For former drill sergeant and United States Army all-star, Derek Heavener, of Huntington, W. Va., the dream of being a NASCAR All-Star has come true thanks to Charlotte Motor Speedway. Heavener, who wrote an essay detailing why he should be considered for the ‘Be an All-Star’ Facebook contest, was selected as the grand prize winner from more than 500 entries. ‘I ‘ve served my country honorably in the United States Army for 19 years. I ‘ve been deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan and Kosovo and have stood shoulder to shoulder with some of the greatest all-stars of our time; the American soldier,’ wrote Heavener. Heavener won two tickets to the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race on May 19, pre-race pit passes, VIP parking for the race and a role in Charlotte Motor Speedway’s 2012 NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race commercial. He will join NASCAR stars Mark Martin, Paul Menard, Junior Johnson and the 2011 NASCAR Sprint All-Star race winner Carl Edwards on the set for a behind-the-scenes look at one of NASCAR’s most creative commercials, shot in a replica Wild West town. 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Tony Stewart, SPEED TV personality Jeff Hammond and NASCAR Hall of Famer Darrell Waltrip also will star in the commercial.(CMS)(1-21-2012)
