- As part of Mission 600, 2023 Cup Series champion and
defending Coca-Cola 600 winner Ryan
Blaney visited Arlington National Cemetery and laid a wreath
at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier to mark the beginning of
Military Appreciation Month.
- Blaney was joined by Speedway Motorsports President and CEO
Marcus Smith, Charlotte Motor
Speedway Executive Vice President and General Manager Greg Walter, and North Carolina Rep.
Richard Hudson.
- The distinguished visitors also took part in a tour of the
cemetery and its Memorial Display Room, visited with members of the
3d U.S. Infantry Regiment and toured the U.S. Capitol while in
Washington, D.C.
ARLINGTON, Va., May 1, 2024
/PRNewswire/ -- Continuing an annual tradition for the defending
Coca-Cola 600 race winner to kick off Military Appreciation Month,
Charlotte Motor Speedway hosted 2023 NASCAR Cup Series
champion Ryan Blaney for an
impactful visit to Arlington National Cemetery. Arlington National
Cemetery is the final resting place for more than 400,000
servicemen and women and their families from every major
United States conflict since the
Revolutionary War.
Blaney paid respects to fallen
service members, viewed Arlington National Cemetery history and
visited U.S. senators.
As a prelude to the 65th running of the May 26 Coca-Cola 600 on Memorial Day weekend,
Blaney joined Speedway Motorsports President and CEO Marcus Smith, Charlotte Motor Speedway Executive
Vice President and General Manager Greg
Walter and North Carolina Rep. Richard Hudson in laying a wreath at the Tomb of
the Unknown Solider in Arlington,
Va.
"It was an honor to be here, very humbling," Blaney said.
"Seeing the changing of the guard, being part of the wreath
ceremony, that was just unbelievable, over the top – puts it all
into perspective. We get to do what we do because of what's here,
because of the men and women who were laid to rest here."
In addition to the wreath-laying, the group took part in a
private viewing of artifacts that bring to life the rich history of
Arlington National Cemetery in the Memorial Amphitheater Display
Room and witnessed a changing-of-the-guard ceremony. At the iconic
tomb, which marked its centennial anniversary in 2021, members of
the 3d U.S. Infantry Regiment, known as The Old Guard, stand watch
24 hours a day, a tradition that began in 1948. Following the visit
to Arlington National Cemetery, the dignitaries visited the United
States Capitol, where they met with U.S. Sens. Thom Tillis and Ted
Budd.
"To be here with Ryan Blaney,
NASCAR champion and Coca-Cola 600 champion, it makes us remember
how special it is being able to race the Coca-Cola 600 on Memorial
Day weekend," Smith said. "We all have a lot of things going on and
we all are busy, but this is definitely a time that we can set
aside and make it a special time of remembrance. Everybody should
come to Arlington and appreciate
this and feel the sacrifice of our Armed Forces."
Each Memorial Day weekend, Charlotte Motor Speedway pays tribute
to those men and women who paid the ultimate sacrifice during a
moving Coca-Cola 600 pre-race show that includes representation
from all six branches of the military. In addition to aerial and
ground demonstrations, the pre-race salute features hundreds of
members of the U.S. Armed Forces and Gold Star Families.
"I grew up going to the 600 watching dad race on Memorial Day
and always knew what it was as a kid," Blaney said. "I saw the job
that NASCAR did in honoring the soldiers that have fallen. Now as
an adult, getting to be a part of it – meeting family members of
fallen soldiers, active service members, and now coming here – I
think it just makes it even more special that we get to run on
Memorial Day… It makes you feel how small you actually are in the
broader picture of things. We get to do a neat sport, but at the
end of the day, this is what real heroes are. It's going to be even
more special getting to race the 600 after visiting this
place."
In recent years, the speedway's salute has expanded to include
Mission 600, a campaign pairing NASCAR drivers with military bases
designed to educate the NASCAR community about the day-to-day lives
of the men and women who serve in the U.S. Armed Forces. To date in
2024, on behalf of the Coca-Cola Racing Family of drivers, Daniel
Suárez visited Fort Liberty to train alongside members from the
82nd Airborne Division and Denny
Hamlin virtually met members of the 19th
Expeditionary Sustainment Command, Korea. Additional Mission 600
visits in the coming weeks leading up to the May 26 Coca-Cola 600 are scheduled to include
Coca-Cola Racing Family driver Joey
Logano traveling to Shaw Air Force Base and Chris Buescher visiting Marines at Parris Island
Marine Recruit Depot.
Click here for photos, video to support this
release.
TICKETS:
Tickets are still available for the May
24-26 Coca-Cola 600 weekend, with three-day packages
starting at $99. Weekend tickets for
children ages 12 and under are just $10. Fans can purchase tickets online at
www.charlottemotorspeedway.com or by calling the ticket office at
1-800-455-FANS (3267). Admission to BetMGM Speed Street concerts by
tribute band Hairball (Friday) and country music sensation
Kameron Marlowe (Saturday) is free
with any race ticket. Sunday's pre-race concert by MatchBox20 is
free with purchase of a Coca-Cola 600 race ticket.
MORE INFO:
Fans can connect with Charlotte Motor Speedway and get the
latest news by following on Twitter and Instagram or becoming a
Facebook fan.
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SOURCE Charlotte Motor Speedway