ÿþ <html> <head> <TITLE>NASCAR Related: What Does 9/11 Mean To You? - Part Two</TITLE> <META HTTP-EQUIV="Pragma" CONTENT="no-cache"> <META HTTP-EQUIV="Content-Type" CONTENT="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1"> <META http-EQUIV=refresh content="7200"> <META NAME="description" CONTENT="NASCAR, Tickets, 2011 Sprint Cup schedule, Danica Patrick, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Juan Pablo Montoya, Tony Stewart, Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Kasey Kahne"> <META NAME="keywords" CONTENT="NASCAR, Tickets, 2011 Sprint Cup schedule, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Tony Stewart, Jeff Gordon, Michael Waltrip, Scanner, Auto Racing, Car, Speed, Next Race Info, Insider, Headline News, Rumors, RaceCars, Stock Car, Speedway, Raceway, Racetrack, Car of Tomorrow, Ricky Rudd, Kasey Kahne, Jimmie Johnson, Brian France, Toyota, Kevin Harvick, Juan Pablo Montoya"> <META NAME="author" CONTENT="Insider Racing News, Ron Felix"> <META NAME="copyright" content="January 2000"> <style> h1 { text-align: LEFT; font-size: 17pt; color: #FFEBCD; font-family: Times New Roman; text-decoration: font-weight: bold; margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0 } h2 { font-size: 16pt; color: #FFFF00; font-family: Times New Roman; text-decoration: none; font-weight: bold; margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0 } h3 { font-size: 12pt; color: #FFFF00; font-family: Times New Roman; text-decoration: none; font-weight: bold; margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0 } </style> <style> .nd { text-decoration: none; } a:hover { color:#ff0000; text-decoration: underline; } </style> <!--Image Preloaded --> <script language="JavaScript">var image1 = new Image();image1.src = "/image_path/image_name.gif";var image2 = new Image();image2.src = "/image_path/image2_name.gif";</script> <!--End Image Preload --> </head> <BODY BGCOLOR="#000000" MARGINWIDTH=0 MARGINHEIGHT=0 TOPMARGIN=0 LEFTMARGIN=0 TEXT="#ffffff" LINK="cccccc" VLINK="#cccccc"> <TABLE bgColor="660000" border=0 cellPadding=0 cellSpacing=0 Height="3" width="98%" ALIGN="center"> <TR> <TD> <img src="http://Insiderracingnews.com/Image/Trans-Pixel.gif" width="1" height="4" border=0> <center> <img src="http://Insiderracingnews.com/Images/Misc/BlueBar.jpg" Width="100%" Height="3" valign="top"> </center> </TD> </TR> </TABLE> <TABLE bgColor="660000" border=0 cellPadding=0 cellSpacing=0 width="98%" ALIGN="center"> <TR> <TD> <center> <b><font color="ffffff">Sprint Cup Commentary and Race Coverage</font></b> </center> <img src="http://Insiderracingnews.com/Images/Misc/BlueBar.jpg" Width="100%" Height="3" valign="bottom"> <TABLE background="http://Insiderracingnews.com/Images/Misc/BGBlackline.gif" border=1 bordercolor=red cellPadding=5 cellSpacing=0 width="98%" ALIGN="center"> <div> <tr> <td width="98%"> <center> <img src="http://insiderracingnews.com/Images/Misc/Ford7.jpg" width="100" height="62" Border="0"> <!-- LOGO --> <a href="http://insiderracingnews.com/" target="new"> <img src="http://Insiderracingnews.com/Images/Logos/2007/IRNLogo.jpg" Width="475" Height="60"></a> <!-- End LOGO ---> <img src="http://insiderracingnews.com/Images/Misc/Ford5.jpg" width="100" height="62" Border="0"> </center> </TD> </TR> </TABLE> <TABLE bgColor="660000" border=0 cellPadding=5 cellSpacing=0 Height="3" width="98%" ALIGN="center"> <TR> <TD> </TD> </TR> </TABLE> </TD> </TR> </TABLE> <!-- THE MAIN SIDE TABLE --> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="1" CELLSPACING="7" WIDTH="98%"> <!-- SIDE CELL ###################################################--> <TR> <TD WIDTH="22%" BGCOLOR="#660000" VALIGN="top"> <!-- ############ Start Time Display ######### --> <b><font color="ffffff" size="-1"> <p align="center"> <!--Place this script anywhere in a page. 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What were you doing? <P> I m sure you remember it well. <P> This weekend at Richmond International Raceway many of the cars on the track carried special paint schemes to commemorate the attacks on the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and flight 93 -- the flight that crashed in a field in Shanksville, PA. Sponsors worked with teams to change their standard design to something patriotic. Cars carried special decals paying tribute to the more than 3,000 men, women and children who died that day. <P> I had the chance to ask several drivers what they were doing that Tuesday morning a decade ago. Some of the answers might not surprise you. Some might. <P> Pole sitter for Saturday night s race, David Reutimann, driver of the No. 00 Aarons Dream Machine Toyota for Michael Waltrip Racing, was hundreds of miles away in Kansas at the Kansas Speedway, as the events unfolded that day.  