Jeff Gordon, Drive to End Hunger Join Forces With Nickelodeon’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles for High-Speed Adventure at the Sprint Cup Series Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway
What does Jeff Gordon have in common with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles? Beyond a history of breakdancing and a family member named Leo? Turtle Power!
The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles will have a powerful new force joining their crime-fighting team – Jeff Gordon and Drive to End Hunger. Leonardo, the leader of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, will be featured on the No. 24 Drive to End Hunger Chevrolet at the Sprint Cup Series race at Charlotte Motor Speedway on October 13, 2012.
Off the track, Gordon, AARP and AARP Foundation are teaming up with Nickelodeon’s Helping and Leading Others program on Drive to End Hunger, which helps create awareness, resources and solutions around the fight against older adult hunger. The new collaboration will extend Drive to End Hunger and engage a whole new audience of young people. Through a national PSA airing on Nickelodeon channels to reach kids, parents and grandparents, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Gordon hope to leave hunger in their dust. Fans can learn how at www.DriveToEndHunger.org.
“There are nearly nine million Americans age 50-plus who face the risk of older adult hunger,” said Jo Ann Jenkins, AARP Foundation President. “This is an issue that impacts every community, every neighborhood, and every generation. We’re excited to be working with Nickelodeon to engage more people in our work to help people in need put food on the table.”
The famous turtles – Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello and Michelangelo -- will bring their fast-action, high-adventure style of fun to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series for a weekend of family entertainment, including:
Special 500 Pre-Race Show presented by Nickelodeon’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, featuring free concerts with Victoria Justice and Big & Rich – Enjoy special concerts with Nickelodeon star Victoria Justice, the star of Nickelodeon’s hit series Victorious and the feature film Fun Size, and Grammy nominated duo Big & Rich, along with a daredevil stunt by high-wire walker Nik Wallenda. Special front stage passes are available for adults and children for each show at 1-800-455-FANS (3267) or www.charlottemotorspeedway.com.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Family Section, Fun Zone and Play Zone – Immerse your family in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles adventures with a seat in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Family Section, located in Turn Four of Charlotte Motor Speedway, visit the unique Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Family Fun Zone in the Turn Four Family Section Concourse, where there will be appearances by the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, games, activities and photo opportunities for fans young and old. Throughout race day, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles will visit the Play Zone in the frontstretch fan area for photo opps, Ninja adventures and fun.
Unique race broadcast of the race for young fans – Led by young fans of NASCAR and available exclusively on PRN and Nickelodeon channels, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles broadcast will have a special announcing team of young NASCAR stars covering the race from the broadcast booth and pit road. The broadcast will be available at http://www.goprn.com/ and through the track broadcast.
Kids’ Driver Autograph and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Lunch Party – See the stars of the NASCAR Nationwide Series and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles for a fun lunch event under the Ford Grandstand on Friday, October 12. Danica Patrick, Ricky Stenhouse and Elliott Sadler are scheduled to appear. Tickets are per child and the event is limited to the first 750 kids. Participants receive a free Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle backpack.
Special ticket packages for Nickelodeon’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles invasion of Charlotte Motor Speedway include the Family Four-Pack with tickets for two adults and two kids in the smoke- and alcohol-free Family Section, priced at 8. Children's tickets are free to the Dollar General 300 with an adult purchase. All children must have a ticket. For tickets and information call 1-800-455-FANS (3267) or visit www.charlottemotorspeedway.com.
Drive to End Hunger supports the hunger solutions of AARP Foundation through donations from individuals, corporations and other non-profits and through a unique cause-marketing campaign with NASCAR Cup Champion Jeff Gordon and team owner Rick Hendrick. Since AARP and AARP Foundation launched Drive to End Hunger, the initiative has donated more than 13.1 million meals and driven corporate and individual donor commitments with an expected value of million.
About the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Nickelodeon launches an all-new, CG-animated Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series on Saturday, Sept. 29, at 11 a.m. (ET/PT) in a special one-hour television event, bringing the turtles up from the sewers with the mythology and comedic sensibility for a new generation of fans. The series stars Jason Biggs (American Pie) as “Leonardo,” Sean Astin (Lord of the Rings) as “Raphael,” Rob Paulsen (Planet Sheen) as “Donatello” and Greg Cipes (Teen Titans) as “Michelangelo.” Additional cast members rounding out this iconic hit franchise include Mae Whitman (Parenthood) as “April O’Neil,” Hoon Lee (Royal Pains) as “Master Splinter” and Kevin Michael Richardson (Penguins of Madagascar) as “Shredder.” The half-hour weekly series is layered with action, fantasy and comedy and draws inspiration from both American and Japanese animation, showcasing a stylistic effect of a printed comic. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles will air regularly on Saturdays at 11 a.m. (ET/PT).
About Nickelodeon
Nickelodeon, now in its 33rd year, is the number-one entertainment brand for kids. It has built a diverse, global business by putting kids first in everything it does. The company includes television programming and production in the United States and around the world, plus consumer products, online, recreation, books, and feature films. Nickelodeon’s U.S. television network is seen in more than 100 million households and has been the number-one-rated basic cable network for 17 consecutive years. For more information or artwork, visit www.nickpress.com. Nickelodeon and all related titles, characters and logos are trademarks of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIA.B). For more information on the upcoming Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series premiere, visit http://nickpress.com/tmnt.
About AARP Foundation
AARP Foundation is working to win back opportunity for struggling Americans 50+ by being a force for change on the most serious issues they face today: housing, hunger, income and isolation. By coordinating responses to these issues on all four fronts at once, and supporting them with vigorous legal advocacy, the Foundation serves the unique needs of those 50+ while working with local organizations nationwide to reach more people, work more efficiently and make resources go further. AARP Foundation is the charitable affiliate of AARP. Learn more at www.aarpfoundation.org.
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Check out all of the behind-the-scenes photos from today's unveiling of the #24 AARP Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Drive to End Hunger Chevrolet at Charlotte Motor Speedway here -> http://jeffgordon.com/media/photo_2012_other.php.
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