UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Gentleman, start your engine! As part of his April 14 appearance on Penn State’s University Park campus, four-time NASCAR Cup Champion Jeff Gordon will drive a replica of the No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet SS, complete with a specially designed paint scheme. Gordon’s route will end shortly after 4:30 p.m. at the Berkey Creamery with a celebration featuring a contingent from the Blue Band, Penn State cheerleaders and the Nittany Lion (see below for additional details).
The event will kick off a partnership between Penn State and Axalta Coating Systems, a leading manufacturer of liquid and powder coatings based in Philadelphia. The partnership is designed to drive awareness and support for STEM and business education, and will focus on special learning opportunities with Jeff Gordon and his team at Pocono Raceway for students in Penn State’s College of Engineering and Smeal College of Business.
The design unveiled on the 14th will be featured on the car that Gordon drives at the Pocono Raceway in the June 7 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race named the “Axalta ‘We Paint Winners’ 400.” As part of the Penn State / Axalta partnership, a contingent of 100 Penn State students will be on hand at the raceway during the weekend of June 6, where they will have a chance to tour the garages and learn more about the technology of the cars, attend a presentation session with Alan Gustafson, Gordon’s crew chief, and have dinner with Axalta executives and Gordon. These students will be able to experience up close the impact engineers have on racing, and will receive insights and firsthand perspectives from business leaders.
SEE IT IN PERSON: Members of the public and the Penn State community are invited to stand along the route through campus (detailed below) and come to the Creamery to cheer on Gordon and see the No. 24 car’s new paint scheme!