At that point, I didn t even have a ride in any series for that matter. I was racing dirt cars and pavement cars at a local level and I was actually with Joe Nemechek -- Brian Pattie was his crew chief at the time. I was with Joe Nemechek at a test back when there was some open testing and you could test. I wasn t driving anything. I was just there helping. We were just unloading the cars and stuff like that when the news came through and man, it was obviously -- everybody remembers what they were doing that day, but I actually happened to be at a race track for a test that particular day. <P>  Obviously a day that changed a lot in the history of our country, noted Kurt Busch, driver of the No. 22 Pennzoil Dodge for Penske Racing.  For me I was at a short track doing a test in South Carolina and we did a long run in the morning and we were going to change the brakes over. As the crew was changing the brakes on the car I went into the hauler to grab a bite to eat for breakfast and turned on the TV and what I thought I was watching was just a what if this could happen tomorrow or a possible documentary on what is this and how can it happen and it was actually real. And I told the guys  You guys got to come in here and check this out. And it was just a surreal moment of what was happening that morning to see us attacked in that fashion make you feel very vulnerable. Quite a few things have changed since that date and it s great to see the support from all of these race teams, from all the Americans pulling together as one and then hoisting up the red, white and blue as the pride and joy. Since that moment, I think we ve been a country that s been more aligned and in showing more allegiance to our country since that date. <P> Denny Hamlin, driver of the No. 11 FedEx Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing, said he was also working on a car that day.  I was underneath my race car at Townsend in Richmond, Virginia, putting exhaust on, trying to hurry up and get it ready to race the weekend and immediately everything just stopped and everyone came in and started watching TV. I got to go and see the construction of ground zero and the memorial they are building, and it is just an amazing place  I think it is a great tribute to our country. <P>  I had to have a marshal on my plane to fly into (Washington) DC because I flew into Reagan (International Airport) and the only way you can fly into Reagan with a private aircraft is to have a marshal, said driver of the No. 24 AARP Drive for Hunger Chevrolet for Hendrick Motor Sports, Jeff Gordon.  The Pentagon is right there when you fly into Reagan and being in DC on Wednesday as well just a lot of reflection and memories of what went on that day. I was living in Florida at the time and I just remember turning on the TV that morning and seeing one of the twin towers up in smoke and how they were saying that a plane had crashed into it and trying to understand how that could have happened. Like many of you to watch that second plane come in there and at that moment your thought process goes into overdrive of oh my God what is going on there and then the speculation. The news station that I was watching is there a problem with the air traffic controllers or the airplane s radar system is off or flight control is off then terrorism kind of kicked in there and then the other planes and stuff. It was a frightening experience. One I will never forget. I don t think anybody ever will and here we are 10 years later and I think this country has gone through a lot and goes through a lot every 9/11. I think it s important for us to reflect on those that were lost, pay them tribute but also honor our military for what they have to go through and our police officers and firemen as well, what they have to go through to keep us protected and put their lives on the line. <P> Matt Kenseth, driver of the No. 17 Ollies Ford Fusion for Roush Fenway Racing, was completely unaware of what was happening as it unfolded.  Katie and I were actually camping at our property in Wisconsin that week. We didn t have a phone, or any real means of communications up there, so we didn t really know about everything until after it all happened. We were stranded in Wisconsin, so we ended up driving back from there because there was no air travel. About Tuesday or Wednesday, I started getting pretty stressed out about if we could even make it to New Hampshire for the race the following weekend if we had to drive. <P>  I was in 7th grade. I think we had a football game that night, remembered Ricky Stenhouse, Jr., driver of the No. 6 Ford for Roush Fenway Racing in the Nationwide Series.  When we heard the news, then you watched it on TV, I went home and turned on the TV and watched it all night. <P> Elliott Sadler, driver of the No. 2 Chevrolet for Kevin Harvick Inc., was driving the No. 21 for the Wood Brothers at the time.  I was actually asleep at Eddie Wood s house and someone called me and told me to turn on the TV because somebody had run into one of the buildings. I hauled butt to the shop and we watched it live when the second plane hit. It was surreal to us because at that time we were part of the U.S. Air force, they were a sponsor on our car. We took all the sponsorship off of the car and just put a huge American flag on the front of it. It was one of those things where you remember what you were doing and what time of day it was. I remember going back to the track for the first time, and I remember all the fans with all the American Flags -- it was so patriotic at Dover. <P> "I was actually on my way to work and I heard it on the radio, said Nationwide Series driver Josh Wise, driver of the No. 39 Chevy for Key Motorsports.  