The NFL slaughters everything in America, but NASCAR rules in Charlotte. Now the two join forces as the Carolina Panthers’ best receiver and racing’s most popular driver coalesce. Dale Earnhardt Jr., who drives the No. 88 in the NASCAR Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series, is teaming up with Carolina Panthers tight end Greg Olsen, who wears the No. 88 in the National Football League, to raffle off the ultimate sports experience called “Weekend With The 88s.”
“I met Greg earlier this year, and we wanted to get our foundations working together and offer up a really cool experience for fans who share the same passions as we do,” said Dale Earnhardt Jr. “Weekend With The 88s will be a one-of-a-kind experience, and the best part is it benefits Levine Children’s Hospital, which I know Greg has experienced firsthand the impact it makes on families.”
Olsen’s son, T.J., was born with a congenital heart defect known as Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome in 2012. That led The Greg Olsen Foundation to create HEARTest Yard, a family service that provides families of babies affected by congenital heart disease with a multitude of services, including in-home nursing care, physical therapy and speech therapy.
“The opportunity to partner with Dale Jr. and The Dale Jr. Foundation is a true honor,” said Olsen. “To work with such a successful, respected, and generous family is a privilege, and we look forward to our joint efforts to support our community.”
Paul M. Banks owns The Sports Bank.net, an affiliate of Fox Sports and Yahoo! He’s been a guest on news talk shows all across the world. He’s also a special contributor to the Chicago Tribune RedEye edition. Banks has been featured in numerous media outlets including NFL.com, Forbes, Bleacher Report, Deadspin, ESPN, NBC, CBS, the History Channel and more. Follow him on Twitter (@paulmbanks)