This weekend’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event at the Richmond International Raceway (RIR) is truly unlike any other race on the series schedule. The racing is intense, under the lights short track action, but that is not what makes this race so special. Each year, Crown Royal partners with RIR to honor one fan by placing their name on the event. This year that honor goes to Iraqi War veteran and two-time Purple Heart recipient Russell Friedman.

When Crown Royal and RIR announced the winner of the Crown Royal “Your Name Here” 400 contest in Daytona, Friedman stood amongst the other finalists and was thankful just to be standing in the Florida sun.

The Huntington Station, NY-native served in Iraq near the Syrian border 3rd Battalion 7th Marines before two separate incidents forced him to leave the country.

“One day we were just on a routine patrol and an IED went off,” Friedman described. “I just had a little shrapnel in my arm which wasn’t too severe. I was able to continue my duty.”

About four or five days after the close call, Friedman was once again injured in the line of duty.

“A rocket propelled grenade hit the building just above my head and I had shrapnel rain down on me,” he went on to say. “I had shrapnel in my back, my legs, my shoulders and my left arm. A piece had severed the nerve and I wasn’t able to use my left arm so I had gotten medivaced out of the country and I haven’t returned to service since that.

“Luckily for me it was never life threatening,” Friedman humbly admitted. “There’s hundreds of guys out there that are a lot worse than I was and we think about them every day and thank them for what they do. I was a small part – small wounds – compared to these guys and they are true warriors, they truly are.”

A hero in his own right, Friedman was all smiles as he sported the purple robe and crown after being named the winner by Jamie McMurray. Standing in the infield of the Daytona International Speedway, Friedman still thought of his comrades overseas.

“It’s a little overwhelming,” Friedman told HardcoreRaceFans.com of the differences between Daytona and Iraq. “Over there you have a lot of responsibility, a lot of weight carried on your shoulders. It sounds a little funny, but we do it with a smile on our face because we know what we are protecting back here and to be standing here now and for Crown Royal to give me this honor to great to show what we are doing and what the guys are still doing is appreciated and hopefully it will boost their moral a little bit and help them get the job done and come on home.”

“Crown Royal is excited to celebrate the accomplishments of our consumers and race fans by honoring them with a sports experience fit for a king,” Ami-Lynn Bakshi, vice president, Crown Royal explained.  “We’re looking forward to helping Russell share his moment in the spotlight with all the individuals who selflessly serve this country.  The Russell Friedman 400 will be an event for all to remember.”

“On behalf of Richmond International Raceway, congratulations to Russell and a sincere thank you to him and all the members of our nation’s armed forces to whom this race is dedicated,” Richmond International Raceway President Doug Fritz added. “The partnership with Crown Royal and the ‘Your Name Here’ contest has been a huge success, and Russell is sure to be another great winner. We look forward to continuing this great tradition by having Russell join us for an exciting weekend at America's Premier Short Track.”

In a sport so purely American, NASCAR has always honored the men and women serving both home and abroad in the United States Military. Friedman, while he is humble about his service, laid his life on the line so that all of us could enjoy the freedoms we enjoy, such as NASCAR racing. A true American hero, Russell Friedman is this week’s Hardcore Race Fan.

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