NASCAR Teams Come Together to Honor Troops for Memorial Day

CHARLOTTE, N.C., May 27 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ --Though NASCAR Sprint Cup racing teams may be known for their intense competition on the track, there is one thing they always come together for off the track – their support for our nation's armed forces. This Memorial Day, two teams in particular are taking that support to another level. In partnership with the Armed Forces Foundation, Michael Waltrip Racing (MWR) and Richard Childress Racing (RCR) have put together a series of weekend events to honor our troops and raise awareness about the difficulties service members and their families face in defense of our country.

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Several weeks ago at the Aaron's 499 at Talladega Motor Speedway, Aaron's Inc. and MWR unveiled the Armed Forces Foundation/Aaron's Dream Car to be driven by David Reutimann at the Coca Cola 600 in celebration of Memorial Day and in support of the Aaron's "Text 'AFF' to 50555" campaign. Aaron's further upped the ante by pledging a series of donations contingent upon the results of the race. On race day Aaron's will donate $10,000 to the Armed Forces Foundation in support of its programs. However, if Reutimann earns a top 5 finish, that donation will be doubled to $20,000. Should Reutimann win (as he did last year), Aaron's will contribute $200,000. NASCAR has donated pit and garage passes for our foundation to bring a group of wounded service members from the Bethesda National Naval Medical Center to cheer on the AFF Cup car.

After the race, on Memorial Day, Richard Childress Racing will be hosting our group of Marines, both wounded and active duty, at his racing shop and winery. On Monday, Memorial Day, Sprint Cup driver Jeff Burton has offered to give a private tour of the RCR shop facilities to these 12 service members followed by lunch with Burton and Richard Childress at the Childress Winery in Lexington.

Memorial Day commemorates the men and women who have fallen in the service of our country. At the same time, it is the perfect opportunity to show our current service members how much we care about them. NASCAR has always been an incredibly patriotic organization, and events such as these solidify the relationship between racing community and the military. For the soldiers, they also provide a well-needed source of recreation and respite from the stress of multiple deployments and prolonged exposure to combat. By supporting the Armed Forces Foundation's programs and hosting wounded troops, MWR and RCR have gone above and beyond in support of our military.

About the Armed Forces Foundation

In  2001  the  Armed  Forces  Foundation  (AFF)  was  established  as  a  501(c)3  organization  under  the  U.S.  Department  of  Defense's  America Supports  You  program.  AFF  offers vital  assistance  to  active-duty  and  retired  personnel,  National  Guard,  Reserve  Components  and  military families as they cope with difficult circumstances. Through a multitude of programs the Armed Forces Foundation assists military families with utilities  and  rent;  hotel  and  travel  costs;  holiday  gifts  for  military  children;  and  therapeutic  recreational  activities.  The  Armed  Forces Foundation  has  been  recognized  by  the  President  of  the  United  States,  the  Department  of  Defense,  the  Department  of  Veterans  Affairs,  the Department  of  Education  and  the  Department  of  Energy  for  its  dedication  to  America's  Service  Members.  For  more  information  on  our Foundation or to aid us in our mission please visit us at our website www.armedforcesfoundation.org.

SOURCE Armed Forces Foundation