W
Ward Burton
Guest
John Andretti and the #43 Dodge, which normally carries the Cheerios and Betty Crocker colors, will have something different for Sunday's NASCAR Winston Cup race at the two-mile California Speedway. The team will be driving home Cheerios commitment to childhood literacy, with the #43 Dodge carrying that message on the car for the only event in the Los Angeles area. For each of the 250 scheduled laps Andretti competes in the race, Cheerios and First Book, a national children's literacy organization, will donate 43 books per lap to children in need in the Fontana, Calif., and Los Angeles area. "As a father myself, I know the importance of reading and the critical role it plays in children wanting to learn," said Andretti. He and his wife Nancy have three children, two in elementary school. "Having their own book makes a big difference in a child wanting to read. This program is incredible and I am behind it 100 percent," he added. "We're going for the maximum." As many as 10,750 books would be donated by First Book and Cheerios if Andretti completes all 500 miles of the race. The books are slated to go to children participating in Boys and Girls Club of Fontana, Sivaland Head Start and The Agape House, also both in Fontana, and in LA's Best, an after-school program in Los Angeles. To kick off the weekend, Cheerios and California Speedway will host 400-500 children from the Fontana Unified School District Friday morning at the speedway. After being served breakfast, the children will be read to by Andretti, will receive a book of their own from Cheerios, and then have the opportunity to watch practice and qualifying. Just as Cheerios helps fuel kids for the day, reading gives them the power to succeed in life. With that in mind, Cheerios is making a significant commitment to childhood literacy through the Spoonfuls of Stories program. Andretti and Petty Enterprises are partnering in this effort for one race by encouraging children to read more, and by reaching out to help others.