Crowdfunded NASCAR Xfinity Series Team Races to Combat Veteran Suicide

The Jewelry Republic announced today that it is officially teaming up with two Veteran Support Organization power houses, The Rosie Network and Hunt-Garrett Racing, a crowdfunded NASCAR Xfinity Series team that races to combat veteran suicide.  The Jewelry Republic is committed to bringing fine jewelry at affordable prices to Active Duty members, Veterans, First Responders, Dependants, Family and Supporters.

A passion of The Jewelry Republic is to bring awareness by giving back to causes that have personally affected the owner and employees of the company. Partnerships with these two Veteran Support Organizations help to further its mission to support military Veterans and Spouses in the advancement of their careers and, ultimately, the quality of their lives with the prevention of suicide in the military community.

Greg Boudah, founder of The Jewelry Republic and a Marine Veteran said, “We’re inspired by our military community and the unique American character we all share to stand up for our beliefs and fight for what’s most important – in this case, raising awareness and funds to end Veteran suicide. Our business, product quality and values align with our customers and it shows.”

“To the Active Duty, Veterans, First Responders, our families, dependents and all of the supporters that have helped make this happen, This Is Our Car!” Charles Mund, Chief Operating Officer, declared. “It’s come together so well and we did it as a united front, for the right cause at the right time. You couldn’t ask for anything greater and more humbling to be a part of.”

“Rosie stands for the American Entrepreneurial Spirit this country was built on and we believe those who serve have earned the right to the American Dream of business ownership.” said Stephanie Brown, CEO and Founder of The Rosie Network.

Team driver Colin Garrett’s two brothers are both Active Duty Army, making Veteran, Active Duty, and military family issues personal to him. “Our Teamis dedicated to preventing suicide in the military community and helping Veterans and military families live the American Dream they give so much to protect,” Garrett said. “The Jewelry Republic hires from within the military community, empowering military families to reach their own American Dream. They’re the perfect fit to join our mission and be featured on our car at Daytona. We’re excited to have them as part of the team!”

NASCAR’s youngest duo, 19-year-old driver Colin Garrett and 26-year-old owner Sam Hunt, announced Monday that they have exceeded their $200,000 goal to fund the new Xfinity team’s run at Daytona in February and were able to set aside enough to pay for a veteran’s stem cell treatments.

The crowdfunded “Our American Dream Team” is dedicated to combating the epidemic of veteran suicide, promoting the free services of nonprofit Racing For Heroes to help spread awareness to those in need of mental and physical health services for traumatic brain injury and PTSD.  

Both of Garrett’s brothers are Active Duty Army, with one currently deployed to Korea, making this cause personally important to him. “After promoting Racing For Heroes pro bono throughout the 2019 season, we decided we wanted to expand that effort in 2020,” said Garrett. “We’ve added nonprofit The Rosie Network to the team this year, and our goal is for each crowdfunded race to not only promote the nonprofits but to also help fund their programs.” Crowdfunding allows the team to promote the nonprofits rather than traditional corporate sponsors.

Racing For Heroes’ founder, retired Army Special Forces Mike Evock, said, “this is the first time I’ve ever seen a team use crowdfunding successfully to race, and this team is doing it to promote causes important to veterans and military families. Being able to pay for a veteran’s stem cell treatments out of the very first phase of crowdfunding is huge.” 

Stephanie Brown, founder of The Rosie Network, is the wife of a Navy SEAL who retired as Admiral with over 30 years of service. TRN provides no-cost entrepreneurial training to veterans and military spouses. 

“We’ve developed a program with Colin and Sam to promote military family-owned small businesses who contribute as little as $10 to the crowdfunding campaign,” said Brown. “The businesses also get a badge to use in their marketing that designates them as a Veteran Business Advocate of Our American Dream Team. The Rosie Network’s role in the prevention of suicide is to help military families live the American Dream they’ve given so much to protect.” 

Team owner Sam Hunt said, “being able to race at Daytona is what we all dream about, and getting to do it with a purpose much larger than NASCAR is really special.” One of his best friends is a Navy SEAL, making the cause personal to him as well.

Xfinity Team Will Promote Veterans’ Causes and the American Dream

The Rosie Network, a national award-winning network of over 30,000 Veteran and Military family-owned businesses around the country, announced today that it will partner with Colin Garrett Racing and Sam Hunt Racing to promote Veterans’ causes and the American Dream through their new crowdfunded Xfinity team.

The partnership will field the only NASCAR team backed by the American people and Veteran-owned businesses. Crowdfunding the team will allow them to focus on improving the lives of military families who have already given so much, rather than promoting a single large corporation.

Partnering with The Rosie Network is an expansion of Colin Garrett’s 2019 pro bono promotion of Racing For Heroes’ free services that combat the epidemic of Veteran suicide.

The Sam Hunt Racing-owned team will run as The Rosie Network / Racing For Heroes Toyota Supra.

“Rosie stands for the American Entrepreneurial Spirit this country was built on and we believe those who serve have earned the right to the American Dream of business ownership.  Sam and Colin exemplify that spirit by supporting Veteran and Military Spouse-Owned businesses and racing to end the crisis of veteran suicide in this country.”  

