While he didn’t win the $100,000 grand prize in the recently held NASCAR Foundation’s humanitarian award contest, Ron Eby says he won something much more important: publicity and awareness for Camp Sunshine, an organization he was championed for years now.

Because of his work raising funds for Camp Sunshine, Eby, 52, of Windham, was one of four national finalists in the second annual Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award contest hosted by the NASCAR Foundation. Each of the finalists earned $25,000 for their charity of choice, with the overall winner being unveiled at an awards event at the Wynn Las Vegas resort Nov. 29.

Eby didn’t come away with the top prize of $100,000 and a new Toyota Camry hybrid, but the longtime NASCAR fan got to experience the excitement of NASCAR up close on the all-expenses-paid trip. He also got to meet some of the big names in the sport.

Eby, who traveled with Camp Sunshine’s executive director, Matthew Hoidal, enjoyed an opening night gala where he met famous drivers such as Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt Jr. He also took part in a parade along the Las Vegas strip, riding in a vehicle with the other three finalists driven by NASCAR President Mike Helton with 12 rowdy race car drivers following in their race-ready stock cars.

“They were raising hell back there,” Eby said of the drivers.

Eby also took part in a nationally televised awards show that coincided with NASCAR’s annual awards banquet, during which driver Brad Keselowski was crowned champion of the 2012 Sprint Cup Series. It was attended by 1,500 people who paid $2,000 a plate. Eby and the other finalists were brought on stage for the announcement of humanitarian award winner Lorri Shealy Unumb, of South Carolina. Unumb, who has a child affected by autism, is the creator of a bill known as Ryan’s Law that has been enacted in 31 other states and requires insurance companies to cover treatments for autism.

While there was a lot of glitz and glamour, Eby most enjoyed the chance to get to know Unumb and the other finalists. All told, the longtime NASCAR fan, who owns Windham Automotive, was overwhelmed by the experience.

“It was an opportunity of a lifetime. It was an event that was almost indescribable,” Eby said. “It’s a group of people that are so warm and so dedicated to going out there and helping others. I expected to go out there and meet people who have moved mountains and I ended up meeting people who have moved the world. And it is inspiring. So to be recognized as one of those is truly incredible.”

Eby and Hoidal were joined in Las Vegas by Camp Sunshine campers, Tacey Raulerson and her family from Texas. Raulerson was diagnosed with biretinal blastoma at age 6, which required the removal of her eyes. Eby appeared on stage during the announcement of the award winner with Raulerson by his side.

“I walked up on stage with her. And I’ll tell you, this girl is amazing,” Eby said.?

Eby was in the public eye representing South Casco-based Camp Sunshine not only for the Nov. 29 televised event but for about two months prior raising awareness of the contest, the winner of which was determined by online voting. Eby appeared in local newspapers and well as radio and television programs publicizing the contest all the while promoting Camp Sunshine.

While he ended up falling short in online voting (no totals were released), Hoidal said Eby – who walked away with $25,000 for Camp Sunshine as a finalist – more than succeeded in publicizing the nonprofit camp for children suffering from serious illnesses.

“The $25,000 is great, but the awareness is worth far, far more than that. As a nonprofit we have to raise money to stay alive. Our program is funded entirely by donations,” Hoidal said.

Eby was proud to trumpet the camp, as well.

“It’s been huge. When this whole thing was awarded two months ago, Matt and I spoke often that the journey was the destination. We knew we had to set out on a path to really put Camp Sunshine on a pedestal, go out there and market this, market Camp Sunshine, market myself,” Eby said. “So during that, we brought Camp Sunshine into a spotlight that it’s never been in before. And then to have that finished off in Las Vegas with international television coverage, was incredible.

“To be in the NASCAR program, and know all of those 1,500 people walked away with that program some of those people being some of the most influential people in the country, is huge and I could not be any prouder. Mission accomplished.”

Windham’s Ron Eby and Camp Sunshine camper Tacey Raulerson, of Texas, flank NASCAR driver Jeff Gordon during an opening night reception for finalists in the NASCAR Foundation’s Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award contest.