Danica at the Hall of Fame January 25, 2015

NASCAR AND NHRA STARS TO “PAINT THE TRACK PINK™”

This month, the hottest color in motorsports will be pink when the biggest stars in racing take the track to show their support for those affected by breast cancer.

Ricky Stenhouse Jr “Paint the Track Pink” #17

As part of Lionel Racing’s “Paint the Track Pink” initiative, drivers like Greg Biffle, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Courtney Force and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. will drive pink race cars as they battle for the win during breast cancer awareness month. “The color pink is now a universally recognized show of support for breast cancer victims and survivors,” said Howard Hitchcock, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Lionel Racing.

With the most popular drivers in both NASCAR and the NHRA driving ‘Paint the Track Pink’ cars, the entire racing community is going to make a strong statement of on-track support that fans can get behind, as well as raise awareness and funds for an important breast cancer charity, Hitchcock continued.

Not only will the pink cars on track serve as a reminder that there is still work to be done in fighting this disease, a portion of the proceeds from the sale of each “Paint the Track Pink” die-cast will benefit the National Breast Cancer Foundation (NBCF), a Texas-based charity that works to increase awareness through education, provide diagnostic breast care services for those in need, and provide support services. 

We are excited to partner with Lionel Racing, the official die-cast of NASCAR,” said NBCF Senior Vice President of Development, Brent Hail. “This promotion not only educates race fans about the importance of early detection, but the funds raised will help provide mammograms and early detection services for women in need.

Drivers participating in the “Paint the Track Pink” program include:

• Dale Earnhardt Jr. - National Guard Pink in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Martinsville.
• Greg Biffle - 3M Pink in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Martinsville.
• Brittany Force - Castrol Edge Pink at the NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove.
• Courtney Force - Traxxas Pink at the NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove.
• Danica Patrick - GoDaddy Pink in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series beginning at Kansas.
• Regan Smith - Fire Alarm Services Pink in the NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Kansas.
• Ricky Stenhouse Jr. - Driven Pink in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Race at Martinsville.
• Brad Sweet - Great Clips Pink in the NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Kansas.

“Paint the Track Pink” die-cast cars are now available for pre-order through LionelRacing.com, the NASCAR.com Superstore, and authorized die-cast dealers. 

NASCAR AND NHRA STARS TO “PAINT THE TRACK PINK™” FOR BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH

Danica reads to kids at White House

Daytona 500 pole winner stays active in Easter Egg Roll event

NASCAR star Danica Patrick took in the sights and sounds of the 135th White House Easter Egg Roll on Monday, meeting President Obama and his family before participating with other athletes and celebrities in kid-friendly activities on the South Lawn.

After also meeting Bo, the Obamas' family pet, the Daytona 500 pole winner fittingly read to schoolchildren from "Go, Dog, Go," the 1961 P.D. Eastman classic illustrated book featuring a group of car-driving canines.

"To have the opportunity to come to the White House and then be able to meet the President, First Lady and their family, including the dog, it’s a great honor for me to do that for them," Patrick said. "GoDaddy is so close obviously with me, and they play such a big role in the world, really, so I know that things like this are very important to them. It’s an honor. That’s all I can say. It’s a neat opportunity."

Besides honor and opportunity, Patrick had some time to speak casually with the President, who expressed a desire to drive her boss' race car during Tony Stewart's 2012 Champion's Tour of the White House.

"He was asking me about NASCAR and some of the on-track, off-track things that have been going on lately with drivers," Patrick said. "So I was explaining why that happens, how that happens and if there's some truth behind it."

Patrick also took part in a yoga session on the White House grounds in conjunction with the event's theme: "Be Healthy, Be Active, Be You!" The egg roll motto is part of First Lady Michelle Obama's "Let's Move!" initiative to promote a healthier lifestyle among America's youth.

"Starting from a young age and having an active lifestyle is something that I feel like is important for kids to learn," Patrick said. "... It's just a good core value in your lifestyle."

The next stop for Patrick will be her first career appearance at Martinsville Speedway, site of Sunday's STP Gas Booster 500 (1 p.m. ET, FOX) for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

"I'm just excited for the race," Patrick said. "I'm trying to see if it's one of those that I just catch on to quickly or if it could be a complete disaster. It has that likelihood. It's a challenging track, but I think it's fun to go anywhere that's a legendary, famous track, and Martinsville's that."

Danica Patrick reads "Go, Dog, Go" to a group of kids at the White House.

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Prelude to the Dream - Supports "Feed The Children"

One of the biggest NASCAR-oriented charity events of the season will take place Wednesday night as 12 Sprint Cup drivers participate in the 26-driver field for Prelude To The Dream invitational at Tony Stewart’s Eldora Speedway.

 

Competing in Dirt Late Model cars on the half-mile track, the race will raise funds for the charity Feed The Children. The funds are raised through sales of the telecast on HBO Pay-Per-View. 

The three-time Cup champion Stewart has held the event for charity since 2005. He owns Eldora Speedway. 

“It’s great for us as competitors because we get a chance to go out and do something that we don’t get the chance to do all season long with each other,” Stewart said. 

“There are a lot of us drivers who get a chance to race at dirt tracks or run at Late Model pavement tracks across the country, but we never get to do it together as a group.” 

The Cup drivers participating are Stewart, Jimmie Johnson, Clint Bowyer, Ryan Newman, Kasey Kahne, Bobby Labonte, Kurt Busch, Kyle Busch, Aric Almirola, David Gilliland, Dave Blaney and J.J. Yeley. 

Other drivers scheduled to participate are part-time Cup drivers Kenny Schrader and Bill Elliott; former team owner and crew chief Ray Evernham; Nationwide Series drivers Danica Patrick, Austin Dillon, Justin Allgaier and Kenny Wallace; Camping World Truck Series drivers Jason Leffler and Ty Dillon; IndyCar Series driver Tony Kannan; NHRA drivers Ron Capps and Cruz Pedregon; and World of Outlaws drivers Steve Kinser and Donny Schatz. 

Patrick, who is in the midst of her transition from IndyCar to NASCAR, has never raced a car on dirt. “When I heard that you get sideways when you get out of the throttle, I thought, ‘Well, that just sounds like fun,’” she said. “So I think it’s just going to come from running it. “And, at the end of the day, it doesn’t matter how I do. It just matters that we’re all there, and that we’re putting on a good show.”

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