#48-Jimmie Johnson will collect an armful of awards later this week as NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champions Week wraps up its inaugural Las Vegas run on Friday at Wynns Las Vegas Resort. On Monday, as Champions Week began in the 2009 champions hometown of El Cajon, Calif., it was Johnson and his wife, Chandra, handing out the awards nearly $1 million in grants divided among schools in California, North Carolina and Oklahoma. The donations from the Jimmie Johnson Foundation/Lowes Toolbox for Education in the amount of $922,000 were made public during ceremonies at Jimmie Johnsons former elementary school, Crest Elementary, in El Cajon. In all, 26 schools 11 in the San Diego area received grants from the foundation from the 80 institutions applying for awards in science and technology, accelerated reading, outdoor classrooms and athletic facilities and other programs. (A complete list of 2009 grant recipients and programs can be found at www.jimmiejohnsonfoundation.org.)
This is what the foundation is all about, being able to give back to communities in need, said Johnson, the first driver to win four consecutive NASCAR Sprint Cup titles. Chandra Johnson, co-founder of the foundation, added, I am particularly excited about the projects in Oklahoma as this is our first opportunity to give back in my home state. The assembly was the first of three events the champion attended Monday in the Golden State. He also journeyed a few miles north to the U.S. Marine Corps Camp Pendleton, where he interacted with service personnel and their families and enjoyed a concert by the rock band Saving Abel. Im so proud of our sport and the way we support the men and women that support our country, said Johnson. Anything we can do to give back to our armed service men and women and thank them for what they do; Im all for it. The day ended with a fan fest at the Lowes Home Improvement Store in the San Diego suburb of Santee.(NASCAR)(11-30-2009)
