LONG POND, PA (September 2, 2014) – The Mattioli Foundation hosted a 50/50 Raffle, to benefit The NASCAR Foundation, at Pocono Raceway during the August 1-3 GoBowling.com 400 race weekend. Dennis H. won a total of $29,000. This stands as the highest-grossing 50/50 raffle at a NASCAR event in the Foundation’s eight-year history.
“We are so very blessed,” said Dennis, who considers himself an amateur weatherman and predicted the local meteorologists were wrong about their GoBowling.com 400 forecast. “I took a look at the radar and the barometric pressure. I told my wife, ‘It is not going to rain today at Pocono Raceway. Let’s go.’ We got to the track, had a lovely day and decided to purchase 20 raffle tickets for $30. We’re sure glad we did. This is the biggest thing we have ever won.”
Dennis and his wife, both big NASCAR fans and annual Pocono Raceway visitors, intend to take road trip with their winnings and plan to attend Talladega Superspeedway’s October race and, possibly, the 2014 season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
“We were so excited when we won, we decided to leave our seats with about 20 laps to go (in the GoBowling.com 400) and claim our prize,” said Dennis’ wife. “I am a huge Dale Earnhardt Jr. fan, so, we missed seeing him take the lead and celebrate his win at Pocono. Hopefully, we can witness a Dale Jr., victory at Talladega later this year.”
The 50/50 raffle was also the highest-grossing 50/50 raffle, to date, for The NASCAR Foundation. In addition to the 50/50 raffle at the GoBowling.com 400, the Pocono 400 50/50 raffle in June and the third-annual Pocono Celebrity Charity Poker Showdown at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs before the August race weekend at “The Tricky Triangle” also benefited The NASCAR Foundation. In all, contributions from fans, drivers, the track and others, from the aforementioned Pocono Raceway and Mattioli Foundation events, resulted in nearly $100,000 for The NASCAR Foundation this summer.
“The true winners of the 50/50 raffle are the kids and the other individuals with whom The NASCAR Foundation will help with this donated money,” said Pocono Raceway President/CEO Brandon Igdalsky. “A heartfelt thank you to the fans, drivers and all whom donated this year. The generosity is truly amazing as we continue to follow the charitable nature my grandfather, Doc Mattioli, bestowed on our entire Raceway family. He gave so much and it is an honor to be associated with the greatest fans in all of motorsports for the way they continue to give back to such great causes as The NASCAR Foundation.”
Additionally the second-chance grand prize winners from June’s 50/50 raffle, Brandon S. and his father Christopher H., received Hot Passes for the GoBowling.com 400, attended the pre-race drivers meeting, and were in victory lane for Earnhardt Jr.’s Pocono sweep celebration.
“Thank you for the opportunity to do this with my dad,” said Brandon S. “I was in the process of finishing paper work for the army and I wanted to do something both of us would remember for a long time. The NASCAR Foundation will have my support.”
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