Jimmie Johnson and Erik Jones Visit Texas
KEENE, TEX. – Near the end of the Spring 2024 semester, the No. 84 AdventHealth Toyota race car stopped at Southwestern Adventist University along with drivers Jimmie Johnson and Erik Jones of the Legacy Motor Club racing team. Penny Johnson, AdventHealth Southwest Region president and CEO, and David Weis, AdventHealth East Volusia Market president and CEO, also joined the drivers for a panel discussion at the university open to students, faculty, alumni and community members. The appearance of both drivers was made possible through AdventHealth’s partnership with Legacy Motor Club.
The panel discussion focused on inspiring students, highlighting career opportunities at AdventHealth and getting students excited for the weekend race at Texas Motor Speedway. It also provided an opportunity to share words of advice with the students as they looked ahead to their future careers.
Penny Johnson spoke on the importance of finding balance in work and intentionally spending time on hobbies and joyful activities. “Ask yourself, ‘What’s something that stimulates your mind and keeps you growing intellectually?’” she asked the students.
During the panel, Weis highlighted the impact AdventHealth has through this partnership in locations such as the Daytona International Speedway. “[This partnership] is something that is incredibly unique,” Weis shared at the panel. “At the Daytona 500, we have the chance to have one of our AdventHealth chaplains pray on national television. There is no other professional sport that televises the prayer on national television.”
Weis also shared the impact of the care team that runs a care center inside the speedway, providing care for over 5,000 people a year. Beyond the incredible fan base, amazing drivers and teams like Legacy Motor Club, Weis shared “it is an amazing way to connect and give back to the community.”
Following the panel discussion, 50 students and community members received autographed photos with drivers Jimmie Johnson and Jones in front of the AdventHealth Toyota. After the autograph and photo session, local schools were invited to see the race car and learn about career opportunities.
The car also made a stop at AdventHealth Central Texas in Killeen, Tex. Both the hospital team members and the local community to see this magnificent race car up close and snap a few memorable photos.
By Brian Henning
Manager of Communication Platforms
Photo by Jose Castro
From left: Eric Jones, driver; Anna Patterson, Southwestern Adventist University President; Penny Johnson, AdventHealth Southwest Region; Jimmie Johnson, driver; David Weis, AdventHealth East Volusia Market President and CEO.
