DARLINGTON, S.C., May 6, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Four-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion Jeff Gordon, International Speedway Corporation's ("ISC") Chief Executive Officer Lesa France Kennedy and Darlington Raceway President Chris Browning today announced that, on behalf of Drive to End Hunger, Americrown, ISC's food and beverage concessions operator, will donate all extra food items from the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races it services to the local food bank that serves the race track area.
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Drive to End Hunger is AARP and AARP Foundation's national effort to end hunger for older Americans. Donations are expected to include breads, produce and other food items and will be prepared for delivery by Americrown on Mondays following ISC's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races.
"This commitment is a huge opportunity to help people who are struggling with hunger in the communities around the ISC tracks," Gordon said. "Fifty-one million Americans struggle with hunger and six million of them are over 60. This is a problem that if we all work together, we can solve. We're really thrilled that ISC has joined us in this important fight."
"Providing food to those who need help is a cause that positively impacts each community in which we operate," said France Kennedy. "We are privileged to collaborate with Jeff Gordon and AARP's Drive to End Hunger effort. Through our collective efforts, we can make a difference in the lives of many in need."
Today's announcement follows ISC's donations at Daytona International Speedway of more than 7,000 pounds of excess food to the Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida following the 2011 Daytona 500; Talladega Superspeedway, which donated the extra food from its Aaron's Dream Weekend to the Community Food Bank of Central Alabama; and Richmond International Raceway Central which donated to the Central Virginia Food Bank.
"We are pleased that Darlington Raceway, through AARP's Drive to End Hunger, can make a significant difference for people in our community," Chris Browning said. "In South Carolina alone, more than 22 percent of people reported not having enough money to buy food in the last year. Almost 10 percent of seniors in South Carolina are at risk of hunger. Particularly in these economic times, we want to do everything we can to support the folks in communities around ISC tracks. They are important to us, they are important to the sport, and solving this problem should be important to everyone in America."
Donations will be made at these ISC tracks for the remainder of the 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup season, including:
- Daytona International Speedway (Daytona Beach, FL) – July 2nd - Coke Zero 400
- Homestead-Miami Speedway (Homestead, FL) – November 20th - Ford 400
- Kansas Speedway (Kansas City, KS) – June 5th - STP 400; and October 9th - Hollywood Casino 400
- Martinsville Speedway (Ridgeway, VA) – October 30th - TUMS Fast Relief 500
- Michigan International Speedway (Brooklyn, MI) – June 19th - Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips 400; and June 19th - Michigan 400
- Phoenix International Raceway (Avondale, AZ) – November 13th - Kobalt Tools 500
- Richmond International Raceway (Richmond, VA) – September 10th - Last Race to Make the Chase
- Watkins Glen International (Watkins Glen, NY) – August 14th - Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips at The Glen
For more information or to get involved, visit www.drivetoendhunger.org.
AARP Foundation is AARP's affiliated charity. The Foundation is dedicated to serving vulnerable people 50+ by creating solutions that help them secure the essentials and achieve their best life. AARP Foundation focuses on: hunger, housing, income and isolation as our key mission areas. The Foundation envisions: 'a country free of poverty where no older person feels vulnerable.' Foundation programs are funded by grants, tax-deductible contributions and AARP. For more information about AARP Foundation, please log on to www.aarp.org/foundation.
International Speedway Corporation
International Speedway Corporation is a leading promoter of motorsports activities, currently promoting more than 100 racing events annually as well as numerous other motorsports-related activities. The Company owns and/or operates 13 of the nation's major motorsports entertainment facilities, including Daytona International Speedway® in Florida (home of the DAYTONA 500®); Talladega Superspeedway® in Alabama; Michigan International Speedway® located outside Detroit; Richmond International Raceway® in Virginia; Auto Club Speedway of Southern CaliforniaSM near Los Angeles; Kansas Speedway® in Kansas City, Kansas; Phoenix International Raceway® in Arizona; Chicagoland Speedway® and Route 66 Raceway(SM) near Chicago, Illinois; Homestead-Miami Speedway(SM) in Florida; Martinsville Speedway® in Virginia; Darlington Raceway® in South Carolina; and Watkins Glen International® in New York. In addition, ISC promotes major motorsports activities in Montreal, Quebec, through its subsidiary, Stock-Car Montreal.
The Company also owns and operates MRN® Radio, the nation's largest independent sports radio network; the DAYTONA 500 Experience(SM), the "Ultimate Motorsports Attraction" in Daytona Beach, Florida, and official attraction of NASCAR®; and Americrown Service Corporation(SM), a subsidiary that provides catering services, food and beverage concessions, and produces and markets motorsports-related merchandise. In addition, ISC has an indirect 50 percent interest in Motorsports Authentics®, which markets and distributes motorsports-related merchandise licensed by certain competitors in NASCAR racing. For more information, visit the Company's Web site at www.internationalspeedwaycorporation.com.
SOURCE International Speedway Corporation
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