Tony Stewart Smoke Show

The Tony Stewart Smoke Show is right around the corner and the very best way for us to communicate what an amazing day it is, is to have a past participant tell from his point-of-view. Meet Todd Reed, President of Bayou State Marine, who attended last year with his lovely wife, Kelly.

“This was one of the most memorable and inspirational days we’ve recorded in our lives.  Can you imagine getting to meet one of the all time greats in the largest sport in America, speak with him, eat with him, ride with him and get a feel for the what the guy is all about on and off the track?  However, the greatest point of all is all the while participating in such a great cause!  While I’m sure there are many great people involved in this charity and sport, Tony has got to be the best.  Fresh off a rain out in Pocono the day before the event and a near all night plane ride picking up family and friends.  I dare say most celebrities would have graciously bowed out.  Not Tony.  Don’t forget, he even kept a promise to one of his sponsor’s competition winners who had the unfortunate experience of having their day in the sun canceled due to weather and brought them to this event as a makeup……Wow….. What a guy… Let’s not forget the wounded veteran that showed up and Tony made a special day for him as well when he just didn’t have to.  As for the event itself..well.. as usual, all the people at TMS, Team Texas and SCC went above board to make us feel welcome and right at home!  First class from the locker room reception to the great food and the fabulous evening finale at the auction.  Oh, and did we mention the awesome pictures you guys provided!  What a refreshing and gratifying experience.  We’re proud to be a part of this charity and simply can’t wait for this year’s Smoke Show!”

For more information on how you can have a once-in-a-lifetime type of experience, go to the events tab at the top of this page and click on the Tony Stewart Smoke Show.

We hope to see you at Texas Motor Speedway soon!

Teletouch/ Hawk Electronics

Teletouch/ Hawk Electronics, is recognized as a leading provider of AT&T, Sprint, Boost & Clear wireless services and personal electronics products. We see your first trip to our stores as the beginning of our relationship - not the end.

It’s this philosophy that has allowed us to help Texans with their mobile and wireless needs for more than 36 years. From the very first “Car Phone” to today’s most sophisticated Smartphones, Hawk Electronics has witnessed the evolution of wireless technology and been there to help customers adapt to the latest trends.

Teletouch/ Hawk Electronics is a DFW-based company and has been since our founding in 1974. We provide unique services and tools to our customers along with excellent customer support which has been a key to our 30+ years in the metroplex.

In addition to our longevity, our employees also have an average tenure of over 10 years of history with the company. Teletouch/ Hawk Electronics is uniquely able to provide its customers the leverage of one of the world’s largest and most advanced wireless carriers, plus the flexibility and responsiveness of a local specialized service provider. Give us a call and let us review your account and help let us provide you with a solution that fits your needs.

Texas Motorsports Hall of Fame® Dinner and Induction Ceremony

One of the many events that Speedway Childrens Charities - Texas Chapter hosts during race weekend is the Texas Motorsports Hall of Fame® Dinner and Induction Ceremony.

The event will recognize those who have played a big part in putting Texas on the proverbial Motorsports map. Not only will we induct a new member into the Hall, we will also recognize the incredible racing that happened at The Great American Speedway ® throughout 2009.

Awards that will be presented the evening of the 16th include:

• Texas Motorsports Hall of Fame Inductee: Joe Gibbs
• Bruton Smith Legend Award: Robert Yates
• Texas Motor Speedway Racer of the Year: Kyle Busch
• Texas Motor Speedway Sportsmanship Award: Jeff Gordon and Marcos Ambrose
• Excellence in Motorsports Journalism Award: John Sturbin

For the first time this year, fans will be invited to vote for their favorite moment in the 2009 racing season. The three candidates for this award will be revealed at Media Day on March 1st, at Texas Motor Speedway. You can watch Media Day live via USTREAM. Go to http://www.texasmotorspeedway.com/ to locate the link for the 60-minute show that will begin at approximately 11:30 a.m. CT on March 1st.

The Texas Motorsports Hall of Fame® Driver and Induction Ceremony will be held Friday, April 16th at The Grand Ballroom at Texas Motor Speedway, 7:00 p.m. Opportunities begin at $1,200 a table or $150 a person.

For more information, please contact Speedway Childrens Charities - Texas Chapter at (817) 215-8421.

Stacy Schiel
Intern, Texas Chapter
Speedway Childrens Charities

Are you ready for some racing?

This time next week we will know the qualifying line-up for the Daytona 500. And you know what that means... racing at the Great American Speedway® is just around the corner!

Looking toward the Samsung Mobile 500 NASCAR Race April 15 -18th here at Texas Motor Speedway, we hope you’ll join Speedway Children’s Charities for one of the events we have lined up for the weekend.

• Hawk Electronics Gears and Greens Golf Classic – April 15th
  Come discover why it’s called the best golf tournament in all of Motorsports.
• Texas Motorsports Hall of Fame ® Dinner and Induction Ceremony – April 16th
  See racing greats of yesterday and today inducted into the Hall of Fame and awarded with the top awards from Texas Motor Speedway.
• Live Memorabilia Auction – April 17th
  The only place you can purchase a parade lap with your favorite Sprint Cup driver as well as some of the most unique NASCAR memorabilia.

Speedway Children’s Charities - Texas Chapter works to combine your passion for NASCAR and your desire to make a difference in this community to help children in need.

Since being founded in 1997, Speedway Children’s Charities has invested more than $6.7 million dollars into our local community to help children in medical, social, educational and/or financial need. We couldn’t have made the difference in so many children’s lives without the support of the loyal fans of Texas Motor Speedway. Thank you and we hope to see you at an event in April!

For more information, please click on the Events tab listed at the top of this page.

Jaime Carlin
Executive Director
Speedway Children’s Charities - Texas

Roll up your sleeve and be a hero!

Did you know that 4.5 million American lives are saved each year by blood transfusions and that three lives are saved by one pint of donated blood?

These are just some of the facts that I learned preparing for this year's Blood and Marrow Drive, Friday, September 11th on the 4th Floor of the Speedway Club Building at Texas Motor Speedway. We are once again partnering with Carter Blood Care to join tracks across the Nation in making you a hero!

While you are here you will also have the opportunity to join the National Marrow Donor Program Registry. The process is non-invasive; it involves swabbing the inside of your cheek, will only take a few minutes of your time and could potentially save a life!

Last year we had an incredible turn out and this year we are hoping you will help us double those efforts to help more people.

If you are interested in joining us, click on the 3rd Annual Blood and Marrow Drive link of the right-hand side of this page.

I look forward to seeing you September 11th.
Brandi

Smoke Show

When you hear someone say "Tony Stewart is one stand-up guy"...believe them.

He was just here at Texas Motor Speedway on August 4th for the 2nd Annual Tony Stewart Smoke Show and what an amazing day!

Beyond the $474,000 Tony has raised for children in need in North Texas in the past two years, he is one heck of a host. Twenty-four participants and their guests spent the day with Tony, Speedway Children's Charities and the staff at The Great American Speedway ® finding out exactly (or darn near close to exactly) what it's like to be a Sprint Cup driver for a day. From a drivers' meeting to driving real Sprint Cup cars around the track to then riding shotgun with Tony as he drove 180 miles an hour on the 1.5 mile oval, it was a day full of once-in-a-lifetime experiences.

Tony made this more than just "another event". He made it personal for those who attended. He visited with them in the bleachers, got to know them, played with their kids, posed for pictures with mother-in-laws, joked around with them when they couldn't get the Berettas to fire in Victory Lane...he never missed an instance where he could be interacting with his guests.

To top it off, we had invited U. S. Army Spec. Brett Wolfe who lost both of his legs in Iraq to be our guest the afternoon and evening of the Smoke Show. Brett is a fan of NASCAR and especially a fan of Tony Stewart. He had the opportunity to ride alongside of Tony while he drove hot laps. Brett and his family also joined us in The Speedway Club that evening for dinner and an auction, where Tony bought his own piece of sheet metal for $15,000 and gave it to Brett as a gift for his new home that is being built with the help of staff members from Texas Motor Speedway.

Before Tony left, he made sure to let us know that he was ‘in' for next year. So visit the site often to find out how you can learn firsthand what a stand-up guy Tony Stewart really is at the 3rd Annual Tony Stewart Smoke Show.

Jaime Carlin
Executive Director
Speedway Children's Charities - Texas

Life in the Fast Lane

Just when you thought that Life in the Fast Lane could not get any more exciting, "Thriller Master" Sandra Brown, author of 56 N.Y. Times bestsellers and her Corvette collecting husband, Oscar-nominated Michael Brown, sign on to lead the festivities as our Honorary Hosts.

Please join Sandra and Michael as they tour the condominiums of Lone Star Tower, the most unique address in sports. Watch qualifying for the Winstar World Casino 400k NASCAR Truck Series take place as you feast your way through luxury condominiums overlooking Turn 2 at The Great American Speedway ® . Some of the finest chefs in the Metroplex bring their signature dishes for you to sample. Enjoy a premium single malt scotch tasting and elegant wines, specifically paired for your enjoyment.

