Monday, August 7, 2017

IndyCar Driver Graham Rahal Honor Military Members

IndyCar Driver Graham Rahal Honor Military Members This story happened in May; however it was such an important event, I felt compelled to share it with my readers. NASCAR Race Mom wishes she knew about this opportunity. I would have loved to nominate my hometown hero, Jimmie Lee Beckstrand for the special recognition of having his name engraved on a gold plate permanently affixed to the brick wall as a small token of appreciation for his selfless service and sacrifice.

“You silent tents of green,
We deck with fragrant flowers;
Yours has the suffering been,
The memory shall be ours”
— Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.


IndyCar Driver Graham Rahal Honor Military Members

by Deaqon James

Graham Rahal and Crown Royal Honor Military Members


Crown Royal and Indianapolis Motor Speedway announced that during Armed Forces and Indy 500 weekends, a Wall of Gratitude will be erected to honor our nation’s servicemen and women. Race fans 21+ can submit the names of their own personal military heroes to be engraved on gold plates to be placed on the wall as a small token of appreciation for their service.

IndyCar Driver Graham Rahal, Indianapolis Motor Speedway President Doug Boles and Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett were in attendance to help Crown Royal with the unveiling of the wall. May is Military Appreciation Month and this initiative kicks off Armed Forces Weekend in Indy so the news is quite timely!

Graham Rahal and Crown Royal Honor Military Members
IndyCar driver Graham Rahal places the name of his military hero, his grandfather,
Michael Rahal, on the Crown Royal Wall of Gratitude at the Indianapolis Motor
Speedway, Thursday, May 18, 2017. (Doug McSchooler/AP Images for Crown Royal)
This weekend, thousands of fans will flock to the Racing Capital of the World to watch their favorite drivers qualify for the 101st running of the Indianapolis 500 during Crown Royal Armed Forces Weekend. And starting this year, those fans will have the opportunity to permanently cement the names of their military heroes at the track in recognition of their generous sacrifice.

Graham Rahal and Crown Royal Honor Military Members
Members from Wish for Our Heroes, an organization dedicated to providing
resources to the active duty service men and women during and after their
deployment, pose with IndyCar driver Graham Rahal at the Crown Royal Wall
of Gratitude press conference on Thursday, May 18, 2017, at the Indianapolis
Motor Speedway. (Doug McSchooler/AP Images for Crown Royal)
Inspired by the iconic Yard of Bricks marking the track’s finish line, Crown Royal and Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) have erected a brick Wall of Gratitude to display the names of military members past and present. Located in the infield at New Myers Drive and 6th Street (next to the Crown Royal tent), fans 21+ can submit names to be engraved on gold plates permanently affixed to the brick wall as a small token of appreciation for their selfless service.

Graham Rahal and Crown Royal Honor Military Members
Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett, left, submits Lt. Col. Bruce P. Crandall’s name
to the Crown Royal Wall of Gratitude on Thursday, May 18, 2017, at the
Indianapolis Motor Speedway. (Doug McSchooler/AP Images for Crown Royal)

Throughout the weekend, Crown Royal will be randomly surprising select nominators with VIP race experiences and tickets.

Race-goers can also stop by the Crown Royal tent to assemble care packages for troops overseas, interact with custom photo booths that facilitate local charity donations and sample various whiskies. The full schedule for submissions to the Wall of Gratitude is below:
  • Friday, May 19 through Sunday, May 21: 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
  • Indianapolis 500 Race Weekend
  • Friday, May 26: 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Saturday, May 27: 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
  • Sunday, May 28: 7 a.m.-12 p.m.

“Serving one’s country is, without a doubt, among the most generous things a person can do,” said Jim Ruane, Director of Crown Royal. “We look forward to seeing the Wall of Gratitude filled to the top with names of servicemen and women as we toast to their honor during Crown Royal Armed Forces Weekend and the Indy 500 – rooted in remembrance and celebration of our nation’s heroes.”

Graham Rahal and Crown Royal Honor Military Members
Indianapolis Motor Speedway President Doug Boles, from left, Crown Royal
National Brand Ambassador Stephen Wilson, Crown Royal Director Jim Ruane
and Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett pose in front of the Crown Royal Wall of
Gratitude on Thursday, May 18, 2017, at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
(Doug McSchooler/AP Images for Crown Royal)

Building upon the legacy of Crown Royal’s “Your Hero’s Name Here” program, 2017 marks the sixth straight year the whisky maker has partnered with IMS to recognize the most generous among us – the true kings and queens of their communities – in one-of-a-kind ways.


“This is a fitting and unique way to honor our military heroes during the Month of May at the Racing Capital of the World,” said IMS President J. Douglas Boles. “Crown Royal’s Wall of Gratitude and the chance it provides to celebrate our military members and veterans will be a highlight for many fans visiting the track.”

Graham Rahal and Crown Royal Honor Military Members
Indianapolis Motor Speedway President Doug Boles presented the Crown Royal
team with a commemorative bottle of milk at a press conference on Thursday,
May 18, 2017 to unveil the Crown Royal Wall of Gratitude.
(Doug McSchooler/AP Images for Crown Royal)

Crown Royal’s “Live Generously and Life Will Treat You Royally” campaign aims to inspire generosity in all of its many forms, building upon the brand’s longstanding history of celebrating military heroes – from giving veterans the royal treatment at pro sporting events, to helping a blinded soldier see his hometown in a novel way, to year-round collection of care packages for deployed troops.

Crown Royal asks that all race fans honor generously, but drink in moderation.



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