CONCORD, N.C. – It was a sea of pink at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Wednesday morning as breast cancer survivors, those still battling the disease and their supporters joined Jimmie Johnson and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina for the annual Paint the Wall Pink event.
“I’ve had a great relationship with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina professionally and I’ve been a member for 17 years and I trust them to protect my family,” Johnson said. “I have a house full of girls and early detection and awareness is vital and important. That’s something I am very aware of and this just kind of brings it all in.”
Johnson was joined by many dressed head to toe in pink as he picked up one of the 300 rollers and dipped it into one of the 100 gallons of pink paint and painted the speedway’s infield pit wall pink. The wall will be seen across multiple NASCAR series races that will take place in the next few weeks, including the Cup Series race at the Charlotte road course on Sept. 29.
“This event for me is really special,” the driver said. “I’m fortunate enough to not know many people who are directly affected by breast cancer but certainly through friends and relationships, I know of lots of survivors. With early detection and awareness that’s so impactful and helpful, to watch NASCAR embrace this, my race team embrace this, sponsors and other national sports leagues, there’s so much awareness that’s shown in October and it’s going to all start right here in September with painting the wall pink.”
The seven-time champion will wear pink driving gloves and a hat with pink accents throughout October to commemorate Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and he’ll don them for the first time when the schedule heads to the “roval.”
“I’m going to wear pink gloves and my crew is going to wear pink gloves,” he said. “At the end of the day it’s just a neat opportunity to show awareness for breast cancer.”
To see the pink wall for yourself, catch the “roval” race on Sunday, Sept. 29, at 2:30 p.m. ET on NBC. And check out a gallery of the Paint the Wall Pink event here.