Stephanie Brown, CEO and Founder of The Rosie Network

Stephanie’s father, a Vietnam veteran and small business owner, taught her that success in life is measured by the impact we make on others.  She married now retired Rear Admiral Tom Brown (SEAL) and has raised two sons in the military.

Team owner Sam Hunt has been racing for years but says, “Racing with Colin is different than anything else I’ve ever been a part of. We’re more like a family.”

“Bringing The Rosie Network into the family will greatly enhance the fundamental changes we’re working to make. They’re the perfect complement to our existing relationship with Racing For Heroes.”

Sam Hunt, team owner

Supporting the U.S. Military is personal to driver Colin Garrett. “Both of my brothers are active-duty Army and I’ve had family members in every major conflict in our country’s history, so Veterans’ causes are important to me,” he said.

“I’m proud to be able to represent military families and companies, and to contribute to the important work that The Rosie Network is doing.”

Colin Garrett, NASCAR driver

39 cars were vying for 38 spots at the Ford Ecoboost 300 at Homestead-Miami Speedway, the 2019 season’s final NASCAR Xfinity race. Colin had to qualify 33rd or better to make the race and in his very first qualifying run at an Xfinity Series 1.5 mile speedway, he qualified 15th.

Garrett leveraged the pit crew from Stewart-Haas Racing and a Joe Gibbs Racing engine to finish the race in 21st position, in spite of having a loose wheel and fighting a bad set of tires. The rookie driver and new Xfinity team created quite a stir on social media and are using the Homestead run to build on for Daytona in February.

Not a bad debut for the @Team_SHR18 No. 26.@ColinGarrettWeb brings it home in 21st in his 2nd career #XfinitySeries race. pic.twitter.com/Ha0lVeaQQv

— Xfinity Racing (@XfinityRacing) November 17, 2019

Hunt-Garrett Racing To Compete in 2020 Series

26-year-old Sam Hunt and 19-year-old Colin Garrett, the youngest owner/driver duo in NASCAR, announced today that they are bringing a crowdfunded Xfinity Series team to the sport. Hunt-Garrett Racing will be structured around and funded by the American people and the companies that hire them.

Hunt-Garrett Racing will debut at Daytona in February’s Xfinity race with the support of Mark Cronquist and Joe Gibbs Racing Engines. They plan to run a paint scheme dedicated to their fans as they race “for and because of them.”

The crowdfunding campaign is kicking off at OurAmericanDreamTeam.com with the “First Stop: Daytona!” phase. An initial “soft launch” of the site has already raised almost $40,000.

Backers will become a part of NASCAR history, with their names included in the credits for a rewards docu-video of Hunt-Garrett Racing’s journey leading to Daytona and through Speedweeks.

Other rewards include team apparel, gloves worn by Garrett at Daytona, a backer’s name on the car, and an embroidered show suit replica of Garrett’s fire suit.

“It’s no secret that the structure of motorsports continues to rely more and more on the financial backing carried by it’s own competitors,” says Hunt.

His and Garrett’s goal is to build “a team crafted and built by every day, hard working American dreamers who share a goal in restoring the faith that hard work, proper education, and a strong moral compass can still thrive and survive at the pinnacle of our sport.”

“Working with our dedicated fans and partners that share this belief that the American Dream is very much alive, we will establish ourselves as THE team that every American can support, and every dreamer can feel directly connected to on and off the racetrack,” Hunt adds.

For additional information about Hunt-Garrett Racing and the American Dream Team crowdfunding campaign, visit OurAmericanDreamTeam.com.

Colin Garrett makes his debut driving the No. 38 Wide Open Entrepreneurs Chevrolet in NASCAR’s Gander Outdoors Truck Series Friday, Sept. 13, at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. In the words of Colin’s father:

“Like any entrepreneur, you’ve got to trust your instincts and step out of your comfort zone… Colin Garrett has never set foot in a NASCAR truck, yet on Friday he will practice for one hour, qualify and then race. To reach his goal he’s got to go wide open, just like every entrepreneur with a dream. Watch Colin Friday night, and then come get Wide Open with Steve Sims in October in South Boston VA.”

Steve Sims, author of Bluefishing: The Art of Making Things Happen,” is headlining Wide Open Entrepreneurs, a conference being presented by Colin Garrett Racing, Glerin Business Resources, and Propel GPS on October 24  to help entrepreneurs realize their dreams. The event will benefit Racing For Heroes’ fight against Veterans suicide.

Team: No. 38 Wide Open Entrepreneurs Chevrolet Silverado

Driver: Colin Garrett

Follow the Team: @NieceMotorsport; @ColinGarrettWeb

PR Contact: Michelle Brachowski; [email protected]

Colin Garrett on Racing at Las Vegas: “I’m grateful to Al Niece and everyone at Niece Motorsports for this opportunity and am really looking forward to getting on track in the No. 38 Wide Open Entrepreneurs Chevrolet,” said Garrett. “I know we will have a solid truck, so it’s just a matter of learning as much as we can in practice and applying that to qualifying and the race.”

