NASCAR will be honoring Newtown during Daytona 500 at the end of the month with a green and white car and soliciting donations to the Sandy Hook School Support Fund.
Michael Waltrip, a two-time winner of the Daytona 500, will be behind the wheel of Swan Racing's car 30, which will carry the number 26, in honor of the 26 victims of the school shooting.
The hood carries a green and white memorial ribbon on the hood and decals on the sides of the car will carry instructions on how NASCAR fans can make a $10 donation to the Sandy Hook School Support Fund by texting NEWTOWN TO 80888.
Twenty first graders and six staff members were killed in a shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School two months ago on Dec. 14.
NASCAR made the public announcement about car 26 today.
“Driving the No. 26 Sandy Hook School Support Fund Toyota is like nothing I have ever been part of in my NASCAR career," Waltrip said in an article posted on nascar.com. "It will be an emotional week knowing that we have the potential to do so much good for the Newtown community. I’m racing for a reason."
NASCAR president Mike Helton has a personal connection to Newtown through a friend’s son whose family knew many victims and their families, according to NASCAR.com.
