MYRTLE BEACH, SC :: Jake Engle will give wounded veterans an experience of a lifetime at Myrtle Beach Speedway on Wednesday. Engle will give veterans an access pass to what goes on behind the scenes in NASCAR racing. 75 veterans will be at the track for the event, which is open to the public.
During the day, Engle will have NASCAR Sprint Cup Series cars and NASCAR trucks at the track to give the veterans rides around the racetrack. He’ll also be testing his Late Model in the morning to give the wounded troops a look at what goes on during race day. The event is open to the public and Engle says they are taking donations. Additionally, Engle will make a donation to the Wounded Warrior Project right before Thursday night’s race at Myrtle Beach Speedway.
“We’ll have about 75 wounded warriors at the track,” Engle said. “We’re renting the track and having a good time out there. We’re letting them experience what we do at the track during the day.”
The event, which is being supported by Chick-fil-A, CV Products, Roush Yates Racing, Hess Race Cars and Matthew’s Mobile Media, will run until 4pm on Thursday.
“What they sacrificed allows us to what we do every Saturday night,” Engle said. “I feel like it’s a great opportunity to give back with the sponsors I have and others who are involved. It gives us a chance to give back to them and show them the inside of the racing world.”
The Wounded Warrior Project, which was formed in 2002 in Roanoke, Virginia, is a non-profit organization devoted to honoring and empowering wounded warriors. The organization was formed in 2002 by John Melia who was moved by the stories of wounded veterans returning from Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom.
Since the beginning of military operations in Afghanistan on October 7, 2001, 6,498 US servicemen and service women have been killed in Afghanistan and Iraq. Over 50,000 military personnel have been injured. US combat operations in Afghanistan are still ongoing.
Wednesday’s “Veterans Track Day at the Beach” runs from 11:30am until 4:00pm.
