CONCORD, N.C. -- Let the bad puns, and hopefully good works, begin.

Everyone already knew Jeff Gordon and Rick Hendrick were hungering for not only wins on the race track but for future sponsorship on Gordon's No. 24 car. Plus, with the two of them getting up there in age (the 60-year-old Hendrick more so than Gordon, who is 39), it figured they were going to be talking with the good folks from AARP and the AARP Foundation.

“

I'm at that stage in my life and in my career where this type of sponsorship makes perfect sense.

”

-- JEFF GORDON

So it was that a unique partnership was formed, with the announcement Wednesday at Hendrick Motorsports that AARP will be the primary sponsor for Gordon in the "Drive to End Hunger" Chevrolet in 22 races for each of the next three Sprint Cup seasons. No one was saying for sure but it is no small financial commitment, probably worth somewhere in the neighborhood of $14 million per season.

For those not quite clear on this, AARP used to stand for "American Association of Retired Persons" -- but the organization doesn't use that description of itself any longer, as it accepts folks much younger than retirement age. The current self-description is "a nonprofit, nonpartisan membership organization for people age 50 and over" who are "dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for all as we age."

Now perhaps it can help enhance Gordon's pursuit of victories on the race track, as the four-time Cup champion remains mired in the longest winless streak of his storied career. But the fact is that this is about more than results on the track.

Hendrick said Wednesday he had no idea how big AARP was until he started talking to officials from the organization. And at first, the conversations that began just last month in Richmond were about a more conventional racing business arrangement. Then it rapidly developed into something much more. It turns out the AARP wants to use Gordon's car and Hendrick Motorsports to help bring awareness -- and much-needed help -- to millions of older Americans who battle hunger on a daily basis.

"We didn't know when we started what kind of deal this was going to be -- I thought it might be an insurance company deal -- and as soon as we started the conversations, well, what we're trying to do is get the exposure to end hunger in this country," Hendrick said. "The more we talked and the more we brainstormed, it just exploded. I'm looking at it as a personal challenge, along with the race team."

Gordon added: "It's pretty well known that we like giving back and getting behind these important causes. A little bit of it is just where I'm at in my career. I say that not because I'm getting old -- but I'm at that stage in my life and in my career where this type of sponsorship makes perfect sense." (Continued)