Garrett at Las Vegas: Garrett looks to make his first start in the NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series on Friday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

About Garrett: Unlike most race car drivers who have been racing karts since early childhood, Garrett did not begin racing until he was 14 years old.  His very first year of racing was 2015, when he ran a Pure Stock car and finished 8^th in points at South Boston Speedway.

In his second season of racing in 2016, Garrett successfully transitioned to a NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Limited Late Model Stock Car and finished 4^th in points at South Boston Speedway.

In just his third racing season, Garrett was South Boston Speedway’s 2017 Limited Sportsman Division Champion and broke the track’s qualifying record twice during the season.

In 2018, Garrett raced in both the K&N Pro Series East and the Late Model Division.

The 2019 season has seen Garrett compete in the K&N Pro Series, in addition to making his first NASCAR XFINITY Series start at Richmond Raceway.

On the Truck: The No. 38 Chevrolet Silverado will carry the Wide Open Entrepreneurs colors this week at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

The inaugural Wide Open Entrepreneurs Conference, with keynote speaker Steve D. Sims, looks to help struggling businesses find success or give new entrepreneurs the tools they need to finally start their dream business.

For more information visit: www.getwideopen.com.

Colin Garrett and Sam Hunt make quite the NASCAR duo. Two young Virginians scrapping to make it in the rough and tumble world of stock car racing.

“Luckily, I’ve made a relationship with Colin (Garrett) and his dad,” says Sam. “We’ve become more of a family and they’ve worked with us to where we’re at now. His dad, the sponsors trust me even at 26 to make the most of that we can with the money we’ve got.”

Read the full story on NASCAR.com.

Rogers Heating & Cooling made their NASCAR debut June 29 on the hood of Colin Garrett’s #24 Sellers Racing Chevy at the Whelen Late Model 200, South Boston Speedway’s Fan Appreciation Night. Rogers brought heat to the track in the form of Garrett’s new car wrap and cool to the fans with the 250 fans and 250 koozies they handed out.

“The entire event at South Boston Speedway was fantastic and the turnout was great,” stated owner Joseph Rogers. “We’ve had customers calling and coming into the office all week stating they called because of the race sponsorship. They’re saying how much they appreciate us giving back to the race community and doing the race ticket giveaways last week that gave them the chance to win.”

Alyssa Rogers handles the company’s marketing and said “this has opened our eyes to a whole new world of marketing and we hope to be able to do it again in the future. We’re already seeing that it’s expanded our customer base and has been a great conversation starter all week.” To make the most of race day she planned an integrated marketing campaign leading up to the race, including newspaper ads, Facebook Live interviews with Colin, and ticket giveaways.

The sponsorship also provided an opportunity for company fun. Rogers does quarterly outings for employees to show appreciation for their hard work, and the race was their “Kickoff to Summer” event. The company rented the VIP Suite in Turn 1 for employees and their families and had 30 people cheering for Colin.

Derick Vicks, Service Leader, said “being at the race with the entire Rogers Heating & Cooling team and my son, Austin, was such a fun experience – it was neat to see the company’s logo going around the track.”

“It was fun to be at the race and was a more exciting experience to be able to cheer on a car with the logo of the company I work for – Colin did great!” added Becky Lloyd, Customer Service Leader.

Rogers Heating & Cooling also has something to remember the race by – the firesuit Colin raced in that day, branded with their logo and now showcased on display in the office.
When asked about their future NASCAR plans, Joseph Rogers said “we’re happy we chose Colin to be our driver for our first race sponsorship, and we hope to be able to sponsor him again in the future.”

Garrett added, “it’s always fun to bring in a new sponsor and show them that NASCAR isn’t just about a logo going around the track. It’s about building employee morale, connecting with the most loyal fanbase of all pro sports in the US, and actually seeing a return on your marketing investment. Rogers Heating & Cooling was great to work with, and I’m looking forward to running more races with them.”

Colin Garrett qualified second for the Memphis 150 with a 23.501 and started the race with high hopes for a win.

The race itself was disappointing, though, when mechanical problems early on resulted in what he described as a “really bad vibration at the end of the straights going into the corners.” Fighting the car the rest of the race, he brought the Sam Hunt Racing #18 Racing For Heroes Chevy across the finish line in P11.

This weekend Colin Garrett will be driving the #18 Sam Hunt Racing Chevy in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series Memphis 150 presented by AutoZone. Sam Hunt Racing is partnering with Rette Jones Racing in a technical alliance for the race.

“Colin Garrett and Sam Hunt Racing are quickly becoming players in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East and Rette Jones Racing is proud to be a part of their rapid growth, especially after their recent performances,” stated Mark Rette, one of the owners of Rette Jones Racing.

“Colin is a talented race car driver and with the two teams working together, I think everyone will be impressed with the results,” he added.

The race is scheduled for Saturday, June 1, at 10am Central Time, making this the third year in a row at Memphis International Raceway (MIR).

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