Jeff Gordon

Chris DiCicco asked:


A good organization supports charity and NASCAR does just that through its NASCAR foundation. The foundation has a program where for a 30 dollar donation you can join in on the NASCAR track walk. The Home Depot, one of the nations largest retail home improvement centers, is a major sponsor of the promotions and holds charitable events with proceeds going to the Foundation. But who does the Foundation support and what kinds of events do they hold to raise funds?

One thing they do is sponsor auctions where the proceeds go to one of the foundations supported by the foundation. For example, on September 17, 2007, they announced bidding on Jeff Gordon full-sized and autographed fiberglass auto body. The proceeds from this auction go to the Jeff Gordon Foundation which supports pediatric medical care of children with serious and life-threatening disease.

The NASCAR foundation holds the Blood and Marrow Drives at different tracks each year. The donations help out the Jimmie Johnson Foundation and the Hendrick Marrow Program. Other charities of the Foundation are:

The Dale Earnhardt Foundation,This is a foundation run by the wife of the racing great who died in a race car crash in 2001. Dale Earnhardt was concerned about education, children, and wildlife and his commitment lives on through this foundation.

The Kyle Petty Charity Ride,Kyle Petty is the son of the King of NASCAR Richard Petty and he sponsors a motorcycle ride across the USA for the Victory Junction Gang Camp as well as other childrens charities.

Victory Junction Gang Camp,This is an organization with the mission of helping to enrich the lives of children with serious illnesses by providing them a camping experience in a medically-safe environment. It was founded by Kyle Petty and his wife Pattie in June 2004. The couple also donated the land that the camp stands on today. The camp is interesting because it was built with a racing theme and all the look of a race track. The camp takes cash donations and there are volunteer opportunities. It is also gives a quilt and a teddy bear to each child who stays there so they are always looking for donations of these two items to replenish their supply.

There are many ways to donate to the foundation. One way is through the NASCARs Auto Donation program. Here, you can donate a vehicle and then any of the proceeds that the Auto Donation program gets from the proceeds in an auction are given to charity. All donations are fully tax deductible.

The Day Telethon,This was a telethon held on May 18, 2007 across from Lowes Motor Speedway in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Speed Channel, NASCAR, and Sirius radio broadcasted this telethon event through the end of the Craftsman Truck Series Race.

There are many other charitable organizations supported by the Foundation but it is obvious that they care about contributing to the community which is probably one of the reasons why this sport is becoming increasingly popular.



THAD

DJ asked:


i believe Jeff will win at least 3 races and he will be in the chase. Come on, where are all the Gordon fans?

BURTON

Mr Paparazzi asked:


World Premiere of Revolutionary Road….

More than a decade after they starred in Titanic together, Leonardo Di Caprio and Kate Winslet were reunited on the red carpet in LA last night for the premiere of their latest film Revolutionary Road.

The movie - which tells the story of an American couple who move to France with their children in the hope of developing their true artistic sensibilities away from capitalist America - is already generating lots of Oscar buzz, as both actor have already received Golden Globe nominations for the flick.

It may have been eleven years since they both worked together, but isn’t it amazing how they’ve managed to stay so incredibly fresh-faced?!

Do you like these photos? Well did you know that right now at Mr Paparazzi Print Store you can print these pictures on mugs, t shirts, key rings and much more. And for this week only you can get 20% OFF one of your purchases by entering the code Voucher02 at the checkout stage. So what are you waiting for?!

Valkyrie Film Premiere, New York…

We would have thought that the premiere of Tom Cruise’s latest movie would have attracted a more star-studded line-up than Eddie Izzard, Jeff Gordon and Mario Lopez, but we’ll put that thought on the back burner for a moment and focus on something far more important…

What’s going on with Tom’s face?! New teeth? Botox? Surgery? There’s something fishy going on and we can’t work out what it is, help please.

Jennifer Dazzles At Marley & Me Premiere….

After shocking her fans by posing ***** on the front cover of GQ America yesterday, Jennifer Aniston opted for a far more wholesome look when she stepped onto the red carpet in Hollywood last night to promote her new family film Marley & Me.