Seize the opportunity to visit the Penthouse of Texas Motor Speedway owner O. Bruton Smith while dining on delicacies from Del Friscos of Fort Worth. Tour onwards to the penthouse homes of an Indy Champion and a Texas State Representative with chefs Randy Morgan from Dallas Fish Market and Grady Spears in the kitchens!

Take advantage of the Classic Cafe of Roanoke's Dessert Reception to quiz Michael Brown about his most recent trip to Iwo Jima, his award winning documentaries, and..... his gracious Live Auction donation of a Private Tour of his Corvette Collection (recently featured in INDULGE).

Life in the Fast Lane is limited to 180 guests and sell out rapidly. Please call for reservations 817-215-8421 or register online at scctexas.org.

Bobbie Marshall
Board Member 
Chair of Life in the Fast Lane

Race Week Highlights

Our first race weekend of 2009 has come and gone and it was once again a very exciting one. Some of the highlights from the weekend for me were:

~Meet Miss Sprint Cup-Monica Palumbo and Kyle Petty at the AutoTrader.com Gears & Greens Charity Golf Classic. Kyle did an amazing piece on the tournament that you can watch at http://www.nascar.com/video/cup/2009/04/04/cup.tex.unleashed.nascar/index.html?MostPopular

~Seeing all the kids come out and have such a great time at the Aaron's Fish & Fun at the Races. I was also excited that I got to meet & have my picture made with Digger, Aaron's Lucky Dog and Sparky!!

~Meeting the Jagger Mafia from 105.3 The Fan and all the walkers that braved the cold to come out to our walk on Sunday.

I want to thank all of the wonderful volunteers and friends of the Texas Chapter of Speedway Children's Charities that helped make the weekend so great.

I can't wait for our next event on Saturday, May 9th-Laps for Charity & Mini Lemans Challenge. This is truly my favorite event of the year! Getting to see how happy people get driving around Texas Motor Speedway is always exciting.

I hope to see you there!!

Brandi Thompson
Assistant to the Director
Speedway Children's Charities-Texa

An internship that has changed my life!

I can't believe that I am in the middle of my second semester as the intern for the Texas Chapter of Speedway Childrens Charities. This experience has been one that I will never forget.

 I've been able to watch a child's face light up as we brought them Christmas gifts during Holiday of Smiles, met some great people that are here to help children and made friends for a lifetime.

Right now were gearing up for our annual AutoTrader.com Gears and Greens Golf Classic, Aaron's Fandango Coin Collection, Aaron's Fish & Fun at the Races, our Live NASCAR Memorabilia Auction, and Track Walk. We're going to have one busy race week but it'll be worth every second because in the end, we are helping children who need us and that's what we are all about.

I hope to see you all out here helping us raise money for children in need.

Kayla James
Intern
Speedway Children's Charities-Texas

Texas Chapter Increases Funding Opportunities

Strong direction and initiative on the part of the Board of Trustees of Speedway Children's Charities - Texas has redefined the way that funds are now granted.

We have developed two types of grant funding, while remaining true to our mission: To care for children in educational, financial, social and medical need in order to help them lead productive lives.

The first funding opportunity, the Partners Grant, is similar to our core initiatives in the past and will be for non-capital related projects. The Partners Grant requests must be a minimum of $5,000. The application for this type of funding is now available and is due in its entirety on May 30, 2009.

The second funding opportunity, the Founders Grant, has been designed as an impact grant and is named in honor of four of our distinguished leaders of the Texas Chapter of Speedway Children's Charities: O. Bruton Smith, Chairman of the Board of SMI, Inc and founder of Speedway Children's Charities; General Tom Sadler, National Executive Director of Speedway Children's Charities; Eddie Gossage, President of Texas Motor Speedway; and, Betty Rutherford, founding President of the Texas Chapter of Speedway Children's Charities.

Four Founders Grants will be awarded in 2009 and will range between $125,000 and $150,000. Capital projects will be considered in the Founders Grant process. By creating this funding opportunity, it is the intent of the Board of Trustees to assume an even larger presence in Tarrant, Denton, Dallas and Collin Counties by expanding programs and services to children in need. The application for Founders Grants is now available and the first round of the application process will close May 1, 2009.

Both grants are for 501 (c) 3 non profit organizations operating and serving the direct needs of children located in Collin, Dallas, Denton or Tarrant counties. For more information please click on the Grants tab located at the top of this page.

Jaime Carlin
Executive Director
Speedway Children's Charities - Texas