Joe Gibbs Racing has joined Hendrick Motorsports by donating its own aircraft to the relief efforts in Haiti.
The JGR plane is a 45-seat Saab 2000 identical to the two sent by Hendrick Motorsports last week. The team fields cars for drivers Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin and Joey Logano.
The aircraft are ones used by the teams during the season to carry crews to and from NASCAR events. The planes, including pilots and crews, are on loan to Missionary Flights International based out of Ft. Pierce Florida and are now being used to carry medical personnel and supplies to the island, which was devastated by an earthquake two weeks ago. The aircraft have also been flying survivors out.
“Each plane can carry 32 to 34 doctors and nurses, plus all their baggage and supplies,” Richard Snook, president of Missionary Flights International told the Vero Beach Press-Journal. “Then we have cargo planes chasing them with even more supplies.”
Snook said he isn’t sure how long the aircraft will be on loan to the organization.
“They’re here at least through the end of the week,” he said, “but racing season is about to start up, so we’ll be losing them soon except for maybe a flight here and there. Hopefully, airline service (to Haiti) will gear up in the next few days and take some of the pressure off of us.”
Also Wednesday the NASCAR Foundation has announced it will donate $250,000 to Missionary Flights International to help in its relief efforts.
"We are humbled by the support we have received from the NASCAR community," said Snook. "The support Hendrick Motorsports have made an immediate and critical impact on many lives that were nearly destroyed in the earthquakes. This added generosity from the NASCAR Foundation will help us continue our work to save lives."
The group has sent at least 450,000 pounds of supplies and 1,000 passengers or more to Haiti.
To contribute, check out the organization’s Web site: missionaryflights.org.
Comments