BRISTOL, Va. (WCYB) — NASCAR drivers and baseball players joined forces at The Old Farm for a charity golf tournament benefiting Speedway Children’s Charities. Betsy Holleman of Speedway Children’s Charities said, “They really know our mission. They want to support our mission. They want to see those needs met as well.”
With a record-setting crowd expected at the Bristol Motor Speedway this weekend for the Speedway Classic, the charity aims to set fundraising records of its own. “Over $2 million is what we hope to raise,” Holleman said. “But that’s really because that’s what we have requested.”
NASCAR driver and Atlanta Braves fan Austin Dillon hosted the event, trading his race helmet for golf clubs. “Speedway Children’s Charity is something I’ve been close to for a long time, being in NASCAR, and they do so much for so many,” Dillon said. “Excited to do my part, and anytime you can give back, it’s a worthy cause.”
Driver Corey Lajoie, a Speedway Children’s Charity ambassador, expressed his enthusiasm for the event. “I’ve been a Speedway Children’s Charity ambassador for a couple years now, and just knowing Marcus (Smith) heart and the entire SSC team’s heart, it always makes me willing to come out here,” Lajoie said.
Former MLB player and Bristol native Jimmy Gobble also participated, saying, “It’s a great fundraiser, great charity. I’m excited and I was honored when I got the call to come here and play and I was like, absolutely.”