Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jimmie Johnson, Denny Hamlin, and a slew of other NASCAR drivers have more than their profession in common. Outside the track, the same intense personalities that run 500 miles a weekend like to give back, and give back a lot.
The NASCAR Foundation, NASCAR’s official charity, lists over 30 supported programs aimed at improving the lives of children, disabled and needy people across the world. It’s these organizations that show a side of drivers other than a strictly competitive, undying desire to win at all costs the average fan witnesses on race day.
Kyle Busch is one of those drivers. After switching from Hendrick Motorsports to Joe Gibbs Racing at the onset of the 2008 season, Busch intensified, then won 21 races across NASCAR’s top three touring series.
Previously known as a reckless, arrogant kid with unharnessed talent, Busch blossomed under the know-how of J.D. Gibbs and the veteran leadership of Tony Stewart. The 23-year-old from Las Vegas felt he had backing at JGR with fitting sponsors like M&Ms—something he didn’t always get under previous owners.
Away from the track, Busch found similar success in his Charity, the Kyle Busch Foundation.
After a visit to a children’s home in Grand Rapids, MI in 2006, Busch finally knew what to dedicate his charity’s actions to doing. Since the inception of the Kyle Busch Foundation, five orphanages have been taken under the wing of Busch, and his foundation hopes to add three more in the near future.
“Kyle has always been caring towards kids,” Becky Hopkins, an executive assistant with Kyle Busch Motorsports said. “It took awhile to figure out what he wanted to do as a charity, but the trip to the orphanage changed his mind.”
Busch doesn’t provide only monetary assistance to his foundation, but insists on taking a hands-on approach. Children at each orphanage are taken to the track to see their favorite driver race at least once a year, then are treated to a pizza party and meet and greet with Busch thanks to the aforementioned M&Ms.
So far, children have seen Busch race at such tracks as Phoenix International Raceway and the Concord Motorsport Park. His dedication to the charity is shown in the foundation’s mission statement.
“Kyle Busch Foundation is dedicated to providing essential tools for less fortunate children throughout the country. KBF will concentrate its efforts on assisting organizations in fostering a safe environment for children to live, learn and challenge themselves as well as seeing that day to day needs are met.”
As Busch’s stock on the Sprint Cup circuit rose, donations to the Kyle Busch Foundation remained as solid as ever.
“His [Kyle’s] dedicated fans have always been there since the beginning. They‘re good to us year round,” Hopkins said.
In fact, Hopkins said about 75 percent of donations to the Kyle Busch Foundation come from fans, either through on-line money or mailed in items. The foundation receives things such as clothing and books for kids, although a cash donation would allow them to purchase exactly what the homes need.
It’s the charities that continue to give NASCAR, its fans and drivers a down-to-Earth good feeling atmosphere.
When looking for what to do with extra cash this Christmas, keep in mind the Kyle Busch Foundation and the five orphanages full of children spreading for North Carolina to Las Vegas and Phoenix.
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