Over Memorial Weekend, tire and rubber giant Goodyear leverages its NASCAR rights to generate support for the US military through its Goodyear Gives Back initiative – a multi-platform charitable programme benefiting the charity Support Our Troops.
The most visible part of the program, running over the Memorial Weekend races at the Charlotte Motor Speedway, sees Goodyear transform all its Memorial Weekend NASCAR race tires by replacing its familiar ‘Eagle’ brand sidewall logo with ‘Support Our Troops’ messaging.
Among the campaign’s other major activation strands is a digital charity auction – at www.Goodyear.com/GivesBack – featuring a range of autographed NASCAR memorabilia, VIP race experiences and even rides on the Goodyear Blimp.
Fans can visit the site from late May through 6 June and bid for unique NASCAR artefacts including the Support Our Troops tires, VIP race day experiences, autographed racing items, as well as sampling buying Support Our Troops merchandise, or making a direct donation.
All proceeds go to Support Our Troops: a non-for-profit nationwide organisation working to bolster the morale and well-being of America’s troops and their families.
As well as through PR and on-track work, the initiative is also being promoted via a programme web films.
Support Our Troops provides simple constructive ways for citizens and community minded businesses to show their patriotism and appreciation for those who sacrifice so much to protect our country, our homes, our families, and our American way of life.
This is the sixth incarnation of the campaign from the exclusive tire partner of NASCAR’s three major racing series and it aims to rally racing fans emotional and practical support the US armed forces.
‘For the past six years, the Goodyear Gives Back program has helped us bring race fans and the NASCAR community together in showing support for troops and their families,’ comments Goodyear’s NASCAR marketing manager Kris Kienzl.
‘The response has been overwhelming. More than 40 NASCAR teams, sponsors and tracks have joined this year’s effort by providing items for our charity auction and spreading the word among fans.’
‘The Goodyear Gives Back program continues to be one of the most visible symbols of military support during the Memorial Day race weekend,’ adds NASCAR Vice Chairman Mike Helton.
‘We hope the combined efforts of Goodyear and NASCAR will encourage fans to show their support for the men and women who serve or have served our nation.’
According to Support Our Troops executive director Martin Boire: ‘The Goodyear Gives Back program has played a critical role in raising awareness and funds to better the lives of service men and women and their families. It’s a great symbol of support for those who sacrifice so much for our freedom.’
Thus far, Goodyear Gives Back has generated around $1m in donations.
Goodyear as a company actually has a relationship with the US military that dates back more than 100 years.
After all, it is the largest producer of military tires in the U.S.
Indeed, the company is recognised as a Top 100 ‘Military Friendly Employer’ by GI Jobs magazine for its leadership in both hiring and supporting veterans.
In 2014, Goodyear achieved its three-year recruitment goal of hiring more than 1,000 veterans and then immediately committed to hiring an additional 1,000 veterans in 2015.
(Veterans interested in careers opportunities at Goodyear can visit Goodyear.com/careers.)
Comment
This year, the Goodyear program is one pillar in the sport’s umbrella ‘NASCAR An American Salute: 600 Miles Of Remembrance’ initiative for Memorial Weekend.
This seven-week project highlights NASCAR’s ongoing support of the US Armed Forces and veterans and runs in harness with several major NASCAR sponsors including Goodyear, Coca-Cola, M&Ms and Bank Of America.
Another aspect of the initiative saw the sport honour fallen service members with windshield tribute at the Coca-Cola 600.
On 18 May, when the NASCAR drivers started their engines for the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway fans saw the famous and familiar driver names on the car windscreens replaced by the names of some of those soldiers and sailors who have died while serving their country: including SGT Mracek, HM3 Layton and CPT Argel.
Every one of the 43 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers participated in this ‘600 Miles of Remembrance’ commemoration as a ‘collective expression of reverence, respect and gratitude for those who have served and continue to defend our nation today’.
Many of the service members whose names were displayed on the race cars were chosen by the teams themselves and several have personal and unique connections to the fallen.
For instance, Private Dean Van Dyke, whose name appeared on the No.16 Roush Fenway car, was a relative of the driver Greg Biffle and was killed in the Vietnam War.
While No.83 BK Racing car carried the name of US Army First Lieutenant Daniel Hyde. Hyde, killed during Operation Iraqi Freedom, served alongside racing team tire changer Chris Clayton.
Many of the families of these service men and women were invited to the circuit by NASCAR and some were introduced alongside the drivers during driver introductions.
Indeed, the Charlotte Motor Speedway hosted around 6,000 active military members at the Coca-Cola 600 in honour of Memorial Day.
Racing fans can follow military salute stories on the campaign microsite and share their personal expressions of thanks to the military using the #NASCARSalutes hashtag on social media.
‘The NASCAR community rallying to honour the US Armed Forces, past and present, has long been part of our sport’s heritage,’ says NASCAR COO Brent Dewar.
‘As part of NASCAR: An American Salute, 600 Miles of Remembrance represents a special moment in time as we pay tribute to service members who have sacrificed dearly for our freedom.’
Other ‘NASCAR: An American Salute’ on- and off-track activation strands activities ranged from specially prepared Honour and Remember flags, a military family hosting scheme, plus specific race and pace car patriotic branding from both Chevrolet and Ford.
As well as Goodyear Gives Back, other sponsor-led activations included:
- Bank of America is the presenting partner of NASCAR Troops to the Track — a season-long program that honors members of the military and their families for their services, and treats them to a NASCAR race experience. This program is an extension of Bank of America’s long-standing commitment to the military, focused on helping veterans and service members’ transition to civilian life.
- NASCAR, Coca-Cola, Mars Chocolate North America, and 3M have collaborated to engage shoppers in over 180 military commissaries. On Tuesday, May 19, there will be all-day activation at Fort Bragg Commissary South featuring an appearance by Coca-Cola Racing Family MemberJoey Logano, who will be giving away tickets to the Coca-Cola 600. From May 18 to July 8, commissary shoppers can enter the 2015 Champion’s Week Sweepstakes for a chance to win a trip to Las Vegas for NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion’s Week by texting “NASCARSALUTE” to 313131 or by visiting www.championsweek2015.com.
- M&M’s will introduce a national letter-writing campaign, in partnership with Operation Gratitude, encouraging fans to send messages of thanks and appreciation to military members. The notes will be included in more than 100,000 Operation Gratitude Care Packages which will be assembled and shipped to Troops deployed in harm’s way and to New Recruits upon their graduation from Boot Camp.
- During Daytona International Speedway’s Coke Zero 400, all active duty military, veterans and their families can enjoy the Troops Welcome Center Presented by M&M’s. The center, which will be located in the midway, will be fully equipped with food and beverages, allowing service members to take a break and meet NASCAR drivers throughout the weekend.
- In honour of the military, Miss Sprint Cup will wear NASCAR: An American Salute fire suits at the Coca-Cola 600 and Coke Zero 400.
- On Sunday, NASCAR drivers discussed 600 Miles of Remembrance on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (channel 90) during a special military tribute show. The Dialed In Salute to the Troops special, hosted by Claire B. Lang, will feature interviews with several drivers as well as service men and service women from different branches of the military.
- During the Coca Cola 600 pre-race broadcast, FOX Sports will recognize all service members who have lost their lives in the past year by displaying their names and branch of service on a graphic scroll. This will be FOX’s fifth year in a row dedicating the pre-race show to service members that have fallen in the line of duty.
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) is the sanctioning body for the USA’s biggest form of motorsports and it is primarily focused on three national series: the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, the NASCAR XFINITY Series, and the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.
Links
Goodyear Gives Back Website:
https://www.goodyear.com/en-US/company/goodyear-gives-back
Goodyear Website:
Support Our Troops Website:
NASCAR Website:
NASCAR: An American Salute
NASCAR An American Salute 600 Miles Of Remembrance:
NASCAR Facebook:
NASCAR Twitter:
