By Jerry Jordan, Editor
CONCORD, N.C. – Continuing a long tradition of honoring those who’ve lost their lives defending America through their military service NASCAR will memorialize 40 men and women, each one atop the windshields of their racing machines as drivers battle for victory in the longest race of the year – the Coca-Cola 600.
Each name represents a story of why, when and how these brave soldiers decided to serve the United State but with each lost life there is a family reflecting on loved ones taken from them too soon. While many people enjoy Memorial Day with a weekend at the beach, the lake or hopefully at the racetrack, it’s a bittersweet moment as fun times give way to honor and remembrance.
“I hope everything hat NASCAR does is a morale boost for our veterans because they deserve that every day we get up and take a breath,” said NASCAR Vice Chairman Mike Helton.
Below is a list of names for the soldiers who will be honored during the Coca-Cola 600 along with the car and driver that each will ride along with.
| 1 | Jamie McMurray | SPC Benjamin Moore | Army | Bordentown, NJ |
| 42 | Kyle Larson | SPC David Taylor | Army | Dixon, KY |
| 3 | Austin Dillon | SO1 Joshua Thomas Harris | Navy | Lexington, NC |
| 27 | Paul Menard | EM3 Lloyd Harold Tussey | Navy | Davidson County, NC |
| 31 | Ryan Newman | LCPL Daniel Freeman Swaim | Marines | Yadkinville, NC |
| 5 | Kasey Kahne | SSG Joshua R. Hager | Army | Denver, CO |
| 24 | Chase Elliott | CPT Todd Tyler Christmas | Army | Las Vegas, NM |
| 48 | Jimmie Johnson | SPC Michael J. Rodriguez | Army | Sanford, NC |
| 88 | Dale Earnhardt Jr. | PFC James McClamrock | Army | Huntersville, NC |
| 33 | Jeffrey Earnhardt | CPL Aaron D. Gautier | Army | Hampton, VA |
| 37 | Chris Buescher | SO1 Jason Lewis | Navy | Brookfield, CT |
| 47 | AJ Allmendinger | SPC Douglas J Green | Army | Sterling, VA |
| 13 | Ty Dillon | CPL Nathaniel Thomas Hammond | Marines | Brighton, MO |
| 15 | Reed Sorenson | SPC Christopher Ryan Barton | Army | Harrisburg, NC |
| 55 | Derrike Cope | SSG Brandon Forrest Eggleston | Army | Eden, NC |
| 72 | Cole Whitt | SFC Paul Drasutis | Army NG | Defiance, OH |
| 51 | Timmy Hill | SFC Matthew Sluss-Tiller | Army | Lawrence County, KY |
| 7 | JJ Yeley | LCPL Alejandro J. Yazzie | Marines | Rock Point, AZ |
| 95 | Michael McDowell | SPC Nick Newby | Army | Coeur d’ Alene, ID |
| 6 | Trevor Bayne | 2LT Peter Burks | Army | Dallas, TX |
| 17 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | LCPL Taylor Prazynski | Marines | Hill Air Force Base, UT |
| 4 | Kevin Harvick | CAPT Brent Morel | Marines | McKenzie, TN |
| 10 | Danica Patrick | LCPL Scott Harper | Marines | Douglas, GA |
| 14 | Clint Bowyer | SSG Terry D. Wagoner | Army | Piedmont, SC |
| 41 | Kurt Busch | SGT Robert S. Matern | Marines | Worcester, MA |
| 34 | Landon Cassill | Michael E. Murdock | Army | Chocowinity, NC |
| 38 | David Ragan | Michael Strange | Navy | Philadelphia |
| 2 | Brad Keselowski | SSGT Nicholas A. Sprovtsoff | Marines | Davison, MI |
| 22 | Joey Logano | MSG Anthony Ray Charles Yost | Army | Flint, MI |
| 21 | Ryan Blaney | SGT Gregory Allen Belanger | Army Reserves | Deerfield, MA |
| 41 | Aric Almirola | SRA Mark A. Forester | Air Force | Haleyville, AL |
| 32 | Matt Dibenedetto | CPL Riley Elam Baker | Marines | Eureka, MO |
| 11 | Denny Hamlin | CLP John Harrison Keener Jr. | Army | Franklin, NC |
| 18 | Kyle Busch | PFC William Christopher Johnson | Army | Oxford, NC |
| 19 | Daniel Suarez | SSG Christpher W. Swanson | Army | Rosehaven, Maryland |
| 20 | Matt Kenseth | SPC Jeffrey P. Shaffer | Army | Waco, TX |
| 78 | Martin Truex Jr. | 2LT John C. Yates | Marines | Fergus Falls, MN |
| 77 | Erik Jones | LCPL Matthias N. Hanson | Marines | Buffalo, KY |
| 23 | Gray Gaulding | SGT. Christopher Richard Hrbek | Marines | Westwood, NJ |
| 83 | Corey Lajoie | CAPT Brandon A. Barrett | Marines | Albuquerque, NM |