by Dee Nice

Created on: July 09, 2007   Last Updated: November 24, 2008

Most Arizona residents are now familiar with the business statistics. Phoenix International Raceway (PIR) and its President Bryan Sperber host over 200,000 fans during two weekends of NASCAR series races in Avondale, Arizona. A 2006 analysis prepared by Dr. Timothy Hogan of the W.P. Carey School of Business showed that, in 2005, the positive economic impact of these and the other activities at PIR generated $473 million. Exciting wins like that on April 21 by Jeff Gordon at the NASCAR Nextel Cup's Subway Fresh Fit 500 race stimulate out-of-state visitors' expenditures on local lodging, food, concessionaires' wares and attract major sponsors and media from all over the country. Everyone knows motorsports is big business. But is it all "take"? What does motorsports mean to the communityto those who do not know about or can not attend these mega-events? While it does not receive as much attention, drivers and organizations related to motorsports are recognizing the need to reach new audiences and the desire to give back to the community.

Ward Burton, who drove car #4 for State Water Heaters, is a good example and role model of a driver committed to the community. Burton was born in Halifax, Virginia. He feels he was blessed with a loving family and a 100-acre "backyard." His grandfather and others instilled in him a passion for the outdoors. As most of the drivers, he started racing go-carts when he was eight years old and ultimately turned that interest into a professional career in NASCAR in the early 1990's. But he never forgot his first love-the environment-and was the first driver to establish a foundation (i.e., the Ward Burton Wildlife Foundation) in 1996 devoted to protecting wildlife and its habitat.

Burton believes that charitable foundations are born of pain or passion. His wildlife foundation was based on a love for the environment he likens to raising a child. Some of the other foundations, such as the one supported by Kyle Petty to fulfill dreams of terminally ill children, grew out of pain (Kyle's son Aaron was killed in a racing accident). The Ward Burton Wildlife Foundation is a partnership with Virginia Tech University. Burton's car had VT's logo painted on the hood during the Nextel Cup series race in Phoenix in April. Other drivers wore VT shirts and hats in tribute to the school. Burton expressed great remorse for the families and friends hurt by the tragedy. But he feels something positive can come out of the pain as support and collaboration

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