LACKLAND AIR FORCE BASE, Texas –
NASCAR driver Reed Sorenson, who drives the No. 43 Air Force-sponsored car, and his crew got a taste of a basic military trainee's life during a recent two-day visit to Lackland.
Sorenson and the Gillett Evernham Motorsports crew underwent the introduction to the Air Force in an abridged version of BMT.
The crew began with a briefing on Lackland's mission by Tech. Sgt. Jeