May 29, 2007
By Brian Watkins

Brian Watkins

The Memorial Day holiday has a pretty important meaning to me. I served in the Army, my father served, his father served, my brother, my cousin, my uncle… All of us came home alive thankfully, but each of us is familiar with some who didn’t. From training accidents to the war zone, most everyone who served knows someone who was killed while serving their country and it’s very fitting and proper to celebrate the memories of those who were killed and also to celebrate the freedoms and the country that they died for.

Over the last few weeks I have been critical of NASCAR for various reasons. Many of you have agreed with my observations, some haven’t. But one thing I remembered recently was the old sayings “If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all”. So, in an effort to be a little more “balanced” in my expressions of opinions with NASCAR, I thought I’d write a short little piece expressing what I LIKE about NASCAR.

The Coca-Cola 600 over Memorial Day weekend is always a big event. Most races are big events, and they always start with a prayer and a patriotic salute. Being held the day before Memorial Day, the May Lowe’s race certainly benefits from an extra dose of the red, white and blue and it serves us and NASCAR very well.

Having spent nearly 12 years in the Army serving here there and everywhere, spending my last 3 years at the Pentagon. While there I got to see first hand the way NASCAR not only embraces our culture, but also supports the troops. From the Biffle National Guard, the 01 Army car to the support Lowe’s and the #48 team provided at the beginning of the americasupportsyou.mil campaign, NASCAR was a highly visible supporter of the troops. Many morale contests were supplied with tickets, pit passes, meet and greets and more by NASCAR and many of the teams. Even as the media skewers the war and those who are planning and fighting it, NASCAR, it’s teams and drivers and crews continue to be vocal advocates of America’s men and women in uniform.

While many sports and events have banned prayer and almost all patriotic references, NASCAR embraces it. From the fly-overs to the camouflage paint scheme on the #8, NASCAR definitely is an All-American sport and deserves credit for it. While other sports and events pander to the international world without borders, NASCAR (in this way at least) knows who its fans are, and on which side its bread is buttered. I don’t think you can go anywhere other than a military base and find a more patriotic group of folks than those in the stands, on the track, behind the wall and in the haulers at NASCAR sanctioned events around the country.

I may have A LOT of issues with the NASCAR organization and the way it goes about some things, but when it comes to celebrating our Nation, its heritage and its people NASCAR is firing on all cylinders.

The thoughts and ideas expressed by this writer or any other writer on Insider Racing News, are not necessarily the views of the staff and/or management of IRN.