Brickyard victory fuels 'Racing for Relief'

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (July 28, 2008) -- Jimmie Johnson's efforts last weekend at Indianapolis Motor Speedway raised $12,480 to benefit the American Red Cross as part of Lowe's Racing for Relief program. That total includes $4,800 for putting his No. 48 Lowe's Chevrolet in Victory Lane. After nearly three and a half hours, Johnson completed 160 laps at the 2.5-mile oval during the 400-mile NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event at the Brickyar on Sunday. The $12,480 is in addition to the $12,816 raised earlier this month during the Chicagoland 400 at the Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Ill., pushing the total Lowe’s will donate to the Red Cross to more than $25,000. Lowe’s had pledged $48 per lap completed for both races and an additional $4,800 for either race if Johnson finished in first place. The funds raised will help the Red Cross to provide food, clean-up supplies, counseling and other assistance to victims of the recent Central U.S. floods and tornadoes. In addition to Racing for Relief, Lowe’s stores across the Midwest are serving as official cash donation sites for the United Way 2008 Midwest Flood Recovery Fund to support long-term recovery and rebuilding efforts to areas devastated by the recent floods. The in-store donation program has been extended through August 3, 2008, with Lowe’s matching in-store customer donations up to a total of $100,000. Seventy percent of donations to the fund will help the Red Cross provide immediate needs such as food and shelter and thirty percent of the funds will support longer term relief efforts through local United Way partner agencies. Donations to the American Red Cross for the Central U.S. Floods and Tornadoes response may be made at participating Lowe’s stores throughout the Midwest, online at www.redcross.org, or by calling 1-800-RED-CROSS.