CONCORD, N.C.—NASCAR is the first motorsports organization to join Beyond Sport, a global entity that promotes the use of sport in effecting social change.
NASCAR has accepted an invitation to join Major League Baseball, Major League Soccer, the National Basketball Association, the National Hockey League, the National Football League and the Women’s National Basketball Association as part of Beyond Sport’s broader global organization.
“We’re obviously very honored to be a part of what is going on at Beyond Sport,” NASCAR chairman and CEO Brian France said at the announcement of the alliance. “The idea is that leagues, teams, athletes come together to share best practices in what they’re doing.
“It puts us on a big stage. We’re excited about it because of what all the teams and the individual drivers are doing (in the charitable realm). Frankly, it matches perfectly with directionally where we’re going. We’re investing a lot with kids, as you know. We’re certainly focused on the environment and giving back to different communities.”
Beyond Sport derives financial support from the corporate community, with contributed funds going to support its intiatives. In addition, the organization provides a way for representatives of the member leagues to meet at summits and share best practices.
NASCAR, for example, is at the vanguard of recycling efforts among major sports. The NHL is a leader in using tons of leftover food from its events to feed the hungry.
“If you look around our sport, and you consider all that our drivers do — the teams, the tracks, and our sponsors — collectively, the impact that they make in giving back to the community is really amazing,” said Steve Phelps, NASCAR’s chief marketing officer and senior vice president.
“Beyond Sport will give us an opportunity to share best practices with other leagues and brands around the world, and most importantly, to have us be able to share what we’re doing in these areas. I know the people at the NASCAR Foundation, NASCAR Green and NASCAR Diversity are thrilled at the opportunity to work with Beyond Sport folks, and I’m sure that the sport as a whole and the broader industry will benefit from this new relationship.”
Greg is the author of "The Nuts and Bolts of NASCAR: The Definitive Viewers' Guide to Big-Time Stock Car Auto Racing" and has been published in major publications across the country including the Los Angeles Times, the Cleveland Plain Dealer and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He was also a contributor to Chicken Soup for the NASCAR Soul, published in 2010, and the Christmas edition in 2016. He wrote as the NASCAR, Formula 1, Auto Reviews and National Veterans Affairs Examiner for Examiner.com and has appeared on Fox News. He holds a BS degree in communications, a Masters degree in psychology and is currently a PhD candidate majoring in psychology. He is currently the weekend Motorsports Editor for Autoweek.
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