NASCAR Unites For 10th Anniversary 9/11 Tribute

NASCAR Unites For 10th Anniversary 9/11 Tribute

Moment Of Silence Planned For Saturday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Race at Richmond

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Sept. 7, 2011) — To commemorate the 10th anniversary of 9/11, NASCAR announced today a special in-race tribute to take place on Saturday, Sept. 10 during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Richmond International Raceway. Fans attending the event, ABC-TV and MRN Radio broadcasters announcing the race, and the track announcer will all go quiet for a three-lap moment of silence from laps 9 through 11 at the .75-mile oval.

The three-lap moment of silence, in which all fans attending the race will also wave American flags, is the culmination of many 9/11 tributes and patriotic activities being planned by NASCAR race tracks, teams, sponsors, licensees, drivers, and fans in special recognition of the anniversary.

ABC’s broadcast of the Richmond race will also feature a NASCAR Foundation public service announcement (PSA) television spot that encourages NASCAR fans to pay tribute by pledging to perform good deeds, support charitable causes, and volunteer in honor of the 9/11 victims, survivors and those who served in response to the attacks. The NASCAR Unites-branded, 30-second PSA has been airing on ABC and ESPN race broadcasts, as well as on SPEED, since August 27.

“NASCAR takes great pride in the patriotism that the sport showcases every race weekend, and the 10th anniversary of 9/11 is a special opportunity for NASCAR to unite and recognize those we lost and honor those who responded with courage,” said NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France. “Bringing together the various 9/11 tributes with the NASCAR Unites platform collectively demonstrates the giving nature of NASCAR fans and those who work in our sport.”

The NASCAR Unites PSA is an extension of The NASCAR Foundation’s support for the national “I Will, Join the 9/11 Tribute Movement” campaign organized by MyGoodDeed and the HandsOn Network, which seeks to create the single largest day of charitable service in observance of the 9/11 Day of Service and Remembrance (911day.org). MyGoodDeed’s campaign features relatives of 9/11 victims and survivors of the attacks, along with celebrities, sharing a special 9/11 memory or tribute. Appearing in a campaign spot as a representative of NASCAR is five-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson, who will wear a Helmet of Hope in Saturday’s race to raise awareness for children and families in need.

Johnson also appears in the NASCAR Unites PSA spot, entitled “I will. Will you?” along with fellow NASCAR drivers Tony Stewart and Brian Vickers, team owner Richard Childress, Richmond International Raceway President Dennis Bickmeier, NASCAR officials, team crew members, track safety firemen and NASCAR fans. In the spot, viewers are directed to visit NASCAR.COM/Unites to submit their own 9/11 video tribute, send a postcard to a first responder and register for volunteer opportunities in observance of the 9/11 Day of Service and Remembrance.

NASCAR Unites is an industry initiative led by The NASCAR Foundation that creates an opportunity for NASCAR fans, drivers, teams, tracks, sponsors and more to unite to encourage volunteerism and improve the lives of children across the nation. Through NASCAR Unites, the NASCAR Foundation will grant $1 million and generate one million volunteer hours in local communities to help kids live happier, healthier lives. Earlier this year, NASCAR Unites led an industry-wide effort in donating over $300,000 toward disaster relief efforts. To learn more, visit NASCAR.COM/Unites, Facebook.com/NASCARUnites or Twitter.com/NASCARUnites.

Highlights of various 9/11 tributes planned across the NASCAR industry:

·         Richmond International Raceway has planned its most patriotic pre-race ceremony, highlighted by Wounded Warriors saying the Pledge of Allegiance; N.Y. police officer Daniel Rodriguez performing God Bless America; and the U.S. Army Infantry Division Band performing the National Anthem in a “Salute to America.” First responders will also be honored with a special ladder truck American flag display. Representing the Flight 93 National Memorial in Richmond will be a first responder and Tanker 627-4 truck from the Shanksville (Pa.) Volunteer Fire Dept. that responded on 9/11.

·         Jimmie Johnson is visiting The National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial for remembrance today before being hosted by President Barack Obama at the White House in a ceremony to honor his 2010 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship.

·         NASCAR is hosting a group of Wounded Warriors from Quantico Marine Corps Base, Fort Belvoir Army Base, and Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Md. as part of the new Troops to the Track program with the Armed Forces Foundation.

·         Lionel NASCAR Collectables, the official die-cast of NASCAR, partnered with the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation, in a multi-car “Honoring Our Heroes” program in which several race cars will feature special patriotic paint schemes at Richmond that pay tribute while giving thanks to three military heroes who were severely wounded in the line of duty. Cars participating are driven by NASCAR drivers Greg Biffle, David Gilliland, Jamie McMurray, Danica Patrick, Tony Stewart, Carl Edwards, Trevor Bayne, and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Lionel NASCAR Collectables will also be title sponsor of the Charlotte Tunnel to Towers Run, which takes place on Saturday.

·         Stewart-Haas Racing driver Ryan Newman will carry the names of the 75 U.S. Army Pentagon victims on his No. 39 U.S. Army Chevrolet at Richmond. In addition to the listing of the names, the race car will carry an inscription "We Will Never Forget" and sport a specially-designed logo featuring the World Trade Center twin towers, Pentagon and the American Flag.

·         ABC/ESPN will air a special feature during its Richmond race broadcast on Saturday entitled "I Remember" that includes stars of the sport reflecting on 9/11 and their memories 10 years later.

·         Many race tracks, including Daytona International Speedway, Michigan International Speedway, Charlotte Motor Speedway, Infineon Raceway, Martinsville Speedway, Talladega Superspeedway, Texas Motor Speedway, Dover International Speedway, Pocono Raceway, Richmond International Raceway and Darlington Speedway are hosting annual blood drives.

·         Dover International Speedway, along with the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation and Delaware Volunteer Firefighter’s Association, will host Delaware’s 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb on Sunday. In addition, Dover is hosting a free concert by the Dover Symphony Orchestra that night.

About NASCAR

The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, Inc. (NASCAR) is the sanctioning body for one of North America's premier sports. NASCAR races are broadcast in more than 150 countries and in 20 languages. In the U.S., races are broadcast on FOX, TNT, ABC/ESPN/ESPN2, SPEED and SiriusXM Satellite Radio. NASCAR fans are among the most brand loyal in all of sports, and as a result more Fortune 100 companies participate in NASCAR than any other sport. NASCAR consists of three national series (the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, NASCAR Nationwide Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series), four regional series, and one local grassroots series, as well as two international series. Also part of NASCAR is Grand-Am Road Racing, known for its competition on road courses with multiple classes of cars. NASCAR sanctions more than 1,200 races at 100 tracks in more than 30 U.S. states, Canada and Mexico. Based in Daytona Beach, Fla., NASCAR has offices in eight cities across North America. The next NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race, the Wonderful Pistachios 400 at Richmond International Raceway, will air Sept. 10 on ABC at 7:30 p.m. ET. For more information and a complete schedule, visit www.nascar.com. Follow NASCAR on www.facebook.com/NASCAR or on Twitter: @NASCAR.

About The NASCAR Foundation

The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, Inc., (NASCAR) launched The NASCAR Foundation in January 2006. The Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit entity that embodies the compassion of the NASCAR Family and its commitment to serving communities. The Foundation seeks to raise funds and increase volunteerism to support non-profit charities and charitable causes throughout the nation with an emphasis placed on initiatives that affect the ability of children to live, learn and play. For more information on The NASCAR Foundation, please visit the website: WWW.NASCAR.COM/foundation.