Sports Collectibles

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla., Oct. 16 /PRNewswire/ — Daytona International Speedway (DIS), along with The Kroger Co., today announced it will put up for online auction a once-in-a-lifetime collectible helmet featuring signatures of the 24 living past champions of the DAYTONA 500 - racing’s Living Legends.

In addition to receiving the helmet, the highest bidder in the auction and a guest will be flown to New York City, where they will meet Jeff Gordon — three-time DAYTONA 500 champion, courtesy of Georgia-Pacific and The Kroger Co. All proceeds from the online auction will benefit United Way of Greater Cincinnati.

“This helmet is an amazing piece of racing history,” said Gordon. “Being part of this great program is an honor and I look forward to meeting the winning bidder. United Way is a great organization and I am excited about helping the families in the Greater Cincinnati area.”

Boasting signatures from some of the sport’s greatest drivers, the unique helmet showcases 24 Living Legends’ autographs including:

– Richard Petty (seven-time champion: ‘64, ‘66, ‘71, ‘73, ‘74, ‘79, ‘81)
– Mario Andretti (’67)
– Cale Yarborough (four-time champion: ‘68, ‘77, ‘83, ‘84)
– A.J. Foyt (’72)
– Jeff Gordon (three-time champion: ‘97, ‘99, ‘05)
– Dale Earnhardt Jr. (’04)

The auction for the Living Legends helmet will be facilitated by Chicago- based Channel Velocity on eBay.com — enter keywords DAYTONA 500, Champions and Helmet — and will last for seven days (Oct. 17 - 24, 2007). The highest bidder will be awarded the helmet and its certificate of authenticity, signed by DIS President Robin Braig, upon meeting Jeff Gordon in New York City.

“The 50th running of the DAYTONA 500 will certainly bring back many stories of the legendary drivers who helped to build this great sport. DIS is proud to play such a tremendous role in the reunion of the Living Legends,” said Robin Braig, president, DIS. “This incredible collectible is the only one available to the public, and whomever wins the auction will not only take home a piece of history, they’ll take home a piece of racing’s heart.”

The Kroger Co. is a proud sponsor of the historic 50th running of the DAYTONA 500 (Feb. 17, 2008). For more information, including the opportunity to win NASCAR-themed prizes by playing games and trivia, check out kroger.daytona500.com.

“This helmet is one of the most unique and valuable items that we have ever been able to use in our fundraising efforts for United Way,” said Linda Severin, Vice President of Corporate Brands for The Kroger Co. and co-chair of the company’s United Way campaign this year. “We thank the team at DIS for their support along the way and for making this great opportunity a reality.”