Local Vet in Contest to have NASCAR Race Named for Him!
Here’s some interesting news from our backyard,courtesy of the Times Union newspaper:
A Clifton Park soldier and longtime car racing fan needs your vote: He’s one of five finalists to have a major NASCAR race named after him.
New York Army National Guard Staff Sgt. Brian Speach is in the running to have the May 1 NASCAR race at Richmond International Raceway named “The Brian Speach 400 Sponsored by Crown Royal.”
Speach, 43, was nominated for the honor by a fellow guardsman after serving a half dozen times in Iraq or Afghanistan since joining the Navy in 1986, and for resuscitating 8-year-old John Edward, who had almost drowned in the pool of the Saratoga Springs Hilton Inn on Sept. 19.
The combat veteran is a finalist in the Crown Royal Canadian Whiskey’s “Your Name Here Military 400.” If Speach receives the most votes here by Friday, the race will be his.
As a finalist, Speach and his wife Theresa, also a NASCAR fan, won a free trip to the Daytona 500 in Florida on Sunday, Valentine’s Day. The winner of the Crown Royal contest will be announced from Daytona Friday.
Speach is a massive Miller Light racing fan, so having a race carry his name and being honorary starter would be overwhelming.“That would be like the best experience I ever had,” he said.