For years NASCAR has tried to reach out to more
audiences than the average white southerner. A few
years ago former basketball star Magic Johnson was
named to head a program to bring NASCAR Racing to
more blacks. That program was merely lip service for
the government !! I discovered this story on NASCAR.com
and it was written by Raygan Swan.
Dress them all in sunshine yellow Shell Oil Co. shirts and put Kevin Harvick in charge.
Well, maybe not in charge, but the driver of the No. 29 certainly can keep the kids' attention long enough to create an unforgettable moment. The at-track field trips are part of a growing program called Kevin's Krew -- outreach for at-risk students intended to expose them to the world of racing.
Harvick and crew will play host to special groups several times throughout the season, potentially reaching 700,000 students across various school districts nationwide.
His most recent trip was at Atlanta Motor Speedway where dozens of teenagers from Atlanta's Boys and Girls Club as well as two area high schools were shuttled in for the Kobalt Tools 500 and given VIP treatment. The next outing is at Dover International Speedway.
"We basically bring anywhere from 20 to 80 kids to the track and let them get away from their environment and put them in an environment that impresses them enough to go out and do things that are fun and to be in an environment that is safe and put a good influence on their lives," Harvick said.
Making a lasting impression is the main objective which Harvick must do in a short amount of time -- the trips are on the mornings of race day where drivers are already busy with meetings and media.
"We take a picture and sign everybody's hats and try to interact with each of them as much as you can in a 10-minute time frame," Harvick said. "But they like being around you, and it excites them and it makes you feel good because you are having a positive influence on the kids that are in that particular group."
And if he isn't making a difference, a day with local law enforcement might get the job done. It's a police officer from California, Todd Smith, who started the program in 2008 and coordinates with police agencies across the country to chaperone the student groups.
Smith, of Colton, Calif., initiated the program for students who otherwise would not have an opportunity to go to a NASCAR race. The idea for Kevin's Krew stems from Smith's first NASCAR experience.
"A good friend invited me to race in 2007. I didn't want to go but once I saw the cars I was hooked and had a favorite driver before the race was over," Smith said. "The next year I reached out to some teams and got in touch with Richard Childress Racing who put me in touch with Shell and Chevy. They loved the idea."
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