I didn t really understand the scope of what had happened  well, no one really knew for a while. <P> Brian Vickers, driver of the No. 83 Red Bull Toyota, was 17 at the time of the attacks.  It was the most horrible event I had experienced in my life.  <P> Ryan Newman, driver of the Sprint Cup Series No. 39 U.S. Army Chevy for Stewart Haas racing wasn t in school or working on a car. <P>  We had one of them radios in the shower and I was standing in the shower and was listening to that radio. They were talking about it and Krissie, we were dating at the time, and I don t think she was home I think she was at her work and I got out of the shower and called her or she called me vice versa and it was like is this really happening. It was almost like form back in the day when they talked about the aliens coming. It was like one of those moments when you question the fact what exactly is happening and how much of it is true and unfortunately it was true. The honest answer was I was standing in the shower listening to the radio. You know the kind that hangs on the back of the shower head and you ve got to hang it just right to make sure it stays dry and all that stuff. <P> <TABLE bgColor="FFFFFF" border=1 cellPadding=5 cellSpacing=0 width="370" ALIGN="left"> <TR> <TD> <center> <img src="http://insiderracingnews.com/Images/Temp/2011/Kim091111c.jpg" Width="350" Height="199" align="center"><BR> <center><img src="http://Insiderracingnews.com/Image/Trans-Pixel.gif" width="1" height="3" border=0></center> <font color="000000" size="-2">Photo Kim Roberson</font> <TABLE bgColor="660000" border=0 cellPadding=0 cellSpacing=0 width="350" ALIGN="center"> <TR> <TD> <center><B><font color="FFFFFF" size="-1">Tony Stewart's No. 14 Mobil 1 Car</font></B></center> </TD> </TR> </TABLE> </center> </TD> </TR> </TABLE> <P>  We were talking, I was at the Pentagon (Thursday) and got to see Arlington and went around DC a little bit, but we were talking about different things and how it kind of baffled everybody. It caught us with our guard down when it happened and when you re not in DC or New York to see some of the things that happened you really question did it really happen. Who is playing the prank, what radio station am I listening to? Sometimes you never know, but like I said that s where I was and that s what I thought. <P> Newman s boss and teammate, Tony Stewart, driver of the No. 14 Office Depot Chevrolet, says   I remember the morning of September 11th, waking up to a phone call, somebody said,  You need to turn the news on. I said,  Which news? They go,  Doesn t matter. And you quickly realize why it didn t matter, because every channel had it on. I was lying in bed, and I never got out of bed till six in the evening watching what was happening in disbelief. I just could not believe that our country had come under attack like that. <P>  I think the reason it s so important to remember that day is because this is a country where we pride ourselves on freedom, and a group of terrorists tried to take that freedom away from us, and we need to remember the heroes and all the people -- the firefighters, the policemen, the citizens-- that tried to help during the attacks. You don t want people to forget that. As time goes on the wounds heal in our memories, but you don t want to forget the memory of those people who worked so hard and tragically lost their lives, either working in the towers or the firefighters and policemen who tried to save those people that needed rescuing. It s very important for our nation not to forget the past and remember the people who were involved. <P> <TABLE bgColor="FFFFFF" border=1 cellPadding=5 cellSpacing=0 width="370" ALIGN="left"> <TR> <TD> <center> <img src="http://insiderracingnews.com/Images/Temp/2011/BuschRichmondCar.jpg" Width="350" Height="196" align="center"><BR> <center><img src="http://Insiderracingnews.com/Image/Trans-Pixel.gif" width="1" height="3" border=0></center> <font color="000000" size="-2">Photo Courtesy Joe Gibbs racing</font> <TABLE bgColor="660000" border=0 cellPadding=0 cellSpacing=0 width="350" ALIGN="center"> <TR> <TD> <center><B><font color="FFFFFF" size="-1">Stars and Stripes All The way</font></B></center> </TD> </TR> </TABLE> </center> </TD> </TR> </TABLE> <P> Several drivers had special paint schemes to go along with their memories this weekend. <P> There was no missing the stark brilliant red, white, and blue that covered all parts of the No. 18. The Joe Gibbs racing Toyota is usually sponsored by M&M s, and is driven by Kyle Busch.  