As part of a continued outreach program with Shell Oil Company, #29-Kevin Harvick will visit with a group of at-risk children called “Kevin’s Krew” just before Sunday’s race at Auto Club Speedway. The children will take part in various activities including meeting their favorite driver near the Victory Lane area prior to driver introductions and before watching the Auto Club 500 from the stands. This is the third year that Shell, Harvick and RCR have been involved with the effort that was born in the vicinity of Auto Club Speedway and spearheaded by local police officer Todd Smith of the Colton County Police Department. Since 2008, Officer Smith, Shell, Harvick and RCR have hosted hundreds of kids as part of the program that grew from one event at Auto Club Speedway to seven events around the nation last year. In 2010, there will be eight “Kevin’s Krew” events during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season – including two stops at Auto Club Speedway.
What are your thoughts on “Kevin’s Krew,” the group of special needs students who will be attending the race? “I think it’s a really cool thing Shell has put together. We’ve done this same thing for a few years at Auto Club Speedway, and the excitement I see on the kids’ faces is priceless. A lot of these students may never have watched a race on TV, much less seen one from the grandstands or down in the infield. They seem pretty overwhelmed, in a good way, when you meet them. It just reminds you that we’re very blessed to be in the position we’re in, and to be able to race for a living. I always enjoy meeting the groups, and I hope we can give these students something to cheer about this time around.”(RCR)(2-19-2010)
