Interstate Batteries mindful of Veterans Day

Ahead of Veterans Day, Interstate Batteries partnered with Semper Fi & America’s Fund to bring nearly 20 veterans to Charlotte Motor Speedway where they enjoyed the visceral sensation of driving a NASCAR Cup Series stock car. It replicated the high-intensity experience of the kind of stressful and traumatic events these veterans experienced in combat, but in a controlled and safe environment where their adrenaline rush was placed within positive context, reducing the negative associations of their body’s natural fight-or-flight response.

“This is probably the safest adrenaline rush these guys have had since their time in combat,” said Tracey Brunetti, manager of outreach development, Semper Fi & America’s Fund. “It’s really healing for them. It’s allowed them to find camaraderie among shared experiences of service members.”

Semper Fi & America’s Fund is a nonprofit organization that provides vital support to critically wounded, ill and injured service members, veterans and military families. With the help of Interstate Batteries, the leading replacement battery brand in the United States with nearly 40 years of NASCAR involvement, Semper Fi & America’s Fund organized this NASCAR-based racing excursion for veterans whose minds and bodies still feel the scars of combat.

“Semper Fi & America’s Fund provides immediate and lifetime care for our combat wounded, ill and injured service members, including veterans and military families from all branches of the United States Armed Forces,” Brunetti said. “Experiences like this from our partners at Interstate Batteries supports one of our pillars of integrative wellness and helps keep our service members feeling supported.”

NASCAR has long honored those who serve and have served in the U.S. military. Bobby Labonte, the 2000 NASCAR Cup Series champion and a member of the NASCAR Hall of Fame who is most associated with the green-and-black Interstate Batteries car he drove for the majority of his career, has seen the sport recognize the sacrifice of active-duty personnel, veterans and their families firsthand through special events and on-track tributes.

“In NASCAR, we’ve always honored the military, and having met so many people over my career, it’s always great to come out and see what these men and women have done for our country,” Labonte said. “It’s great to be able to give back to them in a small way and to see them out here enjoying the day and doing something they have dreamed of for years.”

At Charlotte Motor Speedway, Semper Fi & America’s Fund put veterans on the same 1.5-mile oval that icons such as Richard Petty and Jeff Gordon won on during their illustrious careers. In fact, it’s where Labonte earned the first of his 21 Cup Series victories – the 1995 Coca-Cola 600 on Sunday of Memorial Day weekend.

Just like Labonte did for his 25 years as a Cup Series driver, these veterans got to climb into a Cup Series stock car emblazoned with Interstate Batteries and drive it as fast as their nerves would let them after, of course, getting some ride-along laps with a professional racer beforehand.

“I think all of us military guys really like the adrenaline rush,” said Sgt. Jon Lujan, U.S. Marine Corps. “This was something that was unbelievable. You can’t replicate it unless you’re actually on the racetrack, and going almost 150 miles an hour was amazing. I didn’t know the car was going to stick going that speed, but Bobby Labonte told us to just push the pedal to the metal and the car will stick.

“Semper Fi & America’s Fund is really good at bringing together veterans and putting them in environments where they can flourish. One of our environments is recovery through sport, and with NASCAR being a sport, it’s bringing us all together. We all have another group of friends that we can rely on whenever things get tough.”

Returning home from combat isn’t always as simple as unpacking your gear. Service members go from a place where every detail of every moment matters, to one where life moves right along as if nothing ever happened. It takes time and support to adjust to a world that suddenly feels unfamiliar, especially for individuals dealing with PTS.

“Any veteran that needs an outlet or just to get away from the four walls, to get out and do this, they’re going to be a different person when they walk off the track,” said Sgt. Maj. Dathan Edwards, U.S. Marine Corps.

Participating in racing, specifically like the one organized by Semper Fi & America’s Fund with guidance from longtime racing supporter Interstate Batteries, can foster teamwork and camaraderie, reducing feelings of isolation while building a supportive community.

“These events really do good at bringing in individuals from all walks, not just from your hometown, but just everywhere,” said Sgt. John Shafer, U.S. Marine Corps. “It kind of lets us mingle together, build new relationships, new friendships, learning about what other people did in the military.

“And then you leave here, you’ve got another lifeline to call upon if you’re having a hard time, if they’re having a hard time, and that’s what brings us together.

“That’s what we did when we were deployed – we had each other’s backs, and now that we’re out post-service, we need to do the same and have each other’s backs. It’s a great lifeline to have and I look forward to helping out the Fund any way I can.”

Driving a racecar at 150 mph with tutelage from a NASCAR Hall of Famer is an experience that is hard to replicate.

“My cheeks still hurt, I’ve been smiling so much. It’s been a great experience,” Sgt. Shafer said. “Special thanks to Interstate Batteries for putting this together with Semper Fi & America Fund. It’s going to be something I’m going to remember for a long time.”