Army driver Joe Nemechek and his son, John Hunter, take a pre-race parade lap and salute the 160,000 NASCAR fans that turned out for Sunday’s GFS 400 at Michigan International Speedway. Photo by Maj. William Thurmond
By David Ferroni
Texas Motor Speedway, Texas (Army News Service, Aug. 25, 2005) – NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series driver Joe Nemechek often shares the honor and pride he carries driving the U.S. Army Chevrolet in the nation's leading racing series.
Nemechek visited and thanked 75 U.S. Army soldiers at Texas Motor Speedway Tuesday for their brave service following their recent return from Iraq. The soldiers represent the 1st Calvary Division, 3rd Brigade based at Fort Hood in central Texas.
The soldiers participated in the Team Texas High Performance Driving School and wheeled stock cars at speed around The Great American Speedway. Nemechek then gave six soldiers a ride they will always remember, touring the 1.5-mile superspeedway at race speed.
The soldiers often sought out enemy gun and rocket fire around Baghdad to protect other American troops during their one-year tour of Iraq. A majority of the group returned to American soil in March.
"It is a neat day coming to meet you soldiers," Nemechek told the assembled group during a lunch speech. "Being here in Texas, having you come from Fort Hood, just getting back from overseas, it is a special day for all of us.
"The Army is a different kind of sponsor," Nemechek continued. "To me, it is very important. You are not dealing with a company that makes a product, you are dealing with soldiers, men and women.
"The Army is a vital part of the freedoms we have, we come to enjoy and we take for granted. It is very important to keep the Army going, number one, but we need to let the soldiers know that we are all very proud of them.
"Soldiers follow racing no matter where they are stationed. They know how that Army car is running all the time. Now I can let you have the experience to go out on to Texas Motor Speedway in an actual race car and make some laps on one of the fastest tracks we compete on."
"The NASCAR nation wholly supports your efforts, your commitments and your sacrifices," Texas Motor Speedway President Eddie Gossage told the group. "Your accomplishments maintain freedom in our country. Always know that your service to our nation is greatly appreciated."
Nemechek was accompanied by his mother, Martha Nemechek, who wore a Desert Storm uniform to honor the troops.
"I just feel so happy to be involved with the Army and the soldiers. When they go to war, I give them my card with my e-mail address. I tell them they can write to me and I will write them back.
"I am proud to wear the Desert Storm uniform. General Brown from Florida told me that I needed a Desert Storm uniform to represent all those fighting for us. I have different pins soldiers have given me after they have come back home. We wouldn't have the security and the peace in our country without these men and women."
Spec. Ramon Lopez was one of the lucky soldiers to be chauffeured around Texas Motor Speedway by Nemechek.
"I never thought I would get the chance to do something like this," Lopez said following the ride of a lifetime. "We would stay up late at night to watch a NASCAR race when we were in Iraq, sometimes at 1 or 2 a.m.
"Joe isn't representing a company or a logo. He is representing the United States Army, soldiers, the United States. I can't say enough about him."
Spec. James Dry also took the rapid trip around the 1.5-mile superspeedway with Nemechek.
"It was awesome," Dry exclaimed. "I never thought I would get to go that fast my entire life. He (Nemechek) drove just like when he is racing. There are no words to explain it. This is a dream come true for me. I never thought in a million years that I would be down here, standing on the surface of Texas Motor Speedway."
Nemechek reflected on the day as he exited the speedway.
"It was very, very neat. The soldiers will have a whole new outlook on what it takes to be a race car driver and what we do. It is always a special day when I get to share it with our soldiers."
