Original Coverage & Source Attribution: autos.yahoo.com
A star-studded show and top-tier military drivers gathered to kick off a new tradition that celebrates our veterans
Ford had a pretty big plan for Veterans Day: twelve drivers, six military branches, and a night of racing and live music at Daytona International Speedway. The inaugural Proud to Honor Veterans Day Classic brought it all together to support veterans, service members, and their families. And we got to be there for all of it.
All our news. Inboxed for you! Join our newsletter.
This story is 100% human researched and written based on actual first-person knowledge, extensive experience and expertise on the subject of cars and trucks. Additionally, I was Ford’s guest for this event.
Six Branches, One Mission, One Night
With one of the Mustang Dark Horse liveries at the Ford Veteran’s Day Classic
Ford developed the event with NASCAR, Blue Star Families, IMSA, and HSR. Six race teams took to the track for a first-of-its-kind military tribute race, each representing a different branch of the U.S. military: Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, and Coast Guard.
And to top it all off, Zac Brown Band took the stage for a live performance, along with Russell Dickerson, Jo Dee Messina, Brittney Spencer, and Warren Zeiders. Oh, and Nelly stopped by for a song. Bryan Cranston also kept popping up throughout the night. Naturally, he was a hit with the crowd.
But you can read all of that in the press release, so what was the Veterans Day Classic like on the ground?
Read: Why the NASCAR Museum needs to be on your bucket list
Chatting with Jim Farley, Ford’s CEO
They say don’t meet your heroes. Apparently, they haven’t met Jim Farley. I got to spend a few minutes with Ford’s CEO at the Proud to Honor Veterans Day Classic at Daytona, and we had plenty to talk about. One thing I wanted to know was how this race came together in the first place. Jim said Bill Ford helped get things going, with the idea of bringing the company together to celebrate military service. Ford already had the drivers, the Mustangs, and plenty of veterans within the company. Putting those pieces together made a lot of sense.
I asked Jim for a story about Ford’s military history that more people should know. He went back to World War II, when Ford was building tanks, jeeps, and B-24 bombers, which is quite the production list. He talked about the employees who made it happen and how proud he is of the company’s ability to get people working toward something bigger than themselves. “The people that never got credit,” he said. I liked that he made a point of giving them some.
“Having a manual V8, I think, is part of our DNA. It’s a big reason why I came to the company, frankly.”
We also got into the Mustang, which probably surprises no one. Jim races in the Mustang Challenge himself, and he had plenty to say about V8s and manual transmissions. His son bought a Mustang with his own money as a mechanic, with no “old man’s discount,” which I found hilarious. Jim also told me that when he joined Ford, he ordered a Mustang GT and drove it through a Michigan winter with winter tires and sandbags in the back. That is some commitment to a Mustang, but I expect nothing less from a guy like Jim. He eats, sleeps, and breathes Ford.
As for what he hoped people would take away from the event, Jim wanted the support to continue after everyone went home. The money raised would help the nonprofits involved, and he hoped the broadcast would get more people thinking about what veterans and military families need long after their service ends. A lot was happening at Daytona, and I appreciated getting a few minutes to hear why Ford wanted to bring it all together. Thank you for your time, Jim. I’m very glad I got to ask.
Hot Laps After Dark? Of Course!
Hot laps on the track at Daytona for Ford Veterans Day Classic
Is there anything like getting to ride on the actual track at Daytona in a Dark Horse SC? I don’t think so. It was wild to get a ride around historic Daytona International Speedway just hours before the race. My driver, Joey Hand, was awesome. I’ve done enough hot laps to know my way around the passenger seat on a race track, but Joey was so much fun! He explained what we were doing, like going insanely fast into a corner and whipping it back onto a straight. But the best part was getting up onto Daytona’s legendary 31-degree banking.
According to the official history of Daytona International Speedway, the highbanks were added to let drivers reach higher speeds and make it easier for fans to see the cars. Let me tell you, it was worth the effort! Hand hyped us up as we approached the area and got us closer to the wall than I have ever been before. My own personal victory for the night!
30 Minutes To Victory
This race was quick: only 30 minutes for the 12 drivers to claim victory. All twelve drivers were racing Mustang Dark Horse Rs, with liveries, or exterior visual designs, inspired by military vehicles, ships, and aircraft. The Army cars took inspiration from the Abrams tank, while the Air Force cars borrowed from the F-22 Raptor. Even sitting still, there was plenty to look at.
There were two changes to the original lineup. Jenson Altzman replaced Frankie Muniz on the Air Force team, while Robert Noaker filled in for the injured Ryan Blaney on the Marine Corps team.
Here was the official lineup:
-
U.S. Army: Joey Hand and Brad Keselowski
-
U.S. Marine Corps: Robert Noaker and Ben Hobson
-
U.S. Navy: Logan Sargeant and Ryan Preece
-
U.S. Air Force: Jenson Altzman and Austin Cindric
-
U.S. Space Force: Noah Gragson and Layne Riggs
-
U.S. Coast Guard: Joey Logano and Ty Majeski
Noaker led much of the race, but Cindric wasn’t going anywhere. The two traded the lead before Cindric finally held him off by just 0.136 seconds, taking the win for the Air Force. Thirty minutes turned out to be plenty of time for a good race.
“Air Force, hell yeah!” said Cindric after the race. “Just thankful for all our service men and women that make things like this possible,” he added.
Talking Mustangs with Jim Farley, riding Daytona’s famously banked curves with Joey Hand and watching that close finish made for a memorable Veterans Day. I’d happily come back for another night like this. Jim said he hoped the support would continue after everyone went home, and you don’t have to wait for another race to help.
The Proud to Honor Fund directs donations to six nonprofit partners serving military members, veterans, and their families: Blue Star Families, Camp Southern Ground, Disabled American Veterans, TAPS, Team Rubicon, and the Travis Manion Foundation.
