#42-Juan Pablo Montoya has been named the first quarter recipient of the National Motorsports Press Association Pocono Spirit Award. Montoya was recognized by NMPA members for the work he and his wife, Connie, do in support ofJuan Pablo Montoya their Formula Smiles Foundation in Colombia. NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France and a number of NASCAR executives visited Cartagena, Colombia, in March, where they saw one of the sites where Montoya’s charity is helping children in need, teaching them sports and providing them with the facilities and resources to develop their learning. As part of NASCAR’s support, France presented Montoya and his wife Connie a $25,000 from the NASCAR Foundation, to help the efforts of Formula Smiles. The NMPA Pocono Spirit Award is designed to recognize character and achievement in the face of adversity, sportsmanship and contributions to motorsports. Each year, quarterly winners are selected, and an overall winner is selected by a vote of the NMPA membership. The 2008 overall winner will be announced during the NMPA’s annual convention and awards ceremony in January 2009. Also receiving votes in the first quarter were NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers Kevin Harvick and Jamie McMurray, Motor Racing Outreach founder Max Helton and longtime NASCAR photographer T. Taylor Warren.(Pocono Raceway)(5-23-2008)
