Members of the Motorsports Club at the Boys & Girls Club of The Tennessee Valley were flown in for a special day with their favorite NASCAR driver, Jeff Gordon.  Executive Director for The Boys & Girls Clubs of Blount County, Mr. Gary Honaker and Mr. Dean Winegardner, CEO of the Knoxville-based American Book Company, chaperoned this exciting trip. 

 

For the second year in a row, Mr. Winegardner flew the group, many of whom had never flown before, in to Concord Regional Airport aboard his personal Piper Meridian airplane.  Mr. Winegardner is one of The Jeff Gordon Foundation’s most generous supporters.  Along with his American Book Company which sells a variety of children’s books, Mr. Winegardner works extensively with kids in the community and through The Jeff Gordon Foundation.  Each year Dean attends an auction where he purchases a lunch with Jeff.  He then extends the invite to the Boys & Girls Club through Mr. Honaker so that the most well behaved, academically improved, and deserving children can attend this special lunch date.

 

The lucky five members were all part of a new Motorsports Club at the Boys & Girls Club.  This club gives kids in Boys & Girls Clubs opportunities to be exposed to the world of motorsports through club meetings, projects, field trips, and racing related activities, all of which providing them an insight and understanding of the racing world as a career possibility or a recreational activity.  The kids came from all over Tennessee and even one Indiana native was invited to attend.  David, Decker, Ellie, David, and Charlie had the chance to complete a variety of assignments in a motorsports themed workbook for which they earned points, much like the Sprint Cup Series point system.  Assignments included motorsports trivia, internet scavenger hunts, posters, essays, book reviews, race summaries, crossword puzzles and recommendation letters from teachers.  Club members are required to show continuous improvement in school both academically and with good behavior, as well as overall citizenship.  The top point winners were given the opportunity of a lifetime to come to Hendrick Motorsports for a day of fun with Jeff Gordon.

 

After landing VIP-style at Concord Regional Airport, the five club members were brought to Hendrick Motorsports where they were greeted by members of The Jeff Gordon Foundation.  The kids were taken on a tour of Jeff Gordon, Inc. and stopped to grab a bite to eat at the picnic tables behind the race shops.  Moments later, a special lunch guest arrived, Jeff Gordon.  Jeff greeted each child individually and they rushed back to their seats to try and snag a seat closest to the driver.  The group enjoyed grilled hamburgers, hotdogs, and “build your own” ice cream sundaes.  The kids quizzed Jeff about his experiences on the track, asking questions such as, “What was your worst crash ever?” and “How many races have you won?”  Jeff was even given a motorsports trivia quiz straight from the Motorsports Club member project book, which he passed with flying colors, stating, “This was too easy!”  Gordon asked a few of his own questions to each of the kids, too.

 

At the end of the picnic lunch, each of the five group members received a goody bag filled with Jeff Gordon memorabilia.  Gordon took the time to sign all the items in each of their bags and posed for a picture with each child and the group as a whole.  They all grinned from ear-to-ear and could barely contain their excitement throughout their picnic lunch.  It was obvious this would be a day they would never forget.  The group even asked Jeff if they could be his “lucky charm” for that Sunday’s race, the Coca-Cola 600. 

 

After lunch, Gordon himself led the group on a behind-the-scenes tour of the 24/48 race shop.  The kids were greatly entertained and wowed by the amounts of people and hard work it takes to build a winning race car.  The day ended with a visit to the newly re-opened Hendrick Museum and Gift Shop.  The five members of the Tennessee Valley Boys & Girls Club had a truly unforgettable experience which made all of their time and energy with the Motorsports Club project worth while.  Even the quietest of the group came out of their shell by the end of their day trip!

 

The group hopped on Mr. Winegardner’s plane to head back to Knoxville after an exciting day of meeting one of their favorite drivers and getting an inside look at the 4-time Sprint Cup Champion’s team and race shop.  First time flyer, Ellie, even got to sit co-pilot on the way home.

 

Thanks to the compassion, commitment, and generosity of Mr. Gary Honacker and Mr. Dean Winegardner, the experience of a lifetime was created for five lucky children.  All of the individuals involved with the arrangements for the day seemed to thoroughly enjoy themselves and are sure to never forget such a memorable time.  The Club Directors at each of the kids’ Boys & Girls Clubs said the excitement carried over to the next day at the club and it was evident that David, Decker, Ellie, David, and Charlie all had an incredible trip.