Although the actress arrived with her boyfriend John Mayer, Jennifer spent most of the evening cuddled up to her two co-stars from the movie Owen Wilson and a golden retriever. We’ve seen Jenn ***** so often lately it’s starting to get slightly weird looking at her in clothes. Is anyone else having the same problem?

Among the celebrities who turned up to support Jennifer were Courteney-Cox Arquette, Katherine Heigl, Kristin Cavallari, and Grey’s Anatomy star Eric Dane.

Russell Brand Snubs Press At Premiere….

It was Russell Brand’s first official UK public appearance last night since the infamous Andrew Sachs prank phone call incident.

The comedian went to the premiere of Adam Sandler’s new film Bed Time Stories in Kensington. Understandably the star chose to keep a healthy distance from the press as he grumpily sauntered down the red carpet. When photographers and reporters frantically tried to ask him questions, Russell simply ignored them, signed a few autographs and walked straight into the cinema. That’s not like Russell is it? Well after all the fuss over those phone calls, do we really blame him?

Whilst at the premiere we also bumped into Adam Sandler, Rob Schneider, Gail Porter, Liz McClarnon and former Sugababe Mutya Buena who’d had something very strange done to her eyebrows…

Australia Premieres In London…

Nicole Kidman’s epic new love film, Australia premiered in London last night, causing scenes of sheer pandemonium as fans queued for hours to catch a glimpse of the star walking down the red carpet.

Considering Australia is such a high profile, big budget movie, it’s surprising that not many notable celebrities turned up to the premiere. Other celebs who were at the screening in Leicester Square included, Hugh Jackman (who is in the film – so he’s kind of obligated to be there), Elton John, David Furnish, and former Blue Peter presenter Konnie Huq - who had a bit of an embarrassing wardrobe malfunction. Shame…



MICHAEL

Robert Ronne asked:


What, in the name of Richard Petty, is happening to my NASCAR? I want to fall in love again. I want to get that feeling back-like an old relationship that fizzled and you’re still trying to figure out the classic WWW question…What Went Wrong? Let’s go back to the good old days-the year 2001.

 

NASCAR was popular but only to a certain demographic-the good old boys of the South. Dale Earnhardt Sr. died in the first race of 2001-the Daytona 500. Ironically, his death struck a chord with fans and non-fans alike;suddenly NASCAR reached a new level and elevated the sport. Dale Earnhardt Jr. became the icon apparent after that tragic day, not by choice but by birthright. This unfortunate moment in time by virtue of one tragic moment put NASCAR in primetime ratings territory.

 

With this new found success came corporate money and lots of it. Suddenly race teams became super-teams, leaving the less fortunate behind. Those owners that already had a super-star racer could afford to add to their stable of studs. Jeff Gordon spawned Jimmie Johnson, Rusty Wallace spawned Kurt Busch, Mark Martin spawned Matt Kenseth, Greg Biffle and Carl Edwards etc. etc. All of the sudden, young drivers became the stars, leaving Dale Jarrett, Ricky Rudd, Sterling Marlin, Terry Labonte, Bobby Labonte and Kenny Schrader behind… and insignificant. The very men that carried the momentum left by Cale Yarborough and Donnie Allison in the infamous 1979 Daytona 500 fist fight on CBS(The first Nascar race nationally televised in it’s entirety). In this article I gave you a breakdown of what brought us to the NASCAR we know and love at this point in time. In Part 2, I will speak and offer comments on why NASCAR will dwindle in attendance and T.V. ratings in the future, unless things change significantly.

  

Once, just once, I would like to see Kyle Petty win a race in NASCAR…or finish in the top 5 or the top 10. Heck, 15th place would be something to see. Petty, Bobby Labonte, Elliot Sadler, Michael Waltrip or anyone outside the top 20 in standings have no chance of being so lucky…or consistent. Today, in NASCAR, your charisma, charm and looks dictate how well you will perform throughout the season.

 

I have a theory; if you have 2 of the 3 characteristics, you will have a much better opportunity of getting a ride on one of the top tier teams. Top 20 driver, pretty much guaranteed. The other drivers on the cusp or borderline of these traits get a drive on the remainder of teams or the Nationwide Series…the others with talent…well, you can tune into the Craftsman Truck Series. A wealthy Sprint Cup team and it’s sponsors(multi-billion dollar corporations) want the best drivers who can represent their particular brand. It’s no coincidence that the Sprint Cuppers look like Hollywood “A” list celebrities and the Truck Series drivers look like…well, everyday, average people.

