Race Car Tribute to Vietnam Veterans

Auto of honor: Motley man pays tribute to Vietnam vets with race car

By Brainerd Dispatch 
April 1, 2019 

Barry Mudford crouched down to read the names of his fallen comrades closer.

A veteran of the Vietnam War, Mudford recognized some of the men listed—those soldiers from the Brainerd lakes area who lost their lives in the conflict. The names were part of a custom-designed wrap on a Mod 4 car owned by Jess Geesey, a racer participating in the North Central Speedway car show Friday, March 29, at the Westgate Mall.

Geesey, who races at the Barrows track on Saturdays during the summer season, said he wanted to honor Vietnam veterans—including his own father, who he said served as a tanker during the war. With the help of Corcoran-based Cain Designs and Wraps, Geesey's race car does just that, bumper to bumper. read more here

Mazda's MX-5 Cup race car driver amputee Marine

Marine races on despite combat injuries
Staff Sgt. Liam Dwyer competing at Laguna Seca
Monterey Herald
By Tony Karis
POSTED:05/02/2014
MONTEREY

Marine Staff Sgt. Liam Dwyer's current deployment is in one of Mazda's MX-5 Cup race cars driving for Freedom Autosport.

Marine Staff Sgt. Liam Dwyer, a team driver with Freedom Autosport, practices a vehicle exit with driver assistant Robert Pielli at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca on Friday. Dwyer is combat-wounded Marine who was injured in Iraq in 2007 and in Afghanistan in 2011, when he lost his left leg.
(Vern Fisher - Monterey Herald)

"Racing is not cheap," Dwyer said. "I'm very fortunate to have Mazda and Freedom Autosport giving me this opportunity; without them I couldn't do it."

Despite the loss of his left leg from the thigh down and having little to no feeling in his right hand and arm, Dwyer is able, with some mechanical help, to drive. He makes his first professional appearance as a race driver this weekend at the Continental Tire Monterey Grand Prix at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.

Dwyer's tours of duty were interrupted by injuries inflicted by improvised explosive devices. In Iraq in 2007, the left side of his body was seriously damaged when his Humvee hit a roadside bomb. He lost his left leg in Afghanistan in 2011 when he stepped on an IED while searching a compound. His rehabilitation began in 2012 and will last for another year before he returns to civilian life.

His prosthetic left leg is his biggest challenge in driving the car. A special prosthesis was modified to fit onto the clutch pedal with a quick-release pin in case of an emergency.
read more here