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NASCAR: Bubba Wallace Pens Heartfelt Post to ‘True Heroes’ in Honor of Memorial Day

NASCAR driver Bubba Wallace is celebrating the men and women who served in the military on this Memorial Day. He penned a heartfelt post to the “true heroes” out there.

On Twitter, the 23XI Racing driver shared a photo of himself meeting with a U.S. Army soldier. The meeting took place Sunday before the NASCAR Cup Series Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Along with the picture, Wallace also shared his thoughts on the meeting and on Memorial Day.

The driver got emotional in remembering fallen soldiers. He wrote, “Thankful for the chance to spend some time with the true hero’s yesterday. Let us not forget what today is about, remembering those that sacrificed all – those that put their lives before ours. Let us carry their memory on from generation to generation.”

Bubba Wallace Remembers a Fallen Soldier

Of course, a Twitter post wasn’t the only way Bubba Wallace honored soldiers and veterans on Memorial Day. At the Coca-Cola 600 on Sunday, Wallace joined his fellow drivers in driving specialized cars designed in remembrance of fallen soldiers.

NASCAR wanted to honor soldiers that sacrificed their lives in the line of duty. So, Wallace adopted a new paint job for the race. His Toyota made a striking impression with white accents against an all-black paint job. Wallace and his team didn’t choose a traditional patriotic scheme such as red, white, and blue. But they did incorporate the American flag in other ways.

For instance, the Toyota drew from the stars and stripes directly for inspiration. Wallace’s team decorated both the rear bumper and side panels in stripes. Meanwhile, they incorporated stars along with the front tires and bumper as well.

Each of the Memorial Day designs was for a soldier who died while serving in the military. Bubba Wallace chose to honor Staff Sergeant Paul Velazquez at the race. Velazquez passed away in 2003 during Operation: Iraqi Freedom. He died along with 15 soldiers after an insurgent shot down their helicopter. The sergeant was 29-years-old and left behind a wife and three children. His wife was pregnant at the time of his death.

Wallace honored Velazquez with the design, featuring “SSG VELAZQUEZ” across the upper section of the car’s windshield. Velazquez was one of several deceased military members honored by the event. In response, several of Wallace’s followers thanked him for the gesture.

One wrote, “So awesome to see that paint scheme Bubba! You did very good yesterday, hopefully it will boost your confidence!”