The Richmond track recently arranged for driver Carl Edwards to visit sailors on the USS Eisenhower and "take a ride." Here's a little video:
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"Any Day is Good for Stock Car Racing"
updated by @dave-fulton: 12/05/16 04:02:07PM
The Richmond track recently arranged for driver Carl Edwards to visit sailors on the USS Eisenhower and "take a ride." Here's a little video:
There has always been a large presence at Richmond races by members of the military, thanks a great deal to the efforts of the late Paul Sawyer, founder of the Richmond track and to the location of numerous bases in the vicinity. I'll never forget my most spine tingling moment at a racetrack. Prior to the September 1981 Wrangler SanforSet 400 Winston Cup race at Richmond, Paul Sawyer built a new viewing area in a prime location between the 4th turn and start/finish line for handicapped and disabled patrons. Paul didn't tell anyone exactly what he had planned, but when race time came, he held up the start. The grandstand fans became restless and began to boo. Just then, we all saw a long fleet of ambulances, one strung out behind another,enter the track gate next to the new handicapped viewing area. Paul himself and his son Bill met the ambulances as they entered the track. Paul had arranged for this fleet of ambulances to go to the McGuires Veteran's Administration Hospital in south Richmond and transport the most severely handicapped, all paraplegic/quadriplegic military veterans, for a day at the races. He had arranged also for a group of nurses and medics to attend this distinguished group. I'll never forget the veterans being carried on litters from the ambulances to the viewing area. About this time track announcer RayMelton directed the attention of the restless, booing crowd to the area where the veterans were being accommodated. The boos turned to a standing ovation by the Richmond race fans with their cheers for the veterans overwhelming all other sounds at the track. I'll always remember Paul and Bill Sawyer going to each veteran and placing a track hat on each head as they thanked them for their selfless service to our country. Once he was finished doing this, Paul Sawyer told NASCAR they could start the race. Just one reason why Paul was so loved by race fans. I remember another incident at Richmond when NASCAR wanted to quickly start a race because of impending inclement weather. Paul said fine, just as soon as we play the National Anthem. He would not let a race start without the playing of our National Anthem. I found out later that Bill Sawyer knew all of the disabled veterans the Sawyers brought to the track. He met them because every single week, without fail, Bill Sawyer went to the Veteran's Hospital taking all the racing anewspapers and magazines received by the track and sharing them with the soldiers as he made the rounds. When I say that the NASCAR drivers and Richmond and Tidewater Virginia race fans loved the Sawyer family you can see why. One of my prized possessions is a photo I received after Paul Sawyer had mearrange for a group of sailors to have Richmond pit passes in September 1990 after returning from the Gulf War. In this day of fakery and self serving promotions, I wish we could have more folks who remembered our veterans because they really cared, like Richmond's Paul Sawyer,and not because it might look good on television.
