I Love My Sport!
As you know, I am a NASCAR Nut. After the Daytona 500, the next race that is a must watch for me is the 600 which is run on Memorial Day weekend. Usually this is on Sunday but this year due to rain it was bumped to Monday.
It started at noon and should have been completed about 4 hours later. However, Mother Nature had other plans and so it misted, spritzed, spit and poured! It was a challenge to watch. Run 20 laps, yellow flag, run 20 laps, yellow flag, repeat, repeat, repeat.
I had heard about the moment of silence scheduled for 3pm and was prepared to mute the race in order to participate. However, NASCAR beat me to it. THEY STOPPED THE RACE!!!!!!!!!
Threw a yellow, had all the cars park and shut off the engines. Everyone in the place stood. Picture 100,000 spectators (Yes, I checked this fact, Charlotte Motor Speedway's seating capacity is 165,000) on their feet, hats off and heads bowed, pit crews lined up across pit road, safety crews out of their vehicles, and on the TV screen a shot of the flag at half staff. For the whole minute.
What other sport would even consider this??? I've watched many a baseball, football and hockey game. Yes the National Anthem is performed before play starts but usually that's as far as it goes.
NASCAR has ALL our military branches as sponsors, either in the Cup, Nationwide or Truck series. Each race is started with the National Anthem and, weather permitting, a fly over of some sort of local military plane. There has been Air Force, Marine, Army, Navy and Coast Guard, National Guard and Reserve aircraft and personal at every Truck, Nationwide and Cup race for years.
The only time I have seen other sports honor our military is for a 'special' event. NASCAR does it every race.
So I love my sport.
To all that have served and to all that have supported a service person, Thank you.
To those that given the ultimate sacrifice, you are not forgotten.
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