Money raised by TDJF in 2014 was the most in its eight-year history
MOORESVILLE, N.C. (Dec. 16, 2014) – Through its 2014 fundraising campaign, The Dale Jr. Foundation (TDJF) earned $933,364 – the most it has ever raised in a single year since its inception in 2007. That money will be distributed to more than 70 charities, including Barium Springs Home for Children, Camp LUCK, Carolina’s Healthcare Foundation (Levine Children’s Hospital), Classroom Central, DonorsChoose.org, Health Reach Community Clinic, Kinder-Mourn Inc., Make-A-Wish, Mooresville Area Christian Mission, SCAN of Iredell County and Speedway Children’s Charities.
The Dale Jr. Foundation’s mission is to give underprivileged individuals, with a focus on youth, the resources to improve their confidence and education, and the opportunity to achieve extraordinary goals. Since 2007, TDJF has contributed to charities on local, regional and national levels through donations and nonmonetary aids. Behind initiatives such as the “Driven To Give” event, “Win Dale Jr.’s Ride” raffle, and the “Dale Jr. Ride-Along Experience,” the foundation exceeded its all-time high in fundraising monies by $175,800.
“I’m so proud of what we were able to accomplish this year,” said Dale Earnhardt Jr., who recently was named recipient of NASCAR’s prestigious Myers Bros. Award for his contributions to the sport of stock car racing.
“We had successful fundraisers, and our fans really stepped up this year and contributed in a big way. Our corporate partners did, too. Ultimately we set the bar extremely high this year, and I’m grateful to Kelley, and all the staff at JR Motorsports who worked hard to make this year a success.”
The fourth annual “Driven To Give” event took place on Oct. 21 and was hosted by ESPN’s Marty Smith, with Comedy Central comedian John Heffron entertaining the audience at the Fillmore in Charlotte. Total proceeds through the silent auction, live auction, and donations tallied $253,100, an increase of more than $57,000 over the money raised in 2013.
The very next day, W. Smith took ownership of Earnhardt Jr.’s 2014 Corvette Stingray Coupe, as she was the winner of the 2014 “Win Dale Jr.’s Ride” promotion. Mrs. Smith’s $25 raffle ticket was randomly drawn from the 8,888 tickets sold. She learned that she was the winner of Earnhardt Jr.’s Corvette just two weeks after being diagnosed with stage four breast cancer. Smith came to JR Motorsports on Oct. 22 to receive the keys to her new car from Earnhardt Jr. The raffle raised $222,200.
The “Dale Jr. Ride-Along Experience” raised an additional $124,400, which again surpassed totals from previous years. Fourteen recipients and their guests visited Charlotte Motor Speedway for a three-lap ride in a car from the Richard Petty Driving Experience with Earnhardt Jr. behind the wheel. They were also treated to an exclusive Q&A session, autographs and photo session with Earnhardt Jr., Kelley Earnhardt Miller and Kerry Earnhardt.
“We reached new heights this year with The Dale Jr. Foundation, and we’re proud of it,” said Earnhardt Miller, general manager of JR Motorsports and vice president of The Dale Jr. Foundation. “The hard work and dedication from many individuals contributing to The Foundation is the reason we have exceeded our goals this year. Looking back over the past eight years, we have come a long way and we still have a lot more we’d like to achieve. I’m so thankful for this organization and what it stands for. Without the tireless support from our fans and partners, this wouldn’t be possible. It’s a great feeling knowing The Dale Jr. Foundation is helping so many worthy causes.”
ABOUT THE DALE JR FOUNDATION:
The Dale Jr. Foundation is a charity dedicated to giving underprivileged individuals with a focus on youth, the resources to improve their confidence and education, and the opportunity to achieve extraordinary goals. For more information, visit www.thedalejrfoundation.org.
ABOUT JR MOTORSPORTS:
JR Motorsports is the management company and racing operation for Dale Earnhardt Jr., NASCAR’s 12-time Most Popular Driver and winner of more than 40 NASCAR-sanctioned races. JR Motorsports competes in multiple racing divisions, including the NASCAR XFINITY Series, in which it won the 2014 championship with 18-year-old Chase Elliott. The company competes in regional late model divisions, in which it just earned its second championship in three years. To learn more about the organization, its drivers and its sponsorship opportunities, visit www.jrmracing.com.
