Each year, the U.S. Army and its NASCAR and NHRA partners honor some of the most courageous U.S. Army Soldiers by inviting them to enjoy a special day at the racetrack at select motorsports events.
Chosen for their exceptional bravery and service, U.S. Army Racing Hometown Heroes get a true racing experience during their day at the track. Heroes watch the competition from the pit, meet U.S. Army Racing teams, and get special recognition for exhibiting a strength like no other in service of their country.
MEET THE HEROES
"My experience as a Hometown Hero at Bristol Motor Speedway was awesome. I was treated with respect and everyone was very kind to me. Getting to tour the pits with the Army team was just phenomenal. They showed me all the inner workings of the car and how everything went during a pit stop. Getting to sit in the pit row and watch the race was just awesome - I had a front row seat to all the action. I'm thankful for the experience the Army gave me for my service to my country and I hope all Soldiers get a chance to live an experience like this one day."
SSG Kevin Manning
Purple Heart Recipient
"Being honored as a Hometown Hero at the Carolinas Nationals was one experience I will never forget. The day started out with lunch with Tony Schumacher, where I was introduced and was able to tell my Army story to him and his crew. After Tony won the race I was escorted to the finish line and was one of the first to tell him congratulations. I got to ride on the back of an Army truck down the drag strip with Tony, waving at the fans. Once we arrived at Victory Lane, Tony and I went to the main stage together where he was presented with his trophy. The day was great and I felt that my service was appreciated by all those involved with that special day. Tony Schumacher is a great guy and appreciates the men and women he represents in the U.S. Army."
SFC Michael Gainey
Bronze Star with Valor Device Recipient
| SOLDIER - HONOR | EVENT - LOCATION | MOS |
|---|---|---|
| SGT Brandon Waltz 3 Air Medals | Daytona 500 - NASCAR Daytona Beach, FL February 20 | 21J General Equipment Operator |
| SSG Ervin Reyes Bronze Star, Purple Heart | CARQUEST Auto Parts Winternationals Pomona, CA February 26 | 11B Infantryman |
| SFC Steven Mollnhaue Bronze Star | Tire Kingdom Gatornationals/b> Gainesville, FL March 13 | 19D Cavalry Scout |
| SSG Ervin Reyes Bronze Star, Purple Heart | Auto Club 400 Pomona, CA February 26 | 11B Infantryman |
| SGT (p) Nicholas Carducci Bronze Star, 2 Purple Hearts | SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals Las Vegas, NV April 3 | 11B Infantryman |
| SFC Kevin Doheny Bronze Star | Samsung Mobile 500 Fort Worth, TX April 9 | 46Q Public Affairs Specialist |
| SFC Richard Fuller Bronze Star | VisitMyrtleBeach.com NHRA 4-Wide Nationals Concord, NC April 17 | 11B Infantryman |
| SGT Lucas R. Parrish Bronze Star | Crown Royal presents the Matthew and Daniel Hansen 400 April 30 | 11B Infantryman |
| SSG Jeff Ackerman 2 Bronze Star | O'Reilly NHRA Spring Nationals Houston, TX May 1 | Detailed Recruiter/Infantryman/11B |
| SFC Christopher L. Baetz Bronze Star, Purple Hearts | Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals Atlanta, GA May 15 | Station Commander, 79R4O |
| SSG Kristopher Moore Bronze Star, Purple Hearts | O'Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Summer Nationals Topeka, KS May 22 | 19D Cavalry Scout |
| SGT Patrick Sharp Bronze Star | Coca-Cola 600 Charlotte, NC May 29 | 13B Cannon Crew Member |
| SFC Andrzej Z. Ropel Bronze Star | NHRA SuperNationals Englishtown, NJ June 5 | 11B Infantryman |
| SSG Daniel Smith Bronze Star | Helluva Good! Sour Cream Dips 400 Brooklyn, MI June 19 | 31B Military Police |
| MAJ Jason R. Deel Bronze Star | NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals Bristol, TN June 19 | Infantry Branch |
| SGT Matthew Smith Purple Heart | Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals Norwalk, OH June 26 | 91 B Wheeled Vehicle Mechanic |
| SSG Matthew Chance Bronze Star | United Asociation Route 66 NHRA Nationals Brooklyn, MI July 10 | 25B, Information Systems Operator / Analyst |
| SGT Christopher Rice Bronze Star | Lenox Industrial Tools 301 Loudin, NH July 17 | 11B Infantryman |
| SSG Jose Cruz 3 purple hearts | Mopar Mile High NHRA Nationals0 Denver, CO July 24 | 11B Infantryman |
| SSG Jose Cruz 3 purple hearts | FRAM-Autolite NHRA Nationals Sonoma, CA July 31 | 11B Infantryman |
| SSG Kyle Turner purple hearts | NHRA Northwest Nationals Seattle, WA July 31 | 13B Cannon Crew Member |
| SGT Samuel Breese Bronze Star | Pennsylvania 500 Watkins Glen, NY August 7 | 31B, Military Police |
| SSG Randall Williams Bronze Star | Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals Brainerd, PA August 21 | 25Q Multichannel Transmission Systems Operator |
| SFC Jacob R. Gilmer Bronze Star, Purple Heart | Labor Day Classic 500 Atlanta, GA September 4 | 11B Infantryman |
| SFC Christopher L. Baetz Bronze Star, Purple Heart | Mac Tools US Nationals presented by Lucas Oil Indianapolis, IN September 5 | M1 Armor Crewman |
| SGT Patrick E. Lingburg Purple Heart | O'Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Nationals Concord, NC September 18 | 91B Wheeled Vechicle Mechanic |
| The Kick-off Race in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Chicago, IL September 18 | ||
| AAA Texas NHRA Fall Nationals Dallas, TX September 25 | ||
| Uni-Select Auto Plus NHRA Nationals Reading, PA October 2 | ||
| AAA 400 Dover, DE October 2 | ||
| NHRA Arizona Nationals Phoenix, AZ October 16 | ||
| Talladega 500 Talladega, AL October 23 | ||
| Las Vegas Nationals Las Vegas, NV October 30 | ||
| Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals Pomona, CA November 13 | ||
| Kobalt Tools 500 Phoenix, AZ November 13 | ||
| Ford 400 Homestead, FL November 20 |

























