In a commemorative program hosted by GM Racing and the National Hot Rod
Association on Saturday, a group of 19 retired veterans from the Army Special
Forces Association, Randall Shughart Chapter 64, based in nearby Carlisle, Pa.,
took center stage at the 23rd annual Toyo Tires NHRA Nationals at
Maple Grove Raceway.
Throughout the year, SFA Randall
Shughart Chapter 64 members visit U.S. combat-wounded troops at the Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany bringing words of hope and
good cheer, as well as souvenir gift bags with items donated by NHRA teams and
sponsors. They also conduct fund-raising events to purchase telephone cards,
clothing items and duffle bags for use by wounded/injured personnel at
Landstuhl, traveling to LRMC via SpaceA on U.S. Air
Force aircraft to distribute the items.
Earlier this year monies were raised by SFA Chapter 64 at the NHRA event
in Englishtown, N.J., by auctioning off a racing helmet
autographed by more than 40 NHRA drivers.
For the past two years, members from
SFA Chapter 64 have served as the advance team and on-site organizers for
"Operation Support Our Wounded," a postseason visit with American troops in
Germany by NHRA goodwill ambassadors
Warren Johnson, Jim Yates, Melanie Troxel, Tommy Johnson Jr. and Cory
McClenathan. The drivers are currently scheduled to return the weekend following
this season’s Auto Club of Southern California NHRA Finals in Pomona, Calif., but on Saturday, GM Racing and the
NHRA wanted to give a little something back to this special group of Green
Berets and say, "Thank you, for a job well done."