CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- NASCAR fans, start your celebrations! Friday is NASCAR Day, the sport's largest annual charity event, and fans across the country are celebrating NASCAR and donating to a great cause at the same time.

For only a $5 donation, fans receive a commemorative NASCAR Day pin, and are encouraged to wear it to work Friday with pride. Will Ferrell, the 2006 Official Spokesman for NASCAR Day, will be celebrating as well. "Happy NASCAR Day!" said an enthusiastic Ferrell. "I’ll be wearing my NASCAR Day pin today with pride."

This year, more than 3,000 corporate locations are participating in NASCAR Day, and over 100,000 pins have been sold online. In addition, 27 Governor’s Offices have declared May 19 as NASCAR Day in their home states.

Building on past years of collecting photos from across the country, The NASCAR Foundation is introducing the NASCAR Day Fan Photo Contest this year to encourage fans to capture their celebrations and enter their photos online for a chance to be crowned 'Most Enthusiastic NASCAR Day Fan' or 'Most Enthusiastic NASCAR Day Company.'

Here are some snapshots of what is going on in celebration of NASCAR Day:

Lincoln Heights Elementary School in Charlotte, N.C., is celebrating in a big way with show cars, NASCAR Drive-for-Diversity drivers, and a morning packed with NASCAR events, lessons and tours of the cars and haulers.

Employees at SunTrust branches across the Southeast celebrate NASCAR Day by getting their customers involved. All branches sell NASCAR Day pins, making it easy and convenient for fans to donate and receive their pins.

Freightliner will be celebrating NASCAR Day at their headquarters and at all of their plants across the country.