When we looked at the schedule and saw that the Richmond race was going to be right on the weekend of 9-11 we pinpointed it as an opportunity to go after a special scheme again. Myself and the M&M s folks -- most of the M&M s guys -- they designed and put together the scheme which is awesome. It s an honor to be able to run it. Hopefully it will end up in a good race for us and hopefully we can put it in victory lane. But, certainly it means a lot to all of us and the team and everybody to honor our lost and fallen that were there on that day, and, of course to the many men and women that are still honoring our country-- I did my part. I took my name off it. It s cool and good. <P> Newman s car paid tribute to those who lost their lives at the Pentagon ten years ago.  I ve always said its special representing the military, the U.S. Army in particular. To have those that were fallen soldiers in the Pentagon is something that is kind of a bitter/sweet thing to talk about because we want to give them recognition but they are no longer here to receive that recognition. So it s about the families and the idea that the people make a sacrifice and it s something we all need to be grateful for to respect our freedom and things we can do in our country. To have 75 names of people that lost their lives in that attack on 9/11 is something that is bitter/sweet to talk about. <P> Sprint Cup Champion Jimmie Johnson, driver of the No. 48 Lowes Chevrolet for Hendrick Motor Sports says his mind has been on the anniversary a lot this week.  My thoughts have really been on the 10-year anniversary of 9/11. The great paint scheme we have on our race car this weekend with the Power of Pride. Then also, the fact that I will be wearing the Jimmie Johnson Foundation Helmet of Hope this weekend and we all know how important that is. There are really a lot of us in here with all the charities that have been able to find their way on to that helmet over the years. That is where my thoughts have been. <P> <TABLE bgColor="FFFFFF" border=1 cellPadding=5 cellSpacing=0 width="370" ALIGN="left"> <TR> <TD> <center> <img src="http://insiderracingnews.com/Images/Temp/2011/Kim091111a.jpg" Width="350" Height="190" align="center"><BR> <center><img src="http://Insiderracingnews.com/Image/Trans-Pixel.gif" width="1" height="3" border=0></center> <font color="000000" size="-2">Photo Kim Roberson</font> <TABLE bgColor="660000" border=0 cellPadding=0 cellSpacing=0 width="350" ALIGN="center"> <TR> <TD> <center><B><font color="FFFFFF" size="-1">One Of Many Patriot Paint Schemes</font></B></center> </TD> </TR> </TABLE> </center> </TD> </TR> </TABLE> <P> Several Nationwide and Sprint Cup Series cars had special designs that paid tribute to 9/11, and in particular, to FDNY firefighter Stephen Siller. Siller was off duty that Tuesday morning, but when he heard of the attacks on the twin towers, he headed into the city and ran from where police stopped him at the Battery Tunnel to the towers in full gear to help try and save as many people as possible. He perished when they collapsed, and no trace of him was ever found. His family has created the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation to help raise money to build homes for surviving quadriplegic servicemen returning from combat. Danica Patrick, Carl Edwards, Trevor Bayne, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., David Gillland, Jamie McMurray and Tony Stewart all ran tributes including the Siller Foundation, and helped to raise more than $125,000 for their efforts. <P> In memory of those who died on that day ten years ago, the 9/11 foundation is asking everyone to do something to commemorate the anniversary of the attacks in tribute. If you would like to share your tribute, you can visit http://www.911day.org/. Or, you can send a virtual postcard to a service member overseas, thanking them for their service via the NASCAR foundation at http://foundation.nascar.com/netcommunity/postcard. <P> But whatever you do, never forget that day, and the thousands who lost their lives that day, or the thousands more who have given their lives since that day to make sure that it never happens again. God Bless America. <BR> <BR> <P> Follow Kim on Twitter: <a href="http://twitter.com/ksrgatorfn" target="new"><font color="000099">@ksrgatorfn</font></a> <P> <BR> <TABLE bgColor="FFFFFF" border=0 cellPadding=5 cellSpacing=0 width="57" ALIGN="left"> <TR> <TD> <center> <img src="http://insiderracingnews.com/Images/Misc/2007/AnimatedMailBox.gif" Width="47" Height="134" align="center"> </center> </TD> </TR> </TABLE> <P> <BR> <BR> <center> <img src="http://insiderracingnews.com/Images/Misc/RedPointer2.gif" Width="18" Height="12"> <b><font color="ff0000" size="+1"><I>You can contact Kim at</font></B>..<a href="mailto:Robersonirn@yahoo.com"> <b><font color="ff0000" size="+1">Insider Racing News</i></font></B></a> <BR> <img src="http://insiderracingnews.com/Images/Misc/RedPointer2.gif" Width="18" Height="12"> <a class="nd" href="http://insiderracingnews.com/Writers/KR/redirect.html"><b><font color="ff0000" size="+1"><I>You Can Read Other Articles By Kim</I></font></b></a> </center> <BR> <BR> <p style="border:1px solid #FF0000;padding:5px;font:11px verdana;"> 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.</p> </font> </TD> </TR> </TABLE> </center> <P> <!-- BEGIN INLIVE CODE -- Inlive need of AddFreestats button code! 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