NASCAR’s Newman fishes for charity

Go fishing with Ryan Newman and other NASCAR stars, and it's all for a good cause.

The clock is ticking for your chance to be a part of the Ryan Newman Foundation Annual Charity events in December. Once again, Ryan and Krissie Newman invite NASCAR fans and fishermen to join them for the Ryan Newman Foundation’s 8th Annual Charity Dinner and Auction and 7th Annual Charity Fishing Tournament.

The event returns to the Statesville Civic Center in Statesville, North Carolina to kick off the two-day stint on Friday, December 7, 2012 from 6 to 10 p. The Gene Haas Foundation is the presenting sponsor for the evening.

Spend the evening with NASCAR celebrities and drivers including: Martin Truex, Jr., Regan Smith, Kevin Harvick and Tony Stewart along with professional fishermen. Enjoy a family-style meal, a silent auction and entertainment provided by Nashville recording artists and songwriters Eric Paslay and Tim Dugger.

Last year’s event topped all previous years as guests walked the red carpet and took photos next to an event-themed show car before mingling with the Newmans during a VIP reception. A large ice sculpture of a dog and cat fishing high above a candy bar filled with goodies was a fan favorite next to photo booths stocked with props for guests to wear in their photos.

This is normally a sold out event, so don’t wait. Presenting sponsors include; Gene Haas Foundation, Bass Pro Shops, Bassmaster, Sprint, Michigan International Speedway Ernie D’s Racing, Oral B, Quicken Loans, Aggressive Hydraulics, Code 3 Associates, WIX, Outback Steakhouse and APS. There are a few remaining sponsorship and table packages available. If interested, email Mary Grams at mary@ryannewman.org.

The bass tournament will take place on Saturday, December 8, 2012 at Blythe Landing on Lake Norman in Huntersville, NC and is sponsored by Bass Pro Shops. Emcees for the weigh-in are 4-time Bassmaster Champion and 7-time Angler of the Year Kevin VanDam alongside Mark Zona, Elite Series host and star of Zona’s Awesome Fishing Show. Due to positive feedback, weigh-in will be trailered and golf carts will be provided to get anglers to the stage in order to not jeopardize the safety of the fish. This is not mandatory and provided as a convenience to all participants.

The 2011 event was the largest tournament to date with 197 boats registered to compete for the top honors. This year, teams will compete for the grand prize – a 2012 Nitro Z9 boat equipped with a motor and electronics. Other prizes include cash awards, trolling motors, GPS systems, depth finders, rod and reel combos, gift cards and more with a value totaling over $60,000 and will pay the top 12 spots with the 13th as a consolation prize after the weigh-in concludes. The three additional $500 prizes will remain for top husband and wife, senior citizen and adult and child teams.

Guests who attend the vendor area and weigh-in will have the opportunity to eat a dinner provided by Outback Steakhouse. The steak and chicken plate will be served from 3 to 6 pm and tickets are available for $15 each. Click here to purchase boat ramp dinner tickets. Each boat ramp dinner ticket purchase can be redeemed the day of the event (only) for complimentary signed copy of Pit Road Pets, NASCAR Stars and Their Pets. We invite the public to bring their friends and family to walk through our vendor area, let the little ones play in our Kids Area, get free samples from our partners and enjoy the weigh-in. There will be a 50/50 raffle and the winner will be announced once weigh-in concludes.

Registration in the bass tournament for a team of two fishermen is $200. Two Outback Steakhouse Boat Ramp dinner tickets are included in the registration fee. Fisherman may also enter a Big Fish Contest for $50 per team. The maximum number of boats allowed is 350. For complete event details, tournament rules, to download a flyer and registration form, or to register online, visit www.ryannewmanfoundation.org/events.