NASCAR’s first telethon is being planned for May 18 as part of NASCAR Day, the sport’s annual charitable day. Since NASCAR initiated the day in 2004, it has sold keepsake pins and taken donations for its own NASCAR Foundation. More than $1.3 million was raised in 2006 in connection with NASCAR Day. All along, though, Mark Dyer, vice president of licensing, has sought an anchor event around which to build NASCAR Day, and the telethon could be it, he said. “My hope is that it will grow every year and also give our drivers a platform to promote the causes they believe in,” Dyer said. Telethon headquarters will be at the Sam Bass Gallery across from Lowe’s Motor Speedway, where the Nextel All-Star Challenge will be held the following day. Speed and Sirius Satellite Radio have committed to cover the telethon and periodically announce donation totals, Dyer said. NASCAR also is recruiting drivers to answer phones and conduct interviews at the telethon site.(SportsBusiness Journal/Sporting News)(5-9-2007) MORE: The NASCAR Foundation announced that they have joined forces with several NASCAR drivers and media partners for a historic telethon in support of NASCAR Day on May 18. Thanks to the NASCAR Foundation and a slew of NASCAR’s media partners including SIRIUS Satellite Radio, SPEED, NASCAR.com and MRN, fans will have a chance on May 18 to speak with their favorite drivers, celebrate NASCAR Day and make a donation to a charitable cause of their choice, as the Foundation has brought together an impressive list of Nextel Cup, Busch and Craftsman Truck Series drivers to help answer phones as part of the first ever NASCAR Day telethon, live from the Sam Bass Gallery in Concord, N.C. By calling 1-888-May18th (1-888-629-1884) on NASCAR Day and making a donation, fans will be helping the 30-plus driver, team and track charities that the Foundation supports year round. Any fan who mentions his or her favorite driver or NASCAR charity will have 100% of that donation go directly to their designated charity. The drivers who are scheduled to participate include Greg Biffle, Ward Burton, Brendan Gaughan, Jeff Gordon, Robby Gordon, Ernie Irvan, Dale Jarrett, Jimmie Johnson, Juan Pablo Montoya, Ryan Newman and Elliott and Hermie Sadler. NASCAR media partners are showing strong support to the NASCAR Day telethon. SIRIUS Satellite Radio will go live from the telethon all day long starting at 7:00am/et with Marty Snider and David Poole signing on the air with The Morning Drive live at the site of the telethon. SPEED, which will carry the Nextel All-Star Challenge on May 19 (7:00pm/et), will do live cut-ins throughout the day and NASCAR.com will stream SIRIUS’ broadcasts as well as provide original video content on their homepage all day long. Each person who pledges at least $25 will automatically become a Friend of the Foundation and will receive a 2007 NASCAR Day lapel pin. The first 100 people to pledge $100 to their favorite driver charity will receive an incentive item. For the driver who has the most callers and raises the most funds in their name, the NASCAR Foundation will match, up to $10,000, the funds raised during the NASCAR Day telethon.(NASCAR PR)(5-14/18-2007)
