CONCORD — Race fans and sponsors are providing 1,000 tickets to active U.S. Navy SEALs and their families to attend the Coca-Cola 600 on May 29, Charlotte Motor Speedway officials announced.
A team of SEALs carried out the mission Sunday in Pakistan that resulted in the death of Al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden.
“Charlotte Motor Speedway has a rich history of honoring our nation’s military,” said Marcus Smith, president and general manager of the speedway. “However, we would be the ones honored to have members of the U.S. Navy SEALs join us for the 52nd running of the Coca-Cola 600, through the Let the Troops Race program, as a token of our gratitude for a job well done.”
Started by Charlotte Motor Speedway in 2010, the Let the Troops Race program allows fans and sponsors to purchase $20 tickets to send active military members and their families to the Coca-Cola 600.
“This is a great tribute by our fans and sponsors to the SEALs for their effort and success in Pakistan,” Smith said. “We’ll be working through the appropriate channels to host SEALs and their families at the Coca-Cola 600 as a small token of thanks to some of the servicemen and women who always make us very proud to be Americans.”
The Coca-Cola 600 annually honors U.S. military members and features the largest military pre-race show in the world, speedway officials said. More than 600 troops from Fort Bragg will assist in the large-scale military demonstration on the front stretch and three Medal of Honor recipients will be recognized on stage prior to driver introductions.
Full details of the Let Freedom Race pre-race show will be released in the near future, the speedway said.
Fans can participate in the Let the Troops Race program and send a military member and their family to the Coca-Cola 600 for $20 by calling the Speedway ticket office at 1-800-455-FANS or online at www.charlottemotorspeedway.com.
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