Showing posts with label Charlotte NC. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Charlotte NC. Show all posts

Thursday, June 4, 2009

NASCAR stops all for moment of silence on Memorial Day!

I just got off the phone with someone who was there. He asked about my trip to Washington and then he told me this. He said that everyone in the crowd was misty. What a wonderful way to honor the men and women that paid the price with their lives! Amazing video!




NASCAR Pauses for Moment of Silence
Drivers, Crews, Fans Honor Fallen
Heroes
Updated: Monday, 25 May 2009, 4:40 PM EDT
Published : Monday, 25 May 2009, 4:00 PM EDT

By EMILY STONE/myfoxdc
CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Just as Americans across the country stopped their holiday barbeques and celebrations Monday to remember their country's fallen heroes, drivers and fans at NASCAR's Coca-Cola 600 in Charlotte, North Carolina did the same.

In a moving tribute, NASCAR officials brought the race to a halt at lap 166, bringing out the red flag and joining the nation in a moment of silence at 3 p.m. to honor U.S. veterans and servicemen and women. NASCAR threw out the yellow caution flag at lap 163, and the drivers came to a stop three laps later— shutting off their engines on the frontstretch at Lowe's Motor Speedway. Crew members lined pit road to observe the moment of silence, and flags were at half staff all around the track.

The crowd, at least for the most part, was also quiet during the tribute. Some drivers, like Tony Stewart, waved small American flags out the window of their cars as they drove to a stop.

The 600-mile race was scheduled to be run on Sunday, but it was delayed and pushed to Monday due to rain in the Charlotte area.

President Barack Obama called on the nation stop at 3 p.m. local time and observe the National Moment of Remembrance . He also proclaimed Memorial Day as a day of prayer for permanent peace.

Watch video of NASCAR's tribute by clicking on video to the left.