Jeff Gordon’s Drive to End Hunger Takes No Holiday
While Jeff Gordon, as well as the rest of his NASCAR colleagues, may be enjoying Christmas with family and friends, his sponsor, the AARP Foundation’s Drive to End Hunger campaign, is taking no holiday.
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[/media-credit]“An estimated 8.8 million Americans, 50 and older, are at risk of hunger, including 4.9 million 50- to 59-year olds,” AARP Foundation President Jo Ann Jenkins said. “The holiday season is here but there is no off-season in the fight to help people facing hunger.”
Earlier this year, AARP became NASCAR’s first cause-based primary sponsor, featuring its Drive to End Hunger on Jeff Gordon’s No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet. The primary purpose of the sponsorship is to not only raise the visibility of the issue of hunger, but also to raise cash and donations in NASCAR venues throughout the country.
“We have just really enjoyed a wonderful working relationship with Jeff Gordon and Hendrick Motorsports as part of our entrée into the NASCAR world,” Jenkins said. “When we really thought about putting this whole campaign together, we said we didn’t want to have partners who didn’t really believe in solving the issue of hunger in this country.”
“I really believe that we can make a sizable dent in solving this issue, especially for those who are 50 years or older and vulnerable,” Jenkins continued. “So, we entered into this relationship with Jeff and agreed that it was going to be the Drive to End Hunger car because it really was going to be all about ending hunger. And all of the proceeds were going to go to helping this issue.”
Being new to the NASCAR scene, Jenkins admitted that AARP were tremendously fortunate to partner with one of the sport’s biggest names.
“It didn’t hurt that Jeff has won a number of races and that he is the eighth most popular sports figure in this country,” Jenkins said. “He has really embraced this whole cause, doing it not only when we ask him to but when he is talking about his own charities. So, it’s really worked out well for us.”
The other surprise for the AARP Foundation has been the success of not only raising awareness of the issue of hunger, but also raising dollars that turn immediately into food for those in need. The most overwhelming aspect of the Foundation sponsorship, however, has been learning just how generous NASCAR fans really are.
“Our goal for this year was to raise awareness and to raise funds,” Jenkins said. “We have tried to gear our awareness campaign to help local nonprofits and soup kitchens get what they need to solve this issue.”
“So far this year, we have raised over $14 million in commitments, in cash, donations or multi-year commitments from corporations,” Jenkins continued. “Almost 25% of that has come from individual donor contributions which is amazing.”
“We’ve reached over 123,000 NASCAR fans at our interactive tents at races around the country,” Jenkins said. “Almost 32 million people have been engaged with us in some sort of social media. So, we couldn’t be more happy with the results.”
“This was our first entrée into the sport and it has exceeded any of our expectations,” Jenkins continued. “The NASCAR fans really understand the issue of hunger and have embraced that.”
“The first thing they ask is how they can help,” Jenkins said. “Individuals really can make a contribution to ending hunger and I think we’ve hit it out of the ball park with our work with NASCAR and Jeff Gordon.”
Now that the first season for the AARP Foundation’s Drive to End Hunger campaign is in the books, the AARP Foundation is looking forward to seeing what next year has in store for their partnership with Jeff Gordon and Hendrick Motorsports.
“We’re excited about the 2012 racing season and we’re putting the plans in place as to how we can continue to do what we’ve done in 2011 but engage even more people at the tracks on our platform next year,” Jenkins said. “We’re going to try a number of fundraising events at the tracks and we’re also going to be working with our AARP State offices, getting them to engage in hunger campaigns.”
“We’re also expanding our partnerships with other nonprofits,” Jenkins continued. “Today we signed off on eight to ten innovation grants going to other nonprofits who think they have a sustainable solution to solving the issue of hunger.”
“Our goal is to amplify the work of nonprofits and the community in solving the issue of hunger.”
Although the 2012 season is right around the corner, the AARP Foundation is working especially hard over the Christmas break and off-season to ensure that all NASCAR fans understand that hunger takes no holiday.
“We are working right now on keeping the message alive,” Jenkins said. “We’re updating our Drive to End Hunger website on a daily basis.”
“We’re pushing out a new YouTube channel focused on Drive to End Hunger,” Jenkins continued. “We’re engaged in a pilot program in Georgia to simplify the SNAP application for Food Stamps, especially for the senior population.”
“There isn’t much of an off-season with NASCAR but we’re already engaged with Jeff and the folks at Hendrick with what we’re going to be doing starting early February to kick off the season,” Jenkins said. “We’re excited about it.”