 

The squeaky clean Sprint Cup Series is in danger of alienating its core fans by offering a product that used to be competitive and exciting into predictable and dull. The Truck Series, which has not been affected as much by big money, has become the predominantly more competitive and captivating series. This is Sprint Cup racing at it’s peak excitement years, 10-15 years ago. Any one of these drivers has a legitimate chance of winning and this, more than anything, is why we attend or tune into a race or any sporting event in the first place…the outcome is not a guarantee or lock. Sprint Cup is in danger of becoming too predictable…the top 12 drivers have an 80% chance of winning a race. To paint a better picture, if you were betting on NFL games and guaranteed these odds, you would be able to buy your own NASCAR team in a few years.

 

Formula 1, considered to be the highest tier of auto racing, has for decades been the highest tier of materialism and excess. The product is secondary. North American race fans have always put a premium on quality of product…the NASCAR product is in danger of losing its base fans because the product has become secondary. Here’s what must change or the NASCAR fans interest and patience will slowly show with wavering attendance and television ratings.

 

(1) RACE TRACKS MUST BECOME MORE COMPETITIVE: Daytona, Talladega and Bristol give the fans the most competitive and exciting races for your dollar. These six races in a 36 race season allow us to watch close bumper to bumper racing with the potential of a caution at any moment. These three tracks exhibit one common characteristic…deep banking on the turns thus creating high speed action and close racing…and yes accidents. The appeal of racing is danger. Not so much risk that someone gets injured but a sense that one wrong move or mishap could create an edge for one driver and the end of the day for another. That’s drama and that’s what fans want. The majority of tracks do not offer such excitement. Most of the tracks offer single line racing with the superior car slowly picking off cars one by one; no three wide racing…just safe racing usually dominated by the 12-15 elite teams.

 

(2) REVENUE SHARING WILL CREATE PARITY: Let’s spread the wealth a bit to ensure the future of this sport. Television revenue should be disbursed accordingly to the weaker teams and down to the stronger teams. With more cash, the little guy could afford the technology necessary in gaining an edge in racing. Hendrick, Roush and the other SuperTeams need some competition or fans WILL become bored with the same drivers winning.

 

(3) CAUTION FREE RACING=CARS TAKING HUGE LEADS=BORING RACE: The elite teams are so superior today that these cars are establishing big leads early in the race thus leaving the bottom tier teams a lap down, in some cases, 25 laps into the race. This, coupled with the drivers “playing it safe” for the first three quarters of the race has made viewers impatient with the broadcast and reaching for the remote. I’ve been to three races in New Hampshire and can vouch that about forty percent of the fans are out of their seats and searching for souvenirs or food(or beer) after about 20 laps. Of course, most are back watching for the last 20 laps but I cannot say as much for the television viewer…the race is probably forgotten about at this point.

 

(4) TOO MANY COMMERCIALS DURING TELEVISION BROADCASTS: Isn’t racing one big commercial? Just look at the cars, the driver’s and pit crew’s uniforms…heck, the scroll at the top of your screen has a sponsor changing on screen every 10 minutes. Too many commercials=lack of interest. A better way, if all the commercials are necessary for ESPN, ABC, FOX etc. to break even, why not have a split screen with the race broadcast continuously? In any case, the networks have to bring the race back to the fans and not show themselves as some greedy money machine.

 

(5) MORE FOCUS ON THE LOWER TIER DRIVERS DURING BROADCASTS: Every driver in racing is important. Even if the chances of winning are slim for some, every driver WANTS to win and improve every week. One driver that has a season under his(or her) belt is a year of experience and growth mentally and technologically for the the driver and team. We, as race fans, need to see a part of each racer and their strategies(and pit stops) throughout a race. Watching Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr. for the majority of the broadcast does not allow the fan to fully appreciate the drama that is racing. I’d like to know how fast Kyle Petty is going, how many laps Bobby Labonte is down, if Mark Martin’s car is running well or having problems.

