Brad Keselowski and Penske Racing showing support for those impacted by the devastating tornado in Oklahoma.
When disaster strikes, the NASCAR community steps up.
After the devastating tornados in Oklahoma earlier this week, a number of NASCAR teams are taking action this week to show their support of relief efforts.
• Oklahoma City-based Love's Travel Stops, one of the sponsors of David Ragan and Front Row Motorsports' No. 34 team, will donate $3 million to help tornado victims in Oklahoma. Ragan’s Dockside Logistics Ford will carry decals for this weekend's Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway to promote additional giving.
“Anything we can do to help, we're obviously happy to do it," Ragan said. “You feel so helpless when you watch the footage on TV and you wish you could do something more for those folks. The best way to help is to donate money and we hope NASCAR fans will follow in Love's footsteps in doing so.”
To make a donation, go to www.unitedwayokc.org and click on the Governor's OK Strong fund to donate.
• The NASCAR Foundation is leading efforts to bring together the industry and fans to generate funds, create awareness and provide relief to those in need who were affected by the deadly tornadoes that occurred on Monday in Oklahoma.
The NASCAR Foundation is encouraging fans to donate directly online to the American Red Cross. One way you can do that is through a landing page on NASCAR.com/Foundation, which directs donations straight to the American Red Cross and allows fans and industry members to bid on NASCAR’s online auctions to support the cause. You can also donate at RedCross.org or by texting RedCross to 90999.
• Michael Waltrip Racing will carry Feed The Children decals on the roofs of all three of its NASCAR Sprint Cup Toyotas in the Coca-Cola 600. The decals will bring greater awareness to an organization forced to turn its focus to its own Oklahoma community.
We can make a difference. Thanks @mwrteam for helping @feedthechildren help the #MooreOklahoma community. #nascar twitter.com/mw55/status/33…
— Michael Waltrip (@mw55) May 25, 2013
“The Feed The Children organization has become our friends and when we saw the horrific damage done this week, we immediately called to make sure everyone was OK and to pledge our continued support,” said Michael Waltrip, founder and co-owner of MWR.
“With so many homes destroyed, we know Feed The Children organizational leaders will not only need healing themselves, but will supply the much needed food and resources to the families who have been displaced. The Coca-Cola 600 is a big event for us and this is our way of connecting with millions of race fans to remind them this is a great way to help those who were devastated.”
• The AARP, sponsor of Jeff Gordon’s No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, and the AARP Foundation will match donations dollar-for-dollar up to $250,000 for Oklahoma tornado victims.
To donate to the AARP Foundation Oklahoma Tornado Relief Fund today, please go to: www.aarp.org/disasterrelief.
• Toyota will make a $250,000 donation to support relief and rebuilding efforts for victims of the tornado that hit Moore, Oklahoma
• Home improvement retailer Lowe's, sponsor of Jimmie Johnson's No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, has pledged $1 million to aid in the recovery
Please help our friends in Oklahoma.@redcross nas.cr/jdYh
— Jimmie Johnson (@JimmieJohnson) May 25, 2013
