Blackhawks & Ospreys Blow The ZBT Gang Away At NASCAR Salutes Weekend

For our final video at Charlotte Motor Speedway for #NASCARsalutes, ZeroBlog30 got to go behind the scenes of the race-day ceremonies with troops from every branch.

There was pomp, circumstance, and a massive gust of Blackhawk wind that blew my freshly cracked open, ice-cold soda can 500 yards down the track when I was a little hungover & incredibly thirsty. But that didn’t get me down because my freedom b*oner was way up.

Seeing 82nd Airborne soldiers fast-rope to the ground with complete ease, in the middle of a racetrack no less, gave me a great appreciation for what these men & women do every day.. Especially thinking about how my own joints crack when I hop off a curb now.

It was also great getting to talk to the pilots doing the flyover in V-22 Ospreys; their kids would be in the stands watching as their dads burst onto the scene through fireworks during the National Anthem…. Probably a moment they won’t soon forget.

This was also the day we got to meet the Commandant of the Marine Corps, and spend time with Medal of Honor Recipient Kyle Carpenter. In all honesty, General Neller couldn’t have been nicer (but terrified me a little bit), and Kyle Carpenter was one of the best, most genuine human beings I’ve ever met. As a Marine, both were really incredible experiences for me.

All in all it was an amazing experience & I stayed through all 600 miles of the race after the military salutes were done. Much love to NASCAR for their hospitality & the time they took to make this a special event for the troops.

The NASCAR Cup Series race is this Sunday at Michigan International Speedway at 2:00PM EST on FOX Sports 1.