The message of the AARP Foundation for the holidays is simple.
“The good thing about this Drive to End Hunger campaign is that each person can make a difference,” Jenkins said. “We know that if we give $1 to a local food bank, they can turn that into $7 in food by purchasing in bulk.”
“In this holiday season, when so many are in need, people really can make a difference.”
For more information about Jeff Gordon’s partnership with the AARP Foundation and the Drive to End Hunger campaign, visit .
New Penske Racing Driver AJ Allmendinger Feels It’s Time to Do or Die
AJ Allmendinger has asked the jolly man from the north pole to ignore the wish list he previously sent him. There’s nothing else Allmendinger could find under the tree that will top what he received on Wednesday afternoon, that being a ride at Penske Racing.
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[/media-credit]Allmendinger was named the new driver of the No. 22 Shell-Pennzoil Dodge, which had been vacated by Kurt Busch a few weeks ago. Driving for Roger Penske is something Allmendinger says he’s always dreamed about being able to do and now he feels he’s got the best shot he’ll ever get in NASCAR’s top level.
“To give me this chance has just been amazing, “said Allmendinger on Wednesday about Penske. “It’s been quick. It’s happening real fast but I’m ready to go. Going into next year, obviously we’ve got a short amount of time with how late this is all happening. I met [crew chief] Todd Gordon and everybody and just trying to make sure that I get to the shop as much as possible over the next six weeks and get in the car and get ready for it. I’m ready to go.”
What drew the attention of Penske officials is how Allmendinger had been able to progress over the years. Coming into the Cup Series with Red Bull Racing, back when they too were getting their feet wet, he was doing more with less. Then moving to Richard Petty Motorsports he contended for wins but found more bad luck and mechanical failures than decent finishes.
Penske Racing President Tim Cindric associates Allmendinger with the word potential, something that they were very serious about when looking for their next driver. Speculation ran wild for days following Busch’s release that notable drivers on the market such as David Ragan, Brian Vickers or David Reutimann would get the call.
Then at the 11th hour it was Allmendinger. While thinking he was all set at RPM for 2012 and working with his No. 43 team to prepare for a strong season, he started to hear the same rumors as everyone else: Busch was on his way to replace him. Then with sponsor Best Buy moving to Roush Fenway Racing, it couldn’t stop Allmendinger’s internal red flag from going up.
But before he could become too worried about being out of a job, he was walking into his new home, thinking he might need a map to find his way around. Now he’s taking time to learn everyone’s names, trying to connect with his new crew chief and fitting his seat into brand new cars.
It’s a good fit, believes Cindric. Working with now senior driver Brad Keselowski, who won three races and contended in this year’s Chase, will also be a good fit for the organization. Both are young and talented there’s nowhere to go but up. The relationship between Keselowski and Allmendinger will need to develop though, as the two barely know each other, having only exchanged pleasantries in the past.
What Allmendinger knows is that he’s got everything he’s ever wanted in a team. Stability, a rich history and confidence moving forward as well as the pressure. There will be a lot of pressure, Allmendinger knows it and embraces it.
“To have Mr. Penske personally want you to drive his race car is a thing that gives me a lot of confidence,” said Allmendinger. “It’s the same thing as when Richard Petty asked me to come drive his car. It gives you confidence when you have somebody with that background and with the accolades and everything that they’ve went through in their lives to make their organizations where they’re at. It gives me a lot of confidence.”
He continued though, “At the same point I know there’s a lot of pressure there. I’m not blind to the pressure with Shell-Pennzoil and with the organization and what they’re used to, having their ideas about winning. I know there’s a lot of pressure there to go out and perform but for me, if I didn’t feel like I could do that I’d just be wasting everybody’s time and then I wouldn’t be here.”
Allmendinger though says he knows he’s at the level where he can win races and be a championship contender. One of his strongest tracks is Dover International Raceway, where he has continually shown he can drive with the best in the business like Kyle Busch and Jimmie Johnson. There’s now a feeling that Allmendinger is one step closer to getting over the hump and finally breaking through.
“This is going to be my best chance I’ve ever had in the Sprint Cup Series to go out there and perform and I’m ready to do that,” he said.
Cindric is being more reserved when it comes to predictions. Making it clear that this is not a test session or one-year job audition for Allmendinger, it’s a partnership aimed to better the two sides for a while to come. Fulfill the potential Cindric likes to talk about.
“I think you have to be realistic and I think we have to hit singles in the beginning before we can worry about hitting the doubles and triples and home runs,” he said. “There’s no preconceived notion that we’re going to walk into this thing and just hit the ground running. We’re going to have to work toward it. If that happens, great, but I think we have to be realistic in the fact that we’re replacing a world-class drive and we’re trying to figure out how we get to the next level.”
Walk before you run is the echo around the No. 22 team now a days. For Allmendinger though, it’s really nothing new. He’s been down and out, from one team to another and rumored to be on his way out of the series for good. Every year he’s come back and his quiet plugging away has paid off with one of the best rides on the track.
“It’s easy to keep my confidence when Mr. Penske wants you to drive his race cars and come to his organization,” Allmendinger says about his recent roller coaster. “It makes me be able to look in the mirror and wake up in the morning and feel confident knowing that such a guy like Mr. Penske and everything that he’s had as race teams and all the great drivers, to have him come to me and say, ‘hey, I want you to drive my race car.’ That gives me all the confidence I need right there. He knows talent when he sees it and if he thinks I have enough talent to be a part of his organization, that’s all I need right there.”
Kurt Busch to drive for Phoenix Racing in 2012
(RacingWire) – Just weeks after mutually agreeing to part ways with Penske Racing, 2004 Sprint Cup Champion Kurt Busch has landed a full time ride in the 2012 Sprint Cup Series with James Finch’s Phoenix Racing.
The Smart Money’s On Busch to RPM…Or Not
After the continuing activity during this off-season, I have but one conclusion. You just never know what is going to happen. Witness the separation of Penske Racing and Kurt Busch. Even though Busch pretty much sealed his own fate with his actions this year, you had to feel that a championship caliber driver would not be asked to move on. I was wrong. I imagine sponsor Shell-Pennzoil had a lot to do with that decision. So, the next shoe to drop shouldn’t have been a surprise.
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[/media-credit]When Best Buy made the decision to head over to Roush-Fenway to sponsor 2011 runner-up Carl Edwards and Matt Kenseth, it left A.J. Allmendinger without a sponsor, so he had to go looking. Even though it was rumored that David Ragan, also sponsor less since UPS also headed to other teams in Jack Roush’s stable, would possibly take the No. 22 ride. After so much time elapsed, it was obvious that wasn’t going to happen. And Allmendinger had to deal with Robbie Loomis’ comment that he would mortgage his house to get Kurt Busch in Allmendinger’s No. 43 car. Allmendinger got the offer and he jumped. Ragan is still looking for a ride, but he’s not alone. I imagine David Reutimann, replaced by Clint Bowyer, and Brian Vickers, the victim of Red Bull’s closure, are feeling the same pain. It appears the only good job left is the famous No. 43 ride, and with Busch, Ragan, Reutimann, and Vickers looking for a ride, the competition will be fierce.
On the surface, it looks to be a game between Busch, Ragan, and Reutimann. I don’t see any way that Vickers will be considered for a Richard Petty Motorsports car—too much bad blood between Vickers and Matt Kenseth after last season’s troubles, and you have to remember that RPM is more or less a satellite of RFR. It’s pretty much the same with Busch. After Busch won a championship with RFR, he announced he was leaving for Roger Penske’s operation. Then an alcohol related event at Phoenix led to his firing. There is bad blood between Roush and Busch. Even though King Richard runs his own team, I can’t imagine RPM hiring Busch unless he can bring a sponsor with him. That’s the bottom line. The same could be said for Ragan and Reutimann. Whoever can bring the dollars will get the ride. It’s the way things are done in these times. Whichever driver can finance the No. 43 will get the ride.
My crystal ball is a little foggy these days, and even though the common opinion is that Ragan will go to RPM’s famous ride, I don’t see it happening. Kurt Busch is a name driver, whose talent has never been in doubt. David Ragan has won one race in his career and might be the choice is sponsorship doesn’t come. Petty has said he is committed to running the No. 43, no matter what. Reutimann is the dark horse. Once again, bringing sponsorship seals the deal. You just never know.
Look for Ragan to get a ride in one of the Front Row Motorsports cars for 2012. Look for Busch to get the RPM ride. I’ve been wrong before, and like I said the crystal ball is foggy, but I can’t imagine anything else. Reutimann? Who knows? One thing is certain, unless someone has a rabbit up their sleeve, this is the way it will come down, unless Busch Reutimann, and Ragan strike out in finding a sponsorship. Like I said, you just never know,
