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November 9, 2014

NASCAR honors service members at Phoenix race


The 25th Troops to the Track program of 2014 welcomes Luke Air Force Base

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This weekend at Phoenix International Raceway, NASCAR plays host to its 25th Troops to the Track program of 2014, presented by Bank of America in partnership with the Armed Forces Foundation, when it welcomes service members from Luke Air Force Base to the finale of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Eliminator Round, the Quicken Loans Race for Heroes 500 (Sunday, 3 p.m. ET, ESPN).

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The Marine detachment at the base provides general and engineering support to the Marine Expeditionary Force. The group provides survivability, counter-mobility and mobility enhancements, as well as general supply support to the handling, storage and distribution of bulk class water and fuel.

NASCAR Troops to the Track is a season-long initiative that honors members of the military for their services and treats them to customized experiences at a NASCAR race. Celebrating its fifth anniversary in 2014, the year-round recreational group therapy program honors service men and women, veterans, and military families at races throughout the country.

Last November, NASCAR and the USO hosted the family of Technical Sgt. Chad Boley, who was stationed at Ramstein Air Base in Germany, where he flew wounded soldiers from the Southwest Asia theater to either Germany or stateside. Separated from his family for two years, the USO and NASCAR brought Technical Sgt. Boley home to surprise his wife Stephanie, sons Austin and Cameron and daughters Gwendolyn and Noelle. You can watch the video of their reunion above.

NASCAR has a long-standing tradition of supporting the brave men and women who devote their lives to protecting our nation. In addition to the seasoning Troops to the Track effort, “NASCAR: An American Salute” has become an annual summer tradition. During this special time period from May 25-July 5 this year, the industry expressed its reverence, respect and gratitude to the millions of members of the United States Armed Forces for the sacrifices they have made in defending our nation.

“Honoring our nation’s military is a long-standing tradition in our sport,” NASCAR President Mike Helton said. “The NASCAR: An American Salute platform truly enables us to collectively express our gratitude to the millions of members of the U.S. armed forces and their families for the sacrifices they have made in defending our nation.”

During the seven-week span, teams, tracks, partners and fans showed their thanks through various activities on and off the track. The wider NASCAR community showed its gratitude by visiting www.NASCAR.com/Salute and using the hashtag #NASCARsalutes on Instagram and Twitter.

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