SHR drivers hoping to cruise to Victory Lane with special NASCAR Salutes honor

When Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series drivers take the track for Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600 (6 p.m. ET, FOX, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio), their cars will look a bit different. Each driver will carry the name of a fallen serviceman on their windshield as part of the "600 Miles of Remembrance" initiative in the NASCAR Salutes program. It's a program that is meaningful for both the families of the fallen servicemen and the drivers, who will do their best to honor the memories of those lost. "As you look at our sport in general, it’s the most patriotic sport that is in this country," said Kevin Harvick, whose No. 4 will feature U.S. Marine Corps Lance Corporal Patrick Adle, who was killed in Iraq in 2004. "For me as a driver and person, to see the support that our sport gives the military and the things that we do to try to show them the appreciation that we have for them will never be enough, but I feel like we do a great job as a sport in trying to involve the military on a weekly basis and it makes me proud to be a part of NASCAR." MORE: Keselowski's special military connection For drivers, the chance to bring an American hero to Victory Lane makes the thought of victory that much sweeter -- and personal experiences with military members and their families add to that motivation. Kurt Busch had such an experience with his recent visit to Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune in Jacksonville, North Carolina. This weekend, his No. 41 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford will feature U.S. Army Sergeant Jeremiah "Jay" Holmes, who was killed in 2004 in Iraq. "To have a service member riding along with me on my windshield banner, it's an amount of pride," Busch said. "It's tough to describe. Sometimes you meet the families that come out to the races of those soldiers and that's when it really hits you in your heart and you want to go out there and win for them, for that individual." RELATED: Behind the scenes at Camp Lejeune | See photos of Busch's day The military especially hits close to home for Busch’s SHR teammate Aric Almirola, who was born on the Eglin Air Force Base in Florida during his father’s service. That personal connection makes this weekend "huge" for him. "I greatly appreciate and understand the sacrifices that the men and women make," Almirola said. "It means a lot to me personally to be able to represent the men and women that go out and fight for our freedom. It’s easy to take for granted that we wake up in the morning and walk out the doors of our house and go about our day. But there’s men and women all over the world fighting for us to make that a possibility. "I’m grateful for that and the people that have made the ultimate sacrifice and have laid their (lives) down to make sure we have that freedom. It’s a great way to kind of pay tribute to them and their families by flying their name on the race car."