New Hampshire Motor Speedway's Initial Effort Raises Over $125,000 to Benefit Local Children's Charities

LOUDON, December 17, 2009: With distributions and fundraising totaling over $125,000, Christmas came early for several children-related charities as the result of the New Hampshire Chapter of Speedway Children's Charities (SCC) and the Annual Governor's Breakfast during the LENOX Industrial Tools 301.

Grants totaling $33,525 were distributed to five area charities during the annual Concord Tree Lighting Ceremony in front of the New Hampshire State House on November 28, $13,000 was distributed to children-related causes designated by NASCAR drivers and speedway officials, and over $80,000 was raised at the Governor's Breakfast at the speedway in June to benefit the Children's Hospital at Dartmouth in Lebanon, N.H.

In addition to the Governor's Breakfast, money was raised via various fund-raising activities during events at New England's largest sports and entertainment facility, including the two major NASCAR race weekends.

"Part of our mission is to be great community partners and to enrich the lives of children in need," said Jerry Gappens, executive vice president and general manager of New Hampshire Motor Speedway. "This is an amazing start for our group, which officially gets organized next month. Our race fans and corporate partners have stepped forward with great support and this is just the beginning, I promise!"

Gappens has set a goal of $200,000 to be distributed next year.

Speedway Children's Charities was founded in 1982 by Bruton Smith, Chairman of Speedway Motorsports, owner of New Hampshire Motor Speedway and seven other motorsports facilities around the country. The mission of SCC is to provide funding for children to assist in their educational, financial, social and medical needs helping them to lead productive lives.

This year's local grant recipients include:

* NFI North's Contoocook School (Contoocook, N.H.) for an outdoor experiential program for children diagnosed with a mental illness

* The Home for Little Wanderers for a career development course for boys ages 10 to 17 at Longview Farm (Walpole, Mass.)

* Lutheran Community Services of New Hampshire for a ropes course for the young women at the Antrim Girls Shelter (Antrim, N.H.)

* New Hampshire Food Bank (Manchester, N.H.) for the development of 17 classes to teach over 150 children proper eating habits

* David's House (Lebanon, N.H.) to assist in expanding the house for the children and families that stay there

The New Hampshire Chapter of Speedway Children's Charities accepts grant requests on an annual basis from qualified non-profit organizations. For more information, please contact Whitney Pillsbury by e-mail at wpillsbury@nhms.com.