Associated Press
FORT WORTH, Texas ó Josh Hoper was about to scrap plans to attend NASCAR racing in Texas because of record flooding at home in Fargo, N.D.
Then Texas Motor Speedway president Eddie Gossage found out about Hoper, who had made North Dakota the 50th state to buy a ticket to his track. Never one to miss a good public relations opportunity, Gossage called Hoper.
Five days later, the Jimmie Johnson fan was in front of the media Saturday, suite upgrade and autographed Johnson photo in hand. Of course, there was the Lowe’s gift card as well. Lowe’s is Johnson’s primary sponsor, and Hoper’s home has a flooded basement in need of repairs.
Gossage simply suggested that perhaps Hoper, who has a friend in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, could use a few days away after the stress of preparing for the flood and bracing for the damage.
“If you’ve been following the story in Fargo, it’s just a tremendous story about how communities really come together and step up in a time of crisis,” said Hoper, a 35-year-old software consultant. “Sort of the same way that the NASCAR community has really stepped up and made this weekend a wonderful experience for me.”
Hoper counted himself among the lucky ones because his sister’s house was spared the worst of the disaster. While the water swamped their basement, they had removed their belongings, and the Red River, which sits next to their home, crested a few inches below the main floor.
Hoper bought his ticket in mid-March, about two weeks before the floodwaters crested. He knew even back then the flooding was possible. Besides, Fargo residents are used to such cycles because surges from snow melt frequently overwhelm the river.
A massive volunteer effort helped put about 3 million sandbags in place, which Hoper said was twice the amount originally planned before record flood levels were predicted.
With more flooding possible in the coming weeks, Hoper wasn’t sure whether to take Gossage’s offer.
“I talked to a lot of family and friends,” Hoper said. “And not a single person discouraged me from coming. In fact, they said I would be crazy to not come.”
Hoper, who has attended several NASCAR events, wasn’t sure if he’d get to meet Johnson, the defending three-time Sprint Cup champion. But that hardly mattered to him based on what he had already received.
“You gotta help our your fellow man,” Gossage said. “Hopefully it lifts the spirits of the people back there. It’s the right thing to do.”