Memorial Day has always been one of the saddest days of the year for me.
After spending 23 years in the military and losing more then one friend along the way, remembering those I knew and those I know of only by their names or deeds is a hard thing for an old soldier to do.
For some time I struggled to try and get through the Day. I thought of my friends often and refused several offers to attend memorial services on more than one occasion not wanting to reopen old wounds.
Several years ago though I learned of the US governments effort to put the remembrance back in Memorial Day by enacting public law 106-579 which put in place, they called it institutionalize, a ‘National Moment of Remembrance’. At 3 pm local time all Americans were asked to have a moment of silence to remember those men and women who gave their lives in defense of this country.
I immediately jumped on board this idea and began to observe the moment no matter where I was at or what I was doing. I found it easier to handle an otherwise difficult day. I still celebrate my freedom, but I take a moment on Memorial Day at exactly 3 pm so I never forget those who gave their lives so I can celebrate. 
NASCAR didn’t intend to hold the Coca-Cola 600 on Memorial Day. In fact I have no doubt that they did everything they could to avoid it. But thanks to Mother Nature, race they did.
Now there are plenty of people who bash NASCAR on a consistent basis. It seems no matter what NASCAR does, people will find something wrong with it. They accuse NASCAR of being a pack of money grabbing monsters hell bent on destroying stock car racing. These ‘fans’ do such thing as put a $ sign in place of the ‘S’ in NASCAR and find reasons, whether logical or not, to take NASCAR to task on everything.
The truth of course is far different. I’ve talked to NASCAR exec’s that say they are simply the luckiest NASCAR fans in the world and only want to do what’s right for fans and the sport. And I frankly believe them.
Monday while trying to dodge raindrops to get the race to at least halfway, NASCAR threw a caution flag just before 3 pm. There was no accident on the track, no debris to pickup and I sat at home watching and wondering. Then it was announced that NASCAR was taking part in the ‘Moment Of Remembrance’.
It was an amazing sight to see the entire field brought to a halt, the crews lined up on pit road and thousands of people in the stands go silent.
My wife, who is nowhere near being anything resembling a NASCAR fan, stopped what she was doing, and came to me. Like she always does she held my hand, we bowed our heads and in my mind I said the names and saw the face of my friends. Christopher, Steven, Joey, Ronnie Lee and Raymond among them.
Then we wiped a tear, she went back to whatever she was doing and the race was soon underway again.
I smiled at what NASCAR had done. With no public announcement beforehand, or no fanfare, they simply did what was right. They raced and we all celebrated our freedom while taking a moment to remember those who gave that freedom to us.
For once we as an entire NASCAR Nation can finally agree in one single voice, that NASCAR did the right thing. Monday.
This old soldier says thanks NASCAR, I’m glad I’m a fan.
Comments
As a Nascar fan thousands of miles away in Kenya, im very touched by the sensitivity shown by Nascar on such an important day in the US.The fact that i follow the series all the way from East Africa shows that its indeed a great phenomenon! Can someone wave a green flag?
It was a wonderful moment. I do hope NASCAR did it for the right reasons and it wasn't just another PR stunt to offset the recent bad publicity they have been facing.
I was at the race...there was no announcement before. They just put out a caution and explained that there was to be a moment of silence. It was awesome feeling to be there and see and hear the silence. There was no hoopla or PR coming from it. Makes me proud to be part of such a wonderful sport.
I had to listen to the race on the radio, and the thing that struck me the most was how deafening the silence was.
I watched the clip on Youtube and was really moved by the whole thing. That was one of the coolest and most moving moments I have ever seen in NASCAR.
That and the kids singing the anthem. :o)
like you said nascar usaully does the wrong thing but with this tribute they hit a grandslam God bless our fallen heros .
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