Gunnery Sgt. Samuel Deeds |
This summer, Deeds will travel to
one of the country's most historic tracks, Indianapolis Motor Speedway not as a
fan or employee, but as the race’s namesake.
On June 27 in his hometown of
Erlanger, Ky., Deeds was recognized as the winner of Crown Royal's "Your
Hero's Name Here" program, which awards one deserving individual naming
rights to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race Sunday, July 28 at IMS. Surrounded
by friends, family and Marines, Deeds cemented his place in the NASCAR record
books by laying the final brick, engraved with the official race logo, in a
ceremonial "Yard of Bricks" at Flagship Park in Erlanger.
While deployed in Iraq, Deeds
came across an improvised explosive device while setting up a vehicle
checkpoint. Upon seeing fellow Marines approaching, he exposed himself to the
device, risking his life to save others. He was severely injured and underwent
more than 30 surgeries and procedures following the blast. Three years later,
while still recovering, Deeds' heroic instincts took charge once again when he
saved the lives of three individuals caught in a rip tide off the coast of
North Carolina.
In addition to Deeds' friends and
family, special representatives from Crown Royal, Big Machine Label Group and
IMS attended the ceremony and spoke of Deeds' many accomplishments. NASCAR
driver Kurt Busch surprised Deeds during the ceremony, appearing on behalf of the
Armed Forces Foundation , and country music star Justin Moore debuted a special
song titled "Heroes," which was penned specifically for the
"Your Hero's Name Here" program.
Consumers 21 and over can visit CrownHeroesSong.com to download
"Heroes" for free. For every download redeemed between now and the
Crown Royal Presents the Samuel Deeds 400 at the Brickyard Powered by
BigMachineRecords.com July 28, Crown Royal will donate $1 to AFF.
"I was so fortunate to be
part of this program last summer," Moore said. "That experience and
the brave men and women I met along the way served as inspiration for this new
song. The opportunity to debut 'Heroes' in front of a true hero like Samuel,
his friends, family and community is incredibly special to me as well as all of
the folks at BMLG."
This will mark the seventh time
Crown Royal has awarded race naming rights to an adult fan. After receiving
thousands of entries during the nomination period, five heroes were chosen as
finalists, and adult fans had the opportunity to cast their votes for the
person they felt was most deserving of the honor. As the winner of the program,
Deeds will participate in a VIP race weekend experience, riding in the pre-race
pace car, delivering the trophy bearing his name to the race winner in Victory
Lane and participating in the "kissing the bricks" ceremony following
the race.
"I've been a NASCAR fan for
as long as I can remember, so the reality of having my name on a track with
such rich history and meaning is beyond words," Deeds said. "I am so
grateful to all of those who took the time to hear my story and vote for me. I
can't wait to attend the race and dedicate that special weekend to all fellow
servicemen and women who put their lives on the line every day."
Deeds, now retired from his
service in the Marines, is a husband and father of two boys. His wife, April,
nominated him for the program for his unwavering commitment to his country.
"We could not be more
honored to announce Gunnery Sgt. Samuel Deeds as the 2013 'Your Hero's Name
Here' winner," said Abby Wise, brand director for Crown Royal. "His
sacrifice and continued acts of heroism serve as an inspiration to all of us at
Crown Royal, and we are proud to provide him with the ultimate race experience
at the Brickyard next month."
The official race title, Crown
Royal Presents the Samuel Deeds 400 at the Brickyard Powered by
BigMachineRecords.com, will be incorporated into race memorabilia as well as
the winner's trophy. Various events and celebrations will take place leading up
to and throughout race weekend to honor Deeds, during which Crown Royal would
like to remind adult consumers to please drink responsibly.
"It is our privilege to
participate in this program with Crown Royal for the second year at IMS,"
said Indianapolis Motor Speedway Corporation Chief Operating Officer Doug
Boles. "We've been introduced to so many deserving American heroes, and we
look forward to rolling out the red carpet for Samuel and all other heroes in
attendance at this year's race."
Through a partnership with Crown
Royal and IMS, country music artists from Big Machine Label Group including
Justin Moore, The Cadillac Three, Cassadee Pope and Dustin Lynch, will perform
special concerts throughout the race weekend.
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