Ford, NASCAR launch Veterans Day Classic for all service branches

NASCAR has long tied its identity to military appreciation, a tradition that reaches back to the sport’s earliest era and continues through seasonlong tributes, remembrance events and partnerships. The first official NASCAR season came in 1948, but some of its pioneers were World War II veterans, including first champion Red Byron and team owner Raymond Parks. NASCAR says that legacy remains part of its fan culture through patriotic car designs, Memorial Day weekend activations and tributes to fallen service members such as the Coca-Cola 600, Charlotte Motor Speedway’s 600 Miles of Remembrance and Mission 600.

Military-focused race-week customs also took shape at Daytona in the 1950s and 1960s, when early flyovers and annual Independence Day observances became part of the scene. In the late 1950s, the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds performed a Daytona flyover that helped start a pre-Daytona 500 tradition that still continues. NASCAR also brought military themes to the track in 1991, when five cars carried military-themed paint schemes during a Gulf War tribute.

That history is continuing with a new Ford and NASCAR exhibition race, the Proud to Honor Veterans Day Classic, scheduled for Nov. 11. The event, which will be separate from the regular season and has not yet been assigned a location, is intended to recognize all six branches of the U.S. military. Ford said it will feature track-only Mustang Dark Horse Rs and promote a limited-edition red, white and blue Super Duty Proud to Honor package, with some proceeds benefiting Blue Star Families. Ford Philanthropy also plans to support military teens through a Driving Skills for Life program tied to the event, and Zac Brown Band is expected to perform.

NASCAR is also planning a separate Cup Series event, Race the Base, at Naval Base Coronado. The event is tied to the U.S. 250th anniversary and adds another military-focused stop to the sport’s calendar.