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During the 2014 race season, the Team Penske organization participated in several outreach programs to give back to its community.  Team Penske and its drivers believe it is important to contribute and lend a hand to their neighbors in effort to grow stronger together, as well as help change the lives of those in need. 

On December 16, the Team Penske marketing team volunteered for several hours as a guest cook team, for the second time in two years. As a team, the marketing department prepared, cooked and served warm meals for 181 people, and they also sorted and sealed upcoming meals for future guests of the Mooresville Soup Kitchen, in the hometown of Team Penske. During Penske’s recent visit to the Soup Kitchen, the team was also able to donate nearly $3,000 in cash and non-perishable food. On December 12, the Team Penske organization got casual for a cause, hosting their third annual “Blue Jean Days.”  As employees were encouraged to wear blue jeans to work, team members were asked to make a $10 donation in cash or non-perishable to benefit the Mooresville Soup Kitchen. Team Penske also hosted Blue Jeans Day for Stocks for Tots, donating over $1,000 dollars in toys for children who may not have had a Christmas and the organization hosted a Blue Jeans Day in August as kids were going back to school to help inner-city families in the Mooresville School District, donating over $550 cash and over $100 in school supplies.

On June 21, members from Team Penske supported and participated in a Habitat build for Our Towns Habitat of Mooresville for their Burk Circle building project, a project that is able to help local Mooresville families afford home ownership expenses. The Town of Mooresville worked with Habitat to lay the infrastructure for a new development of 23 single family affordable homes to provide both the economic opportunities that are needed and the construction expertise to complete development of the neighborhood to meet community needs and all building requirements. On that Saturday, the Penske team got together to volunteer for this amazing cause and was tasked to install hard wood floors and paint walls for the project.

Team Penske’s drivers also find time in their busy schedules to give back to the community as well. Both Joey Logano and Brad Keselowski have foundations in which they support many causes. Keselowski’s foundation, the Checkered Flag Foundation (CCF,) strives to support those individuals who have sacrificed greatly, including military members, veterans, first-responders and their families, among others. Since its beginning, CFF has hosted or participated in events with the Wounded Warrior Project, the Armed Forces Foundation, the Paralyzed Veterans of America, the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation and the Detroit F.I.R.E. benefit team. After race weekends, Keselowski remains in town at some tracks to give veterans, military members and wounded warriors an experience of a life time - race car ride-alongs with the former series champion.

Logano started up his own foundation, the Joey Logano Foundation (JLF), to raise money and donate hours to one of his local hometown communities in Connecticut as well as, areas surrounding the Charlotte region.  In October, Logano joined twenty breast cancer survivors at Charlotte Motor Speedway (CMS) to kick off the first day of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month by painting the pit road wall of CMS pink. It took several hours and eighty gallons of paint for the cancer survivors in attendance and Logano to paint the 6,000 square feet of pit wall pink. In addition to Logano’s contribution to painting the pit wall pink, he also made a $5,000 donation to The Pink House, which is supported by Carolina Breast Friends. The Pink House is a unique center for breast cancer survivors and a sanctuary for the hopeful transition to treatment and cure. At the conclusion of the event, Logano surprised a three-time breast cancer survivor and current Mayor of Midland, NC, Kathy Kitts, the opportunity to introduce him during driver introductions at the Bank of America 500 race at CMS on October 11. Logano ultimately decided to have Kitts introduce him before the race to commemorate the importance of breast cancer awareness and to honor someone who has battled this disease three times in the past three years.

On October 12, the JLF also partnered with Habitat for Humanity, this time, in Cabarrus County to work on a house located in Concord, NC. Following the Bank of America 500 night race, Logano and 15 volunteers through Team Logano and Team Penske spent their morning working on another home to benefit another local family, cutting wood and adding siding as the team was able to help add the finishing touches to a family’s home before move in date.

The JLF also partnered with a local organization, Dream On 3 to make a dream come true at CMS for local children with special needs.  With some help from CMS, Richard Childress Racing, Metzger Removal, Team Penske and Levine Children’s Hospital, made a young fan’s NASCAR wish of attending a race a reality. Edward ‘Edwin’ Hernandez is an 11-year-old Charlotte resident who suffers from congenital heart disease. Hernandez has undergone four surgeries at the Sanger Heart Institute since birth to help alleviate stress on his heart and lungs caused by his condition. In December 2013 doctors determined he was in need of a new heart. After 23 days on the transplant list, Edwin received his new heart at Levine Children’s Hospital. Edwin’s magical day started with a police escort and limousine ride to Concord Regional Airport, where, like a true NASCAR legend, he was flown into the infield of Charlotte Motor Speedway in a helicopter. After landing Edwin spent his day doing celebrity meet and greets and full access to all things NASCAR. This included meeting and spending time with his favorite driver, Joey Logano.

On September 18, Logano returned to his home state of Connecticut to kick off the inaugural Joey Logano Hometown Showdown at On Track Karting in Wallingford, Conn. The night provided an opportunity for hundreds of fans to meet and test their racing skills against Logano in a fun competition along with other racers while raising $35,885 for The Connection. The Connection is a Connecticut-based nonprofit human service and community development agency, providing the support and resources individuals and their families need to improve their lives. Prior to the Hometown Showdown, Logano participated in a ribbon-cutting ceremony for Logano Place, The Connection's newest program, named in Joey's honor, for homeless adults with behavioral health and substance abuse issues. Each month thousands of people throughout Connecticut are assisted by The Connection's diverse behavioral health, family support and community justice programs. These programs reunite families, break the generational cycles of abuse and neglect, create safer, healthier communities and assist with mental illness and addiction issues.

For more information on the Joey Logano Foundation please visit http://joeyloganofoundation.com/ and for more information on the Checkered Flag Foundation please visit http://bradracing.com/foundation/.