Kentucky Speedway, in partnership with the USO, today dedicated a POW/MIA Chair of Honor, which is a permanent tribute to all United States Prisoners of War (POW) and Soldiers Missing in Action (MIA).
The chair will sit empty at all times on the concourse level near the Bluegrass Club in recognition of American soldiers who never returned home and those who suffered in captivity during military service. The POW/MIA Chair of Honor is all-black with the words "You Are Not Forgotten" inscribed underneath the POW/MIA insignia.
The dedication coincided with the National POW/MIA Recognition Day.
COL Fred W. Bates V, Commander 238TH Rgt., Kentucky National Guard spoke at the ceremony. American Legion Post 41 from Carrollton, Kentucky presented the nation's colors.
"We are honored to partner with the Kentucky Speedway to memorialize our POW/MIA's with this Chair of Honor," said Executive Director for the USO Central and Southern Ohio, Sherry Ems. "As we continue to serve our current service members, we can never forget the sacrifice made over the years by our POW/MIA's. May this chair be a reminder to never forget our POW/MIA's and the sacrifices of their families."
The POW/MIA Chair of Honor program began in Boston in 2012 and has since spread throughout the country. It was developed to honor the 91,000 service members who remain unaccounted for since World War II.
"We are honored to be a part of this program and to again work with the USO to recognize our service men and women," said Mark Simendinger, Kentucky Speedway General Manager. "As thousands of race fans each year visit the seat, they will be reminded of the sacrifice made by our soldiers and their families for our freedom. What a great addition to Kentucky Speedway."
The 2020 season at Kentucky Speedway begins in July with the return of a NASCAR tripleheader weekend anchored by the NASCAR Cup Series Quaker State 400 presented by Walmart on Saturday, July 11. The Gander Outdoors Truck Series 225 starts the weekend on Thursday, July 9 and the Xfinity Series Alsco 300 is Friday, July 10.
Tickets, Pre-Race Passes and campsites are on sale at http://www.kentuckyspeedway.com, by calling (859) 578-2300 or visiting our speedway ticket offices at 1 Speedway Drive, Sparta, Kentucky 41086, just off Interstate Highway 71 Exit 57 and Kentucky Highway 35 N.
About Kentucky Speedway
Owned by Speedway Motorsports, Kentucky Speedway is a 1.5-mile tri-oval located in Sparta, Kentucky just 35 miles south of Greater Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky. The track attracts fans from the Tri-State area of Kentucky, Ohio, and Indiana and beyond. Entering its 21st season of racing, the speedway hosts all three national NASCAR series.
In July, the venue will present the tenth running of the NASCAR Cup Series Quaker State 400 presented by Walmart. Prior to 2011, Kentucky Speedway hosted stand-alone NASCAR Xfinity Series and the NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series races. Currently, all three races take place in a July NASCAR tripleheader weekend.
The venue also is home to many other special events throughout the year including concerts, driving schools, car shows, and fitness runs.
About the USO
The USO has been serving our military since 1941. Our mission is to Keep America's Military Service Members connected to family, home and country throughout their service to the nation. Our USO of Central and Southern Ohio covers 65 counties in Ohio, West Virginia and Kentucky. We have Airport lounges at CVG, Dayton and Columbus Airports; we also have a lounge at the Military Entrance Processing Station in Columbus as well as a Wright-Patterson AFB USO. In addition to our lounges, we also offer many other programs to support our local military and their families. So far in 2019, we have served over 110,000 service members and their families.
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