NASCAR star Ryan Newman not only celebrated his 40th birthday this month, but he also won his second Coca-Cola Chug for Charity Championship. He won his first in 2010, and since then has raised more than $430,000 for various charities through the chug Charity program.
Ryan is part of the Coca-Cola Racing family, and the way the program works is pretty neat. Every time a member takes a chug of Coca-Cola at the racetrack they earn points, according to NASCAR.com. The driver with most chugs/points earns a donation to a charity of their choice, and the driver with the largest donation is declared the Chug for Charity Champion.
Newman will receive a donation from Coca-Cola that will go to his charity called the Rescue Ranch. The North Carolina based charity is run by Ryan and his wife, Krissie. They promote responsible pet ownership and run a rehabilitation and rescue program.
Since Coca-Cola started the program, they have raised $3 million for various charities and helped countless people. Next time you see your favorite racer chugging down an ice cold Coke, it may not be because they're thirsty. These guys just want to win so whether it's racing or drinking Coke, its all the same.