Racing Team to Salute Guard, Reserve Employers

A "dream team" of all-stars will race this year in NASCAR Busch Series salute to supportive employers of National Guardsmen and reservists.

The National Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve and Richard Childress Racing have teamed up for the effort. The ESGR No. 29 car will display the colors and logos of the seven Reserve components and will feature well-known drivers in the following races:

Kerry Earnhardt Sept. 25 – Dover Speedway Air National Guard/Air Force Reserve

"The trips I've taken overseas with ESGR to meet with our troops in places like Iraq, Kuwait and Bosnia have made me even more proud of the dedication and patriotism our troops have for our country," said Richard Childress, the racing team's president and chief executive officer. "It's very important for all employers to support their employees who are defending our country in the Guard and Reserve." He noted that he especially appreciated the drivers agreeing to take the wheel of the ESGR No. 29 car.

"We are excited to partner with the RCR team and the five all-star drivers that Richard has recruited to drive for America's outstanding employers," said Bob Hollingsworth, ESGR executive director.

The car will be featured at each selected Busch Series race. A show car, known as "America's Car," will tour the United States, stopping in up to 100 cities, Hollingsworth noted. ESGR, in cooperation with local chambers of commerce, will host a series of educational breakfast forums designed to recognize more than 10,000 employers nationwide, he added.

Local employers will have the opportunity to be photographed with America's Car and to sign statements pledging their support for National Guard and Reserve member employees.

People who attend can have their pictures taken with America's Car and can show their support for mobilized National Guardsmen and reservists by signing their name to several large banners associated with the show car, Hollingsworth said.

"Our goal is to get one signature of support for every one of the 1.2 million men and women who serve," he added. "Today, in support of the war on terrorism and the ongoing operations in Southwest Asia, an essential alliance has been formed with many of America's employers who have become inextricably linked to the nation's defense by sharing their most precious asset, their employees." Signed banners will be sent to Guard and Reserve units serving overseas.

Also, ESGR officials are arranging leadership symposiums for 15 U.S. cities featuring Defense Department and Homeland Security officials.

Racing Team to Salute Guard, Reserve Employers
Texas military ping.
Sure, let's ping some Texans ...
ESGR Car No. 29 will take to the speedway this year as a team effort between the National Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve and Richard Childress Racing. The first race is slated April 3 at Texas Motor Speedway near Dallas. Five all-star racers will take the wheel.

Please let me know if you want ON or OFF my Texas ping list!. . .don't be shy.
No, you don't HAVE to be a Texan to get on this list!

Bump!

Army team qualifies for Daytona 500

By Tim Hipps

Army driver Joe Nemecheck prepares to run the qualifying race for the Daytona 500, in which he finished seventh.
courtesty photo

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Army News Service, Feb. 13, 2004) -- Joe Nemecheck began the NASCAR season driving the No. 01 U.S. Army Chevrolet by finishing seventh Feb. 12 in the second Gatorade 125-mile Qualifying Race and will start 14th Sunday in the Daytona 500.

Nemecheck battled Ricky Rudd, Elliott Sadler, Sterling Marlin and Kevin Harvick in the lead pack, hovering most of the race around fourth place, before getting passed in the waning laps by Jimmie Johnson, Mark Martin and reigning Nextel Cup champion Matt Kenseth. Nemechek was the only driver who kept getting out of line and yet remained among the lead pack.

"Yeah, we got hung by ourselves, but the old Army car is really good," said Nemechek, 40, of Lakeland, Fla. "We just didn't have a lot of help. That pack that caught us, they were loyal to Jimmie Johnson for coming from behind to get up there.

"But the car is running good. It says a lot about the car if you can stay out there by yourself and hang with them. The car's fast. Overall, I'm happy with our performance."

Battling a gust of wind, Nemechek posted the eighth-fastest speed in Daytona 500 pole qualifying Feb. 8 at Daytona International Speedway. After drawing the third qualifying spot, he turned a fast lap of 47.936 seconds at 187.750 miles per hour.

"It's too bad we got caught up in the big gust of wind, especially coming off of Turn 2," said Nemechek, whose nickname has evolved from "Front Row Joe" to "GI Joe." "But overall I felt we did a good job."

The front row for Sunday's 46th running of the Great American Race features Fords driven by polesitter Greg Biffle of Vancouver, Wash., and Elliott Sadler of Emporia, Va.

Nemechek continued his streak of posting top-10 qualifying positions in every event he has driven the Army of One car since joining the team with four races remaining in 2003.

"Judging from everything I've seen, I am confident the Army Chevrolet will run up front," said Nemechck, who on Feb. 7 posted the fastest speed of 188.166 miles per hour in the first practice session for the Daytona 500. "Being with the team at the end of last year was a huge bonus. I did learn that we are capable of achieving success.

"If we stay focused, make the right calls, we're going to end up in victory lane. I truly feel this Army team has a bright future."

Nemechek says emotional off-season visits to wounded soldiers at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington have inspired him for this NASCAR Nextel Cup season.

"I saw both sides of our soldiers' schedules -- going into action and coming home," he said. "I was not only moved by the visits, but also impressed how positive everyone was. We support our troops and they support us. I want nothing more than to have success on the track and make our soldiers proud of their 01 Army race team."

(Editor’s note: Tim Hipps writes for the U.S. Army Community and Family Support Center in Alexandria, Va.)

http://www4.army.mil/ocpa/read.php?story_id_key=5671

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