JTG Daugherty Racing makes second trip to Barium Springs Home for Children

JTG Daugherty Racing co-owner Tad Geschickter has always believed in having a close-knit NASCAR Sprint Cup Series racing organization so much so that he refers to his team as family. Geschickter always tries to find ways to bring his race team closer together because sometimes the road can become tough traveling for 38 weekends out of a year.
 
At times it is easy to take each other and the privileges of the sport for granted. To stay humble and remember how fortunate the team is to do what they love, Geschickter wants his driver and crew members to give back to the community in any way they can.
 
On Tuesday, July 1, JTG Daugherty Racing takes a short trip to Barium Springs Home for Children in Statesville, N.C., where the team visited a couple years ago. The team owners (Jodi and Tad Geschickter and Brad Daugherty) along with No. 47 SCOTT® Products Chevrolet SS driver AJ Allmendinger and the pit crew will be onsite to sign autographs, do pit stop demonstrations, and provide lunch.  The day is two-fold and that’s to bring a smile to the young adults faces and also bring awareness on how donations can be made to Barium Springs, which cannot operate without it. 
 
“As a team it is important to maintain perspective,” JTG Daugherty Racing co-owner Tad Geschickter said. “When we do what we do week in and week out, it’s grueling. It’s easy to lose perspective. For me, Barium Springs is a great organization. It’s near and dear to my heart. The guys actually take a small break from the dog days of summer and realize how much we do have and how fortunate we have it. It’s a good thing for us to do as a team.”
 
Barium Springs provides an array of services for children, families and individuals throughout North Carolina (in 41 counties). Their three main objectives are:   Provide “A Safe Home” through group homes, therapeutic foster care and adoption programs, “Heal the Hurt” for individuals that are troubled, abused or neglected, Encourage “A Healthy Start through educational, prevention and developmental programs.
 
“This will be my first trip up to Barium Springs Home for Children,” Allmendinger said. “It’s pretty special that they are opening their doors for us to visit the kids, bring our pit stop car, sign autographs and have lunch with them.  It’s right up the road from us and we hope to bring awareness to Barium Springs.”
 
“We just want to bring a smile to the kid’s faces and also help Barium Springs Home for Children spread the word on how people in the community and nationally can donate,” Allmendinger continued. “This place is in the NASCAR’s community backyard and we want to help however we can.”
 
“We are very excited to have the JTG Daugherty Racing team and AJ Allmendinger on campus and the children can’t wait,” said Jill Gibson, Regional Development Manager at Barium Springs Home for Children. “Many of the children we care for struggle with having basic necessities—food, clothing, a family—to thrive and many of the kids can’t imagine meeting anyone of this stature.  For this group to take time to come talk with our kids and empower them is something truly amazing.  We are incredibly blessed and thankful for everything they do for our mission at Barium Springs.”

JTG PR