“NASCAR: An American Salute” Pays Tribute to U.S. Military

Initiative Rallies Fans, Industry And Partners

To Reach One Million Salutes To Military Members

NASCAR announced May 21st, the launch of the second-annual “NASCAR: An American Salute” initiative, an industry-wide effort to honor and celebrate the service of members of the United States Armed Forces, veterans and their families.

Beginning with the upcoming Memorial Day Weekend’s Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway and culminating with the Independence Day Weekend’s Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway, this year’s campaign aspires to reach one million “salutes” to U.S. military members during the next six weeks. 

In addition to being able to track the progress against one million salutes, NASCAR fans, partners, drivers, teams and tracks can salute the military by sending messages of gratitude at www.NASCAR.com/Salutes and by using #NASCARSalutes on Instagram and Twitter.

“The tradition of honoring our military is part of the fiber of our sport,” said Mike Helton, NASCAR president. “Everyone at NASCAR is proud of the NASCAR: An American Salute initiative. It enables us to collectively express our gratitude to the millions of American members of the armed forces, both currently serving and those who have served, for the sacrifices they make in defending our nation.”

Some of the activities planned throughout the six weeks of ”NASCAR: An American Salute” include:

• The NASCAR Foundation will partner with USO to support the “With You All the Way” program, a partnership between the USO, Comfort Crew for Military Kids, and the Trevor Romain Company. “With You All the Way” promotes self-confidence and resiliency among military children as they tackle difficult issues which are unique to growing up in a military family.

• NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, NASCAR Nationwide Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race teams will showcase their support by displaying patriotic-themed elements and paint schemes on their race vehicles.

• Race tracks hosting national series events during the “NASCAR: An American Salute” window – Charlotte Motor Speedway, Dover International Speedway, Pocono Raceway, Michigan International Raceway, Sonoma Raceway, Kentucky Speedway and Daytona International Speedway – will participate through a variety of military-themed activations. Tracks will feature active and retired service men and women in pre-race show festivities, patriotic grass and wall stencils, donations, special activities for soldiers and their families, among an assortment of other military-themed programming.

• A number of NASCAR Official Partners will support “NASCAR: An American Salute” through patriotic and military-themed activations. Goodyear will announce its annual “Goodyear Gives Back” program and replace the “Eagle” and “Wrangler” sidewall design with desert camouflage lettering that reads “Support Our Troops” on all NASCAR race tires during Memorial Day Weekend. Additional participating partners include: 3M, Axalta Coating Systems, Bank of America, Coca-Cola, Coors Light, Ford Motor Company, Mechanix Wear, Nationwide Insurance, New Holland, Sprint, Toyota, Sunoco and UPS will also participate.

• During the “NASCAR: An American Salute” initiative, NASCAR and the Armed Forces Foundation will expand their season-long partnership on the NASCAR Troops to the Track program to host military families at each NSCS race throughout the six-week period. The service members and their families will be treated to a customized program at track that honors their service in the military.

• NASCAR and the Honor and Remember organization will host several Gold Star families at various tracks including Charlotte Motor Speedway and Kentucky Speedway who have lost loved ones in their U.S. military service.

• Through a partnership with A Million Thanks – an organization dedicated to showing appreciation for U.S. military men and women through varying forms of correspondence – drop boxes will be placed at tracks and various locations in local communities where fans can send personalized letters to active U.S. troops.

To learn more about “NASCAR: An American Salute,” visit www.NASCAR.com/Salutes.

The next NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race is the Coca-Cola 600 on Sunday, May 26 at 6:00 p.m. ET, airing on FOX, Performance Racing Network Radio and Sirius XM Satellite Radio.