The name of fallen Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officer Fred Thornton will be featured on Kurt Busch’s #22 Shell-Pennzoil Dodge Charger in the Coca Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Thornton, a longtime SWAT officer, died in February after a flash-bang device detonated at his home. The tribute is the work of the Shell Fuel for Success program, which works with several law enforcement agencies across the U.S. to mentor young people and expose them to careers in the racing industry. The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department is one of the participating agencies. “We consider each of our fellow officers as ‘brothers,'” said Officer Todd Smith, a member of the Colton Police Department in southern California who works with the Shell program. Thornton’s widow will come to the speedway to see the tribute. “My husband was a police officer who loved his job for 29 years,” Linda Thornton said in a statement. “He was just a regular guy who loved his beer and racing on the weekend, and for Shell and Kurt Bush to honor him like this is very humbling. Everyone has been so kind, and the family is so very appreciative to Shell and Kurt paying tribute to Fred in this very special way.”(Charlotte Observer)(5-29-2011)
