Jeff Gordon Day
March 1, 2010Remarks by Gov. Jan Brewer
Yes, being Governor, DOES have its benefits.
To be able to proclaim this Jeff Gordon Day in Arizona -- with President Burns, Speaker Adams, Bryan Sperber, AND Jeff Gordon – I’d say that’s a pretty good way to start a Monday morning.
Last April, I officially declared Phoenix International Raceway as “Zoomtown U.S.A.,” and this year, Jeff Gordon Day honors both Jeff and PIR’s two annual weekends – the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series – one in April and one in November.
The upcoming Subway Fresh Fit 600 – a race that was won by Jeff Gordon in 2007 – takes place this April 10th.
PIR has created a motor sports and entertainment haven for residents of Arizona and the entire Southwest, with more than 200,000 guests attending each event weekend, providing an economic impact in excess of four hundred million dollars annually to the state of Arizona.
The event weekends are covered by hundreds of local, national and international media and the races are broadcast nationally – thus putting a huge spotlight on The Valley of the Sun and Arizona as a whole.
And what better way to mark this season than with the driver of the Number 24 Chevrolet in NASCAR's top division, the Sprint Cup Series, -- the sixth-winningest driver in NASCAR history – just three wins from third place – Jeff Gordon.
In eight different seasons, Jeff has amassed five or more victories, including three seasons over ten.
He has finished in the top five of the Sprint Cup Series standings ten times, a feat matched by few other drivers in history.
His Jeff Gordon Foundation – established in 1999 – has provided over seven million dollars in financial support to some of the nation’s leading children’s charities.
In addition, the Foundation has delivered advocacy and program support for critical initiatives such as the Jeff Gordon Children’s Hospital, Make-A-Wish visits, marrow donor recruitment and advancements in cord blood research and treatment.
Jeff, it is an honor to have you at the Capitol, where I take comfort from your words, which were meant to apply to racing, but which might also apply to politics when you said, "Good finishes will come … if we keep running near the front."
I couldn’t agree more.
With that, please allow me to read this official proclamation.
Thank you.
