Charity begins at home at Mid-Ohio

Saturday’s Nationwide Children’s Hospital 200 at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course takes place in the back yard of Columbus-based series title sponsor Nationwide Insurance, and NNS teams have embraced the title charity in the debut of the series’ first visit to the 2.4-mile road course.

Regan Smith

Photo by: Getty Images

All told, teams have donated more than $650,000 in stock car "real estate"--meaning positioning on hoods, TV panels, names above doors and full cars--to call attention to the mission of the Nationwide Children’s Hospital. Each participating driver is paired with a hospital patient for the race.

After the event, drivers will sign hoods and other sheet metal from their cars, with the memorabilia to be auctioned online through the NASCAR Foundation.

"As the title sponsor of the NASCAR Nationwide Series, we're pleased to help bring this race to the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course as a way to demonstrate our passion for both NASCAR and Nationwide Children’s Hospital," said Matt Jauchius, Nationwide’s chief marketing officer. "Nationwide Children’s Hospital touches lives around the world, providing critical care for young patients, regardless of a family’s ability to pay.

"We can’t thank the racing teams enough for getting behind this weekend's race--13 drivers, including 10 of the top 11 points leaders, will have Nationwide Children's Hospital represented on their cars."

By Reid Spencer - NASCAR Wire Service