Four-time NASCAR Champion Jimmie Johnson crossed the finish line first in the 2010 Gillette Fusion ProGlide Prelude to the Dream Wednesday, June 9, 2010, but the real winners were the four children's hospitals that benefitted from the event.
Two-time NASCAR Champion Tony Stewart started the Prelude to the Dream in 2005 to bring drivers together for a fun event while raising money for charity. The race is run at Stewart's Eldora Speedway, a half-mile dirt oval located in western Ohio.
The star-studded lineup of 27 drivers represented NASCAR, Izod IndyCar and drag racing. Many NASCAR drivers who participated grew up racing on dirt tracks unlike IndyCar star Tony Kanaan who had never been to a dirt track. Kanaan finished in the 24th spot and said after the race, "By far, this is the craziest thing I have ever done. I had a lot of fun. I can't describe it."
Jimmie Johnson's Prelude to the Dream Car Owned by Clint Bowyer
Drivers who compete against each other on the weekend, worked together during the Eldora event to have some fun while helping the four children's hospitals.
Johnson drove a car owned by fellow NASCAR driver Clint Bowyer, who finished the race second. "You know, it's cool to come home one-two," Bowyer said. "It's really cool to be able to have Jimmie in the car. He's a four-time champion for a reason, and that proves it right there."
Johnson started the race on the pole for the dirt event. "It's been a steep learning curve, for sure, but it's been a lot of fun to do," said Johnson. This is his third year participating in the Prelude to the Dream.
Johnson said he has no desire to own a car. "I want to keep driving other people's stuff," Johnson said. "People are testing and working real hard to come up here and run well."
Children's hospitals benefit from Eldora Speedway charity race
Four children's hospitals received the proceeds from the 2010 event. The drivers were divided into four teams, with the winning team's charity receiving the largest share of the proceeds.
The winning team was led by NASCAR driver Kyle Busch and included race winner Jimmie Johnson. They competed for Levine Children's Hospital in Charlotte. The other hospitals that will receive a share of the proceeds are Cincinnati Children's, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, and Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis.
Other industry celebrities volunteered their time to make the event a success. Darrell Waltrip, Larry McReynolds and Marty Reid worked the booth for the HBO Pay-Per-View event, Matt Yocum was the host, Dick Berggren and Steve Latarte worked as pit reporters, and Darian Grubb was a special analyst.
Twenty-seven talented drivers came together in a small Ohio town for the love of racing, the chance to win a trophy at the end of the night, the pure pleasure of helping others, and bragging rights for the rest of the year.
Rosalie Thompson - Rosalie Thompson enjoys writing about NASCAR, real estate, gardening and travel in the Southeastern United States. After graduating from ...
