Fifth annual NASCAR Day on verge of setting record

CONCORD, N.C. -- Give yourselves a round of applause, NASCAR fans, you've earned it.

While the final totals for the fifth annual NASCAR Day telethon and fund-raiser won't be known for some time, it's safe to say that this year's "five years of caring" could go down as the best ever.

• Celebrate five years of caring
• Drivers help build playground
• To make donation, click here
• More information, click here

"I think it's going great this year," said Sandy Marshall, executive director of the NASCAR Foundation. "This is our second annual telethon and I think word has spread -- not only to the drivers and the industry but to the fans. We had a lot more fans out here [at the Sam Bass gallery] capturing their favorite drivers on the phone and the phones were ringing off the hook so I'm pleased, I think it's wonderful."

On Friday alone, NASCAR Day netted a $1.275 million in total donations, and that number has climbed to more than $1.3 million heading into Sunday. Last year, NASCAR Day brought home a total of $1.64 million and the hope is to raise at least that much again this year.

"We started out [Friday] with a donation from a soldier in Iraq so that is unbelievable that we've gone international with the telethon," Marshall said. "We've had a lot of $500 donations and above from fans, which is new this year, so I think the support is great."

A few lucky donors that called 1-888 MAY-16TH were fortunate enough to talk directly to drivers, who took time out of their schedule Friday to answer phones and take donations.

Cup champion Kurt Busch was one such driver, although the caller on the other end had another driver in mind.

"Kathleen was who I took the phone call from," Busch said. "She's from Indiana and I asked her who her favorite driver was and she said Jeff Gordon so she passed the test. She donated $50 and she's a five-year patron of NASCAR Day and has been adding to the program over the years.

"It's a riot. You introduce yourself and the fan on the other side is a donor and is excited that they are talking to a NASCAR driver."

Greg Biffle was a little more fortunate than Busch, as he spoke directly to someone giving to the Greg Biffle Foundation.

"The guy called in, he's passionate about motorsports, he's passionate about NASCAR and he's passionate about our cause," Biffle said. "He wants to see pets rescued and people spay and neuter their pets to help overpopulation and to get pets off of death row and into homes and out of the shelters. That's one of the things were very passionate about and we do a lot with that."

• More information, click here
• Support Family of Charities

Juan and Connie Montoya made NASCAR Day a family affair, bringing both of their children to the festivities and both are still in awe from the generosity of NASCAR fans nationwide.

"I think it's pretty cool, it's pretty amazing," Montoya said. "How NASCAR connects with the community, with the driver foundation -- they really care about the drivers' foundations and it's just amazing. It's a cool experience and we are proud to be a part of it."

Connie took it a step further, hoping that NASCAR Day can show Hispanics all around the world the benefits of giving just a little.

"I think it's amazing how we help the family of charities and the driver charities," she said. "In Formula One we didn't do this and it's amazing how people in the United States, the fact that they help each other, help the community, it's a really good role model.

"This is very new to everybody. In the Latin and Hispanic community, we really don't have a culture of giving back. We help in a different way. So I think this is a good role model to show the Hispanic community and Hispanic countries that it's important to give back. That everybody, just a little, $5 a pin, it's not very much but the difference it makes is amazing. I think as time goes on, you'll see more and more Hispanics coming to the races, supporting NASCAR Day and supporting the community as a whole."

There's still time to help as donations are being accepted at 1-888-MAY-16TH until 6 p.m. ET Monday, or online throughout the month. There's also time to help your favorite driver charity pocket an extra $24,000 with the challenge series sponsor Sprint has issued to the drivers.

The driver who can raise the most money will have an additional $24,000 donated by Sprint, and the race is tight. The Victory Junction Gang Camp is leading, but running close behind is the Jeff Gordon Foundation and the Dale Jr. Foundation.

Competition aside, it's about helping those in need and Biffle knows exactly who to thank for all the support NASCAR Day receives.

"It's the fans," Biffle said. "The fans are the ones who are passionate about this and passionate about our sport. It's a great thing that we're all doing to help the community and help different foundations.

"All the drivers have their foundations, we have the Greg Biffle Foundation, and it's great to see the support. This is what brings our United States together."