NASCAR Celebrities, Civic Leaders Visit Deployed Troops

American Forces Press Service ^ | Dec. 31, 2003 | American Forces Information Services

[Calpernia]

A group of NASCAR celebrities, team owners, track owners and civilian employers of Guard and Reserve members left Dec. 29 for a five-day trip to Southwest Asia to visit deployed service members and highlight the importance of support for the Guard and Reserve.

Tour participants plan to visit several thousand U.S. service members in Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar and Pakistan during the five-day trip.

Officials from the National Committee of Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve, which is cosponsoring the trip, said the visitors will speak to troops, sign autographs, and see first-hand the vital missions U.S. Guard and Reserve forces are performing in Southwest Asia.

Among the NASCAR celebrities participating in the tour are drivers Johnny Sauter (Nextel Cup), Brendan Gaughan (Nextel Cup), Geoffrey Bodine (Former Cup Driver), Ron Hornaday Jr. (Busch Series) and Rick Crawford (Craftsman Truck).

NASCAR teams are also well represented, with Richard Childress of Richard Childress Racing, Jack Roush of Roush Racing and Tony Liberati, crew chief of Roush Racing. Also joining the group is Jeff Hammond, motor sports commentator for the Fox network.

Joining them on the tour are representatives from companies and civic organizations that have distinguished themselves through their support of their employees who serve in the National Guard and Reserve, officials said.

These include representatives from Speedway Children's Charities, Tyson Foods, Miller Brewing Company and DH Griffin Wrecking Company.

Also on the tour are Illinois Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn; Harvey C. "Barney" Barnum, a Medal of Honor recipient from the Vietnam conflict; and retired Rear Adm. David Janes, acting national chairman for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve.

The visit is co-sponsored by the Armed Forces Entertainment, Speedway Children's Charities and the National Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve.

[Calpernia]

Pro Military, Pro Coalition News

A group of NASCAR celebrities, team owners, track owners and civilian employers of Guard and Reserve members left Dec. 29 for a five-day trip to Southwest Asia to visit deployed service members and highlight the importance of support for the Guard and Reserve.

[NormsRevenge]

You guys ever hear of this "NASCAR" thingy 8-? LOL

I heard of Nazca, those lines in the desert in south america... maybe it's a Llama racing circuit thing or something. ;-)

Jack Roush made the trip .. Great way to spend the holidays!

[tubebender]

A few of these Nasticar guys were in Kuwait and Iraq before Christmas. Way to go...

[Alamo-Girl]

Bump!

[Gunslingr3]

Jack Roush made the trip .. Great way to spend the holidays!

As long as Jack wasn't the one flying the plane.

[WestCoastGal]

Glad to hear that Nascar folks took the time to visit the troops!! One of the reasons I love Nascar and their fans is because they are so patriotic.

It takes a lot of guts to visit Iraq, Pakistan and some of the other places during these times.

Happy New Year to everyone and prayers for our safety tonight.

[blackie]

NASCAR ~ Bump!

[steveegg]

I knew there was a reason why I fell in with this crowd :-)

[ChefKeith]

Among the NASCAR celebrities participating in the tour are drivers Johnny Sauter (Nextel Winston Cup), Brendan Gaughan (Nextel Winston Cup), Geoffrey Bodine (Former Cup Driver), Ron Hornaday Jr. (Busch Series) and Rick Crawford (Craftsman Truck).

I refuse to call it anything but the Winston Cup

And Yes now I've heard of it ;O)

[windchime]

Bump!

[RckyRaCoCo]

One of the reasons I love Nascar and their fans is because they are so patriotic

Which makes one wonder why they picked an anti-war, anti-Bush clown like Ben Affleck to be Grand Marshal for 2004 at Daytona. Big mistake NASCAR.

[steveegg]

Allow me to make one more correction (though you may hate me for this one :-) :

...Geoffrey Bodine (Former Winston Cup Driver),....

[ChefKeith]

I didn't fix that one 'cause they had not used the "n" word there.

46 days!!!!!!!!1

[steveegg]

46 days, give or take qualifying/the Bud Shootout/Busch/the trucks :-)

Happy New Year, CK