Stratotanker. Top speed: 627 miles
per hour.
NASCAR gave birth to a new era with
the opening of the 2.5-mile, highbanked,
tri-oval Super Speedway at
Daytona. Average speed: 135.521 mph.
ithin a decade, speedier jets
pierced the skies, and more powerful
cars dominated racetracks. Nothing
symbolied the faster-is-better
attitude than the Harley Earl Trophy,
presented each year to the winner
of the Daytona 500. Earl, the GM
executive acknowledged as the Father
of the Corvette, was a NASCAR
commissioner from 1960 to 1969.
The legendary designer created the
stylistic cue known as the tailn. It rst
appeared on the 1948 Cadillac and was
reminiscent of the twin-tailed Lockheed
P-38 Lightning, a Pursuit Interceptor
that played multiple roles during the
Second orld ar.
The 4-foot tall trophy is patterned after
Earls XP-21 Firebird I, GMs popular
and controversial concept car from
the 1950s that boasted a rocket-like
nose, clear teardrop canopy, stubby
wings, and a tall, slender, rear n. Each
year the iconic trophy is escorted to
Victory Lane at Daytona International
Speedway where photographers from
around the world memorialie its image.
As a result, new NASCAR fans are
introduced the prestigious awards
distinctive retro-futuristic look, inspired
by Americas post-2 aircraft.
n a grand scale, the military and
NASCAR share a bond that can be
linked and understood on an objective
and analytical levelbut theres more to
the connection theres also a subjective,
emotional side. To get a gut-feel for that,
spend an afternoon watching Top Gun
1986 and Days of Thunder 1990.
34 THE OFFICIAL NASCAR 2020 PREVIEW & PRESS GUIDE
Then note the similarities:
Speed. Rivalries. Camaraderie.
Life in the fast lane draws fans into the
tornado-like twists and turns of hypercompetitive
match-ups on race-day.
ne could select any number of venues
to illustrate the complex, multi-faceted
relationship between the military and
NASCAR, but Dover, Delaware, seems
an ideal spot to pick.
Dover International Speedway opened
in 1969. It sits on a 750-acre plot and
boasts a high-banked oval called The
Monster Mile. Dover is also home to
the 436th Airlift ing of the Air Mobility
Command and the 512th Airlift ing
of the Air Force Reserve Command
known as The Dover Teamwhich
provides airlift and aerial refueling to
United States armed forces as well
as humanitarian support at home and
around the world.
n a more somber note, Dover houses
Americas largest military mortuary its
where ag-covered cofns containing
those killed-in-action are brought
the last stop they make before being
returned to loved ones.
Recogniing these fallen heroes is a
core mission of NASCAR Salutes.
For NASCAR as an industry, its
a privilege to honor the military
men and women who protect our
countrys freedom, said ill Gregory,
NASCAR executive vice president
and chief marketing ofcer. we
remain humbled by the opportunity
to recognie our military community
and thank service members for the
sacrices made on our behalf.
So, whether its older tracks like
Atlanta and Martinsville, or newer ones
like Kansas and Kentucky, military
personnel and their families are warmly
welcomed.
The sports season nale exemplies
this mutually benecial association.
Homestead Army Aireld, established in
the early 1950s, was all-but-destroyed
by Hurricane Andrew in 1992. The
following year, with the help of leaders
like the late Rafael Ralph Snche,
ground-breaking ceremonies were held
for the mile-and-a-half oval racetrack.
That high-visibility event helped
create an atmosphere of hope for the
devastated community.
Homestead-Miami Speedway stands
as a testament to the can-do spirit of
NASCAR and Americaas well as the
capstone event each season where a
new Cup Series Champion is crowned.
And so we end. The conclusion It
cant be summed up in 140 characters
or a 30-second sound-bitenot
even in a 500-word news article or
a one-hour TV special. How many
sports organiations do you know that
honor Americas service-members
and veterans every year with a
comprehensive, multi-stage, multi-week
program that launches in May and
nishes in uly Let me give you a hint:
Its a six-letter word that starts with the
letter N and ends with R.
BI: Jim Lamb is a retired journalist
living in Florida. He’s the author of
“Orange Socks and Other Colorful Tales:
How I Survived Vietnam and Kept My
Sense of Humor.” He started following
NASCAR in 1963 when Tiny Lund won
the Daytona 500 after saving the life
of Marvin Panch—the car’s original
driver—following a pre-race crash. Lund
later replaced Panch as driver, winning
the race.