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Monday, 19 May 2008 19:00 |
 By: Jay W. Pennell Sprint Cup Correspondent HardcoreRaceFans.com As America continues another year of combat in Iraq and Afghanistan, NASCAR will be doing its part this Memorial Day weekend to show their support. This year’s annual Memorial Day race at Lowe’s Motor Speedway will feature an extravagant ‘Salute the Troops Pre-Race Spectacular’, as well as eight special paint schemes honoring the troops that serve and protect this country.
Sunday’s pre-race activities will feature 1,500 soldiers from the 82nd Airborne Division taking part in an assault demonstration in which “troops will be inserted via helicopters into ‘enemy territory’.” The two infantry squads will be ‘inserted’ on the frontstretch by two UH-60 helicopters, while two OH-58 Delta Reconnaissance helicopters and two AH-64 Long Bow Apache helicopters provide air support. Using Howitzers, the soldiers will destroy the enemy and complete the mission in front of thousands of Hardcore Race Fans. Along with this demonstration of military might, the Golden Knights, the U.S. Army Parachute Team, will make their way to the speedway from high above and the 82nd Airborne All-American Chorus will perform before the race. “We are proud to continue the Memorial Day Weekend tradition of saluting the men and women of our armed forces as they serve and protect our freedom,” H.A. “Humpy” Wheeler, president and general manager of Lowe’s Motor Speedway explained. “We are very grateful to all those who have served our country and this pre-race spectacular will be a moving tribute to their dedication.” The salute to the troops does not end once the U.S. Army ‘completes its mission’ on the frontstretch however. Six Cup Series drivers, along with two Nationwide Series drivers, will carry special paint schemes to kick off the 2008 USO Salute to the Troops program. Drivers participating in the program include Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Mark Martin, Jimmie Johnson, Clint Bowyer, Jon Wood, Brad Keselowski and Cale Gale. Die-cast models of the dedication paint schemes will be available at the track this weekend and online at www.nascar.com and www.goracing.com. A portion of the sales from these special edition die-casts will benefit the USO to help support the men and women serving in the U.S. military. 
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