 

I feel that the networks see a lot of these drivers as background scenery, to use a movie analogy. By leaving these drivers in the dust and focusing only on drivers with a high Q rating, the networks are only reinforcing the fact that the NASCAR Sprint Cup circuit is dominated and ran by the elite.

 

Let’s hope that the people of NASCAR do not turn this amazing sport into Formula 1 and alienate a sector of fans…I want to LOVE NASCAR again…not just like it!

 

  Visit my blog at:

   http://mytwocentsbyscott.blogspot.com/

 



DAVID

Gordon #24 Fan asked:


Well, everyone saw the expertise and strategic thinking of Jeff Gordon…
Who couldn’t deny he wouldn’t have won that race?
And now who will deny he will not win the championship?
He’s great…
He deserves it
Everyone saw him hanging out in the back all day
I was angry at him doing that but in the end I knew his strategy
It worked out, too
So what are you comments?
I agree wiht you 100%
Finally, someone who actually made some sense… unlike some people who with their childish selves have to say something negative

DARRYL

Mitch Endick asked:


Great Photoramics

Like many of their panoramic cousins, photoramics are a compilation of images that are used to express a certain theme. Traditional panoramas are generally reflecting a photographic compilation forming a single image. The images that are used to create a photoramic are often photographic but can include others types media such as art drawings, painted backgrounds and other graphic images.

Photoramics that feature sports themes are becoming very popular. Like collectible sports cards, photoramics are quickly becoming popular among collectors of sports memorabilia. Sports have always been a mainstay of American life and there is a great demand for many different types of collectibles and memorabilia.

There are photoramics that profile the athletic achievements of individuals and teams as well as significant moments in sports history. Sports heroes old and new are sometimes portrayed in ways that can profile and highlight an entire career. Team profiles and histories can be found gracing some of the best selling photoramics.

Photoramics of individual athletes often feature photographic images of significant moments of an athletes career. Auto racing has gained a tremendous number of new followers over the last decade. Race fans can find photoramics of their favorite drivers, race teams and cars. Baseball, boxing, football, hockey and more can be found in uniquely designed photoramics.

Imagine a photoramic that features a retrospective of the career of Muhammad Ali. Ali is still one of the most recognizable sports celebrities in the world and all manner of memorabilia pays homage to his incredible career. Entire books and retrospective films have been made showing his life and boxing career.

In a single framed photoramic, fans can stand witness to Ali the Olympic boxer for Team USA, through his world championship years to his Olympic torch presentation in the 1996 Olympics. No other medium can provide such powerful imagery and be small enough to hang in your wall.

Sports teams that have reached the heights of a championship are a favorite subject of photoramic retrospectives. Fans can immediately get a sense of the emotion that comes with a great accomplishment, from the excitement of a Super Bowl game to the World Series of baseball. Photoramics can take sports fans back to a time in history when **** Ruth was the Sultan of Swat and the Steel Curtin Defense of Pittsburg ruled the National Football League.

Baseball fans can revel in the indomitable spirit of heroes like Lou Gehrig, the affable charm New York Yankees manager Yogi Berra, and the swagger of a young Broadway Joe Namath. Through the photoramic, basketball fans can adorn the walls of their home with the power of Michael Jordan, the grace of Magic Johnson and the youthful promise of LeBron James.

Race drivers like the late Dale Earnhardt are immortalized in photoramics, giving race fans the chance to admire and pay homage to this champion of stock car racing for years to come. From living legends like Richard Petty and Al Unser to latter day stars like Jeff Gordon and Jeff Burton can be found as the subjects of a variety of photoramic images.

Like panoramas, photoramics can be found on many quality websites and both can be purchased framed or unframed. Framed photoramics can make the perfect gift for the sports fan in your life and can be appropriate for most any occasion.

Shopping for framed panoramas and photoramics is easier than ever. Online shopping offers consumers a convenient way to find images of your favorite sport or athlete. Many sites offer different framing and matte options that can add to the look of your photoramic.



NIGEL

Mari asked:


I am in miami fl , and would like to take my son to see him , Jeff gordon is his favorite racer ! Thank you .

QUENTIN