Racing fans can be part of NASCAR Council
I hear from NASCAR fans all the time. There are so many that are not happy with the way NASCAR is doing things these days. And that seems to be reflected in the TV ratings and live attendance.
Here is a way to have your voice heard.
Ever wonder how you, the fan, might be able to make your voice be heard and potentially have an impact on NASCAR?
Let us introduce you to the Official NASCAR Fan Council.
If you’re unfamiliar, it’s actually been around since 2008, and it allows our biggest fans a way to communicate directly with the NASCAR organization, providing feedback on things that matter to them. The Official NASCAR Fan Council provides the opportunity for fans to share their opinions directly with NASCAR to help shape the future of the sport.
The Fan Council gets the chance to give feedback on the following topics:
• Race feedback (results, broadcast, track experience)
• Rule updates, schedule changes
• New, current, or potential sponsors
• Favorite drivers, tracks
• Race advertisements before they air
“We have 25,000 people who are part of the NASCAR Fan Council. They are a representation of our most avid fans and we talk to them on an every week basis,” NASCAR President said on a 2019 episode of the “Dale Jr. Download” podcast. “We’ve had a fan council for 10 years, it has grown and it’s still one of the most important things that we do. … Listening to the fans is incredibly important to us because they have their finger on the pulse.”
The Official NASCAR Fan Council is the only place that NASCAR fans can speak directly to the sport and have their opinions count. The Official NASCAR Fan Council is run by our Fan Insights team, which receives thousands of messages a month.
The Fan Council is free to join, and members can remain on the Council as long as they like, as long as they actively participate by providing feedback when requested. While not every member receives every survey, members can expect to receive at least two surveys per month.
For consideration, any new members should be at least 13 years of age, a U.S. resident and be passionate about NASCAR. Fans can also refer others to join by directing them to submit a request at www.nascarfancouncil.com by clicking the “Interested in joining?” button.
In support of the Dale and Amy Earnhardt Fund at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, The Dale Jr. Foundation has announced its 2019 Driven to Give Gloves program. After raising more than $50,000 for Nationwide Children’s and the fund last season, the program is centered on the July 12 and July 13 events at Kentucky Speedway.
This year, 55 drivers in the NASCAR Cup and Xfinity Series races will wear Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s signature skeleton driving gloves during the events on the 1.5-mile oval in Sparta, Ky. In addition to the gloves, Hendrick Motorsports driver Alex Bowman (No. 88) will carry a special Nationwide Children’s Hospital paint scheme for the event, as will JR Motorsports driver Noah Gragson in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. Once the racing events are concluded, the race-worn gloves will be signed by the driver and Dale Jr. and then placed on The NASCAR Foundation’s auction site nascarfoundation.org/dalejr. The proceeds from the event, which is set to go live on July 12, will be directed to the Dale and Amy Earnhardt Fund, which champions the cause of pediatric injury rehabilitation, research and prevention. During the past three seasons, the Driven to Give Gloves program has raised more than $150,000 for Nationwide Children’s and the fund.
“Nationwide Children’s Hospital is very important to The Dale Jr. Foundation, and both Amy and I are extremely proud that our fund at the hospital has raised more than $1.3M in less than 2 years,” said Dale Earnhardt Jr. “Last year, we expanded the Driven to Give gloves program to more than 30 drivers, and this year we’ll nearly double that thanks to all the support we have received from the drivers and teams. Helping Nationwide Children’s Hospital in its quest to offer fantastic, cutting-edge care and treatment to chronically ill children is a very worthy cause and one we plan to support for many years to come.”
In November 2017, Earnhardt Jr. and his wife, Amy, created the Dale and Amy Earnhardt Fund at Nationwide Children’s Hospital and it was seeded with an $88,888 donation from The Dale Jr. Foundation.
“Each year, we are excited to be part of the Driven to Give Gloves program and this year is certainly no different,” said Niki Shafer, senior vice president, outreach. “We are grateful to Amy, Dale Jr. and the team at The Dale Jr. Foundation, and all the drivers who are using their racing platform to help support pediatric research and care at Nationwide Children’s.”
Members of Nationwide Children’s Hospital Patient Champion Program and their families will be in attendance at the NASCAR Cup Series event at Kentucky on July 13 as guests of the No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports team and driver Alex Bowman.
At nearby Grandview Speedway in Bechtelsville there will be a tripleheader show of racing action on Saturday starting at 7:30 p.m. The T.P.Trailers 358 Modifieds, T.P.Truck Equipment Sportsman and the always popular Blast from the Past Vintage Racers will make up the three division show.