Logano corn maze designed to help remind Arizona residents to contact Arizona 811 before they dig

PHOENIX, Ariz. (Oct. 2, 2015) – If it wasn’t already evident by his three wins and 17 top-five finishes in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series this year, it most certainly is now. Joey Logano, driver of the No. 22 Shell-Pennzoil Ford Fusion, is larger than life, thanks to a Phoenix-area corn maze of his likeness that was unveiled to him as a surprise during his morning media availability at Dover International Speedway in advance of this Sunday’s AAA 400.

The corn maze, located at Schnepf Farms in Queen Creek, Ariz., was made possible by Logano’s sponsor Shell, who worked in partnership with Arizona 811, the national association Common Ground Alliance (CGA) and the Schnepf family to install Logano’s likeness in the farm’s primary corn maze.  In addition to the Logano corn maze, Schnepf Farms has created a similar corn maze that promotes 811, the national call before you dig phone number. Shell is a platinum sponsor of CGA, which is comprised of 1,700 members – including Arizona 811 – who promote the free 811 service. See both corn mazes here.

Arizona residents who plan to dig should notify Arizona 811 by calling 811 or visiting Arizona811.com at least two full working days in advance to learn the approximate location of buried utility lines. On average, a buried utility line is damaged every six minutes nationwide because someone chose to dig without first calling 811. In Arizona alone, there are more than 46,000 miles of buried facilities.

Logano is the latest in a long line of athletes to be featured in the annual Schnepf Farms Celebrity Corn Maze, joining boxing legend Muhammad Ali, NFL All-Pro Larry Fitzgerald, former NBA Most Valuable Player Steve Nash and World Series hero Luis Gonzalez, among others. Legends of the non-sports world featured in the Schnepf Farms’ Celebrity Corn Maze include television personalities Oprah Winfrey and Larry King.

In previous years celebrities were surprised in person, via a helicopter ride above Schnepf Farms, located just southeast of Phoenix. Due to Logano’s participation in the Chase for the Sprint Cup and the AAA 400 this weekend at Dover, his surprise came from 2,300 miles away, via aerial video and photographs.

“I was blown away by what I saw,” said Logano. “The maze is incredible and I have never seen anything like before, nor would I have ever imagined being a part of something like this when I started racing. I think it’s very cool that it is symbolic of our Daytona 500 win and highlights an important message to always call 811 before you dig. That was a pretty big surprise and something I’ll always remember. I’m pretty sure I’d get lost inside that thing.”

“We were very excited to work with Schnepf Farms, along with Shell and CGA, to unveil Joey Logano’s corn maze to him – especially so because of the accompanying 811 maze, which represents an important public safety message that Joey has been integral in sharing with the public for years,” said Sandra Holmes, executive director of Arizona 811. “We’re thrilled that Joey enjoyed the surprise, and hope that the Schnepf Farms maze will help remind Arizona residents to contact Arizona 811 before digging for any reason.”

 Logano and Shell are no strangers to promoting the 811 call before you dig service, as evidenced by the 811 logo and “Know what’s below. Call before you dig.” tagline being featured on the No. 22 Shell-Pennzoil Ford Fusion’s decklid seven times in 2015.

“As a non-profit, member-run association, CGA relies on members who have access to unique assets that can be used to educate the public about the importance of calling 811 before they dig,” said CGA President Bob Kipp. “The farming community is a key target audience for 811’s safe digging message, which makes Shell’s ability to make these corn mazes possible that much more impressive and important.”

The announcement of the corn maze coincides with the start of the Schnepf Farms’ Pumpkin and Chili Party, a family-friendly event held every Thursday through Sunday in October. One of the featured attractions at the party is the opportunity to walk through the Celebrity Corn Maze. Arizona 811 will be on-site at the Celebrity Corn Maze Oct. 8-11 to educate Arizona residents about the importance of calling 811 or clicking Arizona811.com before digging.

Schnepf Farms will also donate 180 Pumpkin and Chili Party tickets and $2,500 to Singleton Moms, a Phoenix-area organization supporting single parents who have cancer. The Joey Logano Foundation selected Singleton Moms as his charity of choice in the Phoenix area, as part of his support of local charities the foundation supporting in each Sprint Cup Chase race city.

“We are thrilled to have Joey Logano as our featured celebrity in this year’s Pumpkin and Chili Party corn maze,” said Carrie Schnepf, proprietor of Schnepf Farms. “We’ve never had the opportunity to work with an athlete who is in the middle of a title chase, which makes this partnership extra special for Schenpf Farms. We look forward to helping.”

About CGA
CGA is a member-driven association of 1,700 individuals, organizations and sponsors in every facet of the underground utility industry. Established in 2000, CGA is committed to saving lives and preventing damage to underground infrastructure by promoting effective damage prevention practices. CGA has established itself as the leading organization in an effort to reduce damages to underground facilities in North America through shared responsibility among all stakeholders. For more information, visit CGA on the web at www.commongroundalliance.com.