A three-time All-Star, Yount won an American League Gold Glove at shortstop in 1982 and the American League MVP award in 1982 and 1989. In 1999, Yount was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Pritchard, considered by some to be ASU's best linebacker of all time, was a three-time All-Western Athletic Conference selection and earned All-American honors in 1968. After a nine-year NFL career with the Houston Oilers and the Cincinnati Bengals, Pritchard was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2003.

In addition to Yount, former Major Leaguers Jeff Fassero, Jeremy Giambi, Ken Phelps, Paul Ray Powell and Bill Swift will bring their talents from the diamond to the fairway. Former ASU quarterback Ed Roseborough and current Arizona Cardinals punter Scott Player will join Pritchard as the second and third NFL players to enter the tournament.

Yeley, Kyle Petty, Juan Pablo Montoya, Regan Smith, Stephen Leicht and Denny Hamlin make up the wide array of NASCAR drivers in the event. Joining them will be Allen Bestwick, a longtime NASCAR pit reporter.

Former Major League outfielder Tim Salmon and former Phoenix Suns "Thunder Dan" Majerle and Tim Kempton are some of the other top names already entered in Yeley's inaugural benefit.

The focus of #18 Drives For Kids is multi-dimensional. While a fun event meant to bring the many personalities of NASCAR together for a day of off-track recreation, #18 Drives For Kids is primarily set on raising money and awareness for the numbers of youth from the Valley area and beyond at Phoenix Children's Hospital.

NASCAR action heats up when the lights come on at PIR for the April 19-21 weekend. It begins Thursday night with the Phoenix 150 NASCAR AutoZone West Series race. Friday night's fiesta is the Bashas' Supermarkets 200 Busch Series race. Then, the action reaches its pinnacle when the cars and stars of the Nextel Cup Series take the track for the Subway Fresh Fit 500, the first night race of the 2007 season.

Tickets are now on sale and can be purchased by calling 602-252-2227 or 866-408-7223 or online at www.racetickets.com. For additional information, visit www.phoenixraceway.com or call 623-463-5600.