Dion Brothers Race Team Join Third Annual Wal-Mart Golf Tournament to Benefit C.H.A.D.
NASCAR regional touring series '96 champion "Dynamite" Dave Dion of Hudson, NH join forces with Wal-Mart, Pepsi, and Hanaford Associates to raise money for Children's Hospital At Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center at the Green Meadow's Country Club in Hudson, NH on September 17, 2003. Many companies such as Pepsi and Hanaford Associates, in addition to Coke, Polar Beverages, Kraft-Nabisco, Hershey Foods, Dr Pepper/7Up, Frito Lay, Kellogg's, and Keebler have implemented special promotional sales going on in Wal-Mart stores over the last few months to help raise money for their contribution to the golf tournament.

Dion's cutting edge marketing is something he believes NASCAR, ACT, PASS or any other regional motorsport competitors need to learn. Remember where one comes from, and share the excitement with marketing partners to gain interest. "My brothers Paul and Donald worked at Green Meadow's CC a few years ago when they were teenagers, I walk to the golf course and back to the house on my morning walk. This is really special event to help raise money to benefit a charity based in New Hampshire in the back yard of Continental Paving, a major backer of the team and equally responsible for the team success. We all grew up with Rick and Mark Charbonneau, in 1987 they decided to sponsor the team with their family owned paving business.

Human-interest stories begin at home; Dion Brothers are an icon that represents a team effort of family and friends. Dave recently arranged a driving experience for team members to drive a racecar at a short track. The next night Dion passed the fastest cars at Thunder Road, in Barre, VT. And was leading a NASCAR Busch North regional competition at the end of the race, before lapped traffic relegated the fan favorite to third place finish. Most importantly to Dion was the fact that several in attendance changed their weekend plans to watch the race, and then visited him in post race festivities. Dave said, "I didn't realize they (students) were there until I saw them after the race. Any time we as drivers can make a positive impact that will attract fans to our sport is a great thing. One couple tells another about this great weekend that they experienced. They check it out and bring two other couples, that's a way for this sport to grow and develop appreciation for what we do. I can't wait to read the article in NH To Do magazine."

Hanafor Associates Stock Car Driving Experience has been involved with motorsports for a few years; one thing hasn't changed in 40 years. Event coordinator Brian Hanaford explains, "My father, Harold "Hard Luck" Hanaford WON track championships and ended his career after Daytona in '66. I recognized a common problem that existed since the beginning of my involvement, entertainers need money-marketing partners need R.O.I., return on investment. If a company can't increase sales enough to give a long-term employee a raise, they probably can't justify spending a couple hundred thousand on racecar sponsorship. So I worked a couple years as an intern for a marketing guru, still working my day job. McDonald's Happy Meal, and Kodak of racing were some of my mentor's success stories. Cumberland Farms, Big Apple, Short Stop convenience stores, and last but not least Pepsi, Wal-Mart, and CHAD will be on my resume. It may be a tall order, so I can't explain the plan. But Dion & Fadden have helped from the start; they will be there at the end. They aren't the kind of entertainers that are here today and gone tomorrow. Hanaford Associates isn't a part of the would-ve, could-ve, and should-ve club! We already helped Pepsi increase sales 245.6% in one store for a net profit of $17,029 in four weeks. Any business in any industry, with any advertising budget can do the math. We have something simple for a fraction of the cost. A fraction that is also affordable for blue collar workers. Opportunities available inSeptember and October at Canaan Speedway"