For the first time, all five branches of the Armed Forces came together to target NASCAR fans in support of their recruiting efforts, through a special program with a Tribute to Freedom in the Millennium theme. Action Performance Companies Inc, Jay Howard Events Inc., five NASCAR Winston Cup drivers and their respective sponsors developed the program, which features race cars spectacularly painted with military service branch themes. The cars were unveiled today at the Cracker Barrel Old Country Store 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway, during a pre-race entertainment extravaganza including a skydiving exhibition by the U.S. Army Silver Wings Parachute Team, musical performances by the Band of the Air Force Reserve and fly-by aircraft demonstrations. Gen.(ret.) Colin Powell, Grand Marshal of the race, was among high-ranking military VIPs who gathered at the start/finish line to shake the hands of drivers Mike Skinner, Bobby Hamilton, Ricky Rudd, Dale Jarrett and Jerry Nadeau, as each brought their military-themed cars on-track for the very first time. All five Tribute to Freedom in the Millennium cars will make their race debuts on Memorial Day weekend at the Coca-Cola 600. #31-Mike Skinner will drive the Army scheme, #4-Bobby Hamilton the Navy, #28-Ricky Rudd the Marines, #88-Dale Jarrett the Air Force, and #25-Jerry Nadeau the Coast Guard(Business Wire)(3-12-2000) UPDATE: see some diecast images at Racing Angels. also of note: while military cars were run in the 1991 Daytona 500, it was a tribute by NASCAR for Desert Storm and out troops, not a recruiting effort by the services(3-14-2000) UPDATE 2: Racing Angels also sent me a few images of the real cars from the announcement at Atlanta on Sunday. Also an image from the new and quite improved Ricky Rudd site of the #28 and some other good images of the cars. See the images in the Paint Scheme Gallery and a story and some nice images at TachZone(3-15-2000) UPDATE 3: Found a picture of the 1991 Armed Forces cars ran in the Daytona 500, check it out at my Paint Scheme Gallery(3-15-2000)
