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Happy29
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As the second anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks approaches, the memory of those that lost their lives is in the forefront of people's minds. This is especially true of New York City police officers and firefighters. Believing that something needed to be done to honor his fallen comrades, one Bronx policeman reached out to his beloved sport and asked that it do something in memory of the victims. NASCAR responded with a resounding "Yes!" Police Officer Victor DiPierro is a lifelong resident of the Bronx and NASCAR fan. When he is not on the streets protecting the people of New York, he is at home cheering on Dale Earnhardt, Jr. in the # car. With the second anniversary of the September 11 tragedy weighing on his mind, DiPierro felt he had to do something to honor those that lost their lives - several of whom he knew personally.
Speaking of how much it moved him to see the pit crews holding American Flags and the armed forces flybys before each race, DiPierro had an idea. “I thought it would be cool to have a sticker on the cars in honor 9-11,” he explained. “Millions of people watch this sport every week. I couldn’t think of a better tribute.” With the idea in his head, the officer approached NASCAR in New York. After hearing what DiPierro had to say, the league asked him to send a sample sticker to see what it looked like and where it could be placed on the cars. The decal that the officer selected pictured the patches worn by the NYPD, FDNY and Port Authority Police Department with the Twin Towers and an American Flag in the background. The simple images were punctuated by the words “Fallen Heroes.” Seeing the sticker was enough to convince NASCAR that it was a fitting tribute. "I was talking to [NASCAR] on the phone and they told me to send them 250 stickers right away," said DiPierro. "They were willing to put the stickers on the cars." The simple, yet moving, image affected NASCAR officials enough to order that all the cars running in this weekend's Funai 250 and Chevy Rock & Roll 400 would not only carry the badge on their bodies, but on their dashboard in view of the on-board cameras. In addition, all of the teams’ haulers would wear the badge. NASCAR spokesman Rob Copelan explained why the organization decided to go forward with the sticker placement. “There’s a deep bond that goes beyond sports,” he said. “It’s about humanity and people and neighbors – about friends helping friends.”
Copelan said that NASCAR has maintained an office in New York City for over 20 years and that, like everyone in the nation, the events of September 11, 2001 affected it deeply. “NASCAR has not or never will forget the events of 9-11. We’re grateful we could say yes to Officer DiPierro. It’s a small way to remember our fallen heroes and pay our respects to the city workers that responded to the disaster.”
In order to get the stickers in a timely fashion, DiPierro worked with a local police uniform distributor to order the required number. Even with a friendly discount, DiPierro paid for the stickers out of his own pocket. Copelan said that NASCAR offered to reimburse the officer for his expenses, but the policeman declined. See full story and the decal at the XM144.com site.
Speaking of how much it moved him to see the pit crews holding American Flags and the armed forces flybys before each race, DiPierro had an idea. “I thought it would be cool to have a sticker on the cars in honor 9-11,” he explained. “Millions of people watch this sport every week. I couldn’t think of a better tribute.” With the idea in his head, the officer approached NASCAR in New York. After hearing what DiPierro had to say, the league asked him to send a sample sticker to see what it looked like and where it could be placed on the cars. The decal that the officer selected pictured the patches worn by the NYPD, FDNY and Port Authority Police Department with the Twin Towers and an American Flag in the background. The simple images were punctuated by the words “Fallen Heroes.” Seeing the sticker was enough to convince NASCAR that it was a fitting tribute. "I was talking to [NASCAR] on the phone and they told me to send them 250 stickers right away," said DiPierro. "They were willing to put the stickers on the cars." The simple, yet moving, image affected NASCAR officials enough to order that all the cars running in this weekend's Funai 250 and Chevy Rock & Roll 400 would not only carry the badge on their bodies, but on their dashboard in view of the on-board cameras. In addition, all of the teams’ haulers would wear the badge. NASCAR spokesman Rob Copelan explained why the organization decided to go forward with the sticker placement. “There’s a deep bond that goes beyond sports,” he said. “It’s about humanity and people and neighbors – about friends helping friends.”
Copelan said that NASCAR has maintained an office in New York City for over 20 years and that, like everyone in the nation, the events of September 11, 2001 affected it deeply. “NASCAR has not or never will forget the events of 9-11. We’re grateful we could say yes to Officer DiPierro. It’s a small way to remember our fallen heroes and pay our respects to the city workers that responded to the disaster.”
In order to get the stickers in a timely fashion, DiPierro worked with a local police uniform distributor to order the required number. Even with a friendly discount, DiPierro paid for the stickers out of his own pocket. Copelan said that NASCAR offered to reimburse the officer for his expenses, but the policeman declined. See full story and the decal at the XM144.com site.
