Mast Nominated: Rick Mast enjoys lending a helping hand to his neighbors in Rockbridge Baths, Va. In 1994, he took on the task of organizing the Rick Mast Classic, a golf tournament and country music concert fundraiser for the Rockbridge Area Free Clinic. It is because of his continued commitment to his community and the clinic that Mast received True Value’s Man of the Year second quarter nomination. True Value, the Official Hardware Store of NASCAR, is once again sponsoring the NASCAR True Value Man of the Year. The award is designed to honor a driver not only for their accomplishments on the track but for their community service contributions and charitable efforts. Mark Martin, driver of the No. 6 Pfizer/Viagra Ford, was the recipient of the first quarter nomination. Since Mast, driver of the No. 50 blair.com Chevrolet, began his involvement with the Rockbridge Area Free Clinic, fundraising efforts have reached nearly $300,000. In 2000 alone, Mast and his group of volunteers raised $60,000 for the clinic. For the purpose of determining the NASCAR True Value Man of the Year Award winner, the NASCAR Winston Cup Series season has been divided into four quarters in which drivers are nominated for their off-track efforts. An elite group of panelists will select one of the four quarterly finalists to name the NASCAR True Value Man of the Year. This award will be presented at the NASCAR Winston Cup Series banquet in New York City, along with a prize of $100,000. The prize will be divided evenly between the driver and the charity of his choice. In addition to the NASCAR True Value Man of the Year, True Value sponsors the Man of the Race Award, which goes to the eligible driver who wins each of the 36 NASCAR Winston Cup Series championship events. Each True Value Man of the Race Award winner receives $2,500 with an additional $2,500 going to the charity of his choice. The third-quarter nominee will be announced on August 20.(NASCAR PR)(6-18-2001)
