Dexter Bean Busy During ARCA Vacation; Attends Washington DC Conference For JDRF

Topics:  Dexter Bean

Chris Knight
BlackJack Racing
June 28, 2007

WESTBY, Wisconsin (June 28, 2007) - - ARCA RE/MAX Series sophomore driver Dexter Bean is enjoying a record season in 2007. After finishing 12th overall in 2006, so far this season, Bean has propelled himself to third in championship points entering the first major break of the summer.

Instead of catching up on sleep or relaxing in his hometown, Bean was a special guest of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) 2007 Children’s Congress in Washington , D.C. June 18.

JDRF (founded in 1970) is the leading charitable funder and advocate of type 1 (juvenile) diabetes research worldwide. The mission of JDRF is to find a cure for diabetes and its complications through the support of research.

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The event, one of the most anticipated for the year for the foundation brings 150 children with type one (1) diabetes ages 4 to 17, representing all 50 states, plus the District of Columbia to serve as delegates and meet with their elected officials to seek additional funds from Congress for diabetes research.

In all accounts, the event was a huge success and Bean played a key role.

Mary Tyler Moore started the official kickoff of the conference with approximately 500 people in attendance on the Capital lawn. Country music sensation Trisha Yearwood performed, along with former American Idol Elliott Yamin, Steve Wariner and the 150 delegates whom together sang the Children’s Congress “Promise to Remember Me” song.

Bean then attended a luncheon sponsored by JDRF where U.S. Representative Vito Fossella was recognized. The Congressman was introduced by Major League Baseball (MLB) player Todd Zeile.

Bean (racecar driver) along with NBA player Adam Morrison, Professional Golfer Michelle McGann and NFL hot shoe Kendall Simmons attended a town hall meeting for the afternoon. Each celebrity role model told their life story about what they do, and then the floor was opened up for the delegates for a Q&A session.

“What an opportunity of a lifetime Washington DC was,” said Bean from his home in Westby , Wisconsin . “First, I would like to thank everyone at JDRF for asking me to attend an event of such magnitude, it was a great honor and I enjoyed myself thoroughly.”

Bean continued, “I learned a lot. When you're in Washington D.C. , you are right in the middle of everything. I was able to meet a lot of wonderful and talented people and it was an experience that I'll never forget. I cannot say enough about the children. They are awesome. A lot of them touched me and it’s an incredible feeling to know that many of them look up to you. To me that’s priceless.”

“Everyone needs to realize what their goal is and it doesn't take a whole lot to help. For the remainder of the 2007 season, we will be doing everything we can to make sure we bring further attentiveness to a group that means a lot to me.”

Before heading to the event, Bean carried the JDRF logos on his No. 6 Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS in the ARCA Michigan 200 where he rallied from his mid-pack starting position to lead five laps before eventually settling for 12th.

The BlackJack Racing also carried the JDRF logos on the hood of their No. 63 Ford Taurus when Bean made his NASCAR Busch Series (NBS) debut last October at Memphis Motorsports Park .

For further input on the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation International, please logon to JDRF.org or call 1.800.533.CURE (2873).

For more information on Dexter Bean, please visit DexterBean.net

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MEDIA CONTACT:

NAME: Chris Knight, BlackJack Racing
PHONE: 239.834.9797
EMAIL: knight849@aol.com

Please note that in the press release issued by BlackJack Racing today, Dexter Bean, driver of the No. 6 Five Star Telecom Chevrolet Monte Carlo also consulted with ESPN announcers Brian Kenny and John Saunders. Kenny and Saunders were moderators for the town hall panel for Bean and other celebrity role models during the Children's Congress in Washington, D.C. on June 18.