Patriotic paint schemes honor Armed Forces

Matt Kenseth's No. 17 car adorned with a tribute to the Stephen Siller
Tunnel to Towers/Gary Sinise Foundation paint scheme in Martinsville.
Credit: Genevieve Cadorette/Skirts and Scuffs

Quite often, drivers show their support for our United States Armed Forces by honoring them with a special, patriotic paint scheme on their cars.

The 2012 Daytona 500 winner Matt Kenseth sported a special scheme two weekends ago in Martinsville. Partnering with The Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers/Gary Sinise Foundation, Kenseth's Ford Fusion honored United States Marine Cpl. Josh “J.B.” Kerns, who fought in Afghanistan. Kerns, a combat engineer, was working a mine sweep in Afghanistan on April 7, 2011 when he was injured by an IED explosion that led to the loss of both legs and one arm.

To pay tribute to this Marine, The Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers/Gary Sinise Foundation, and Building for a Better America, have joined forces in an effort to build a new "smart home" which will help Kerns recover from the injuries. The home will be built in his hometown of Ararat, Virginia, which is located near the Martinsville Speedway.

In conjunction with the special paint scheme, Lionel NASCAR Collectibles, the official die-cast of NASCAR, has partnered up with the program to sell a special die-cast model of Kenseth's Martinsville Ford. Available for pre-order, proceeds from the die-cast will go toward building Kerns' "smart home."

"It's an honor for us to run this paint scheme," Kenseth said, "We have a lot to be thankful for this country, and a lot we take for granted on a daily basis. Our soldiers like J.B. make sacrifices every day that I think anyone can truly comprehend, so I am grateful for the bravery he has shown. By running this paint scheme, I hope that people will support this great organization to build the home that he deserves for his service."

Credit: Genevieve Cadorette/Skirts and Scuffs

Kenseth isn't the only driver honoring America's military heroes. NASCAR has a rich history of supporting the military and on Monday announced the launch of NASCAR Unites - “An American Salute.” Cars will be covered from splitter to spoiler in red, white and blue on for the Memorial Day Weekend Coca-Cola 600, and again in Daytona July 7th.

Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s No. 88 National Guard Chevrolet was unveiled Monday morning at the White House in front of 30,000 people who attended the 134th Annual East Egg Roll event.

Photo Credit: NASCAR Media.com

All three of NASCAR's series will show support in their own unique ways from logo stickers, to painting their cars in the red, white, and blue colors.

Drivers committed to NASCAR Unites – An American Salute alongside Earnhardt are Tony Stewart, Danica Patrick, Greg Biffle, Brad Keselowski and Carl Edwards.

Genevieve is a freelance writer with a day job in childcare. She resides on one side of Lake Norman in North Carolina near all the race teams. When not writing about NASCAR or at the day job, she's working out, running, in yoga class or just simply hanging out with friends. Genevieve can be reached on twitter: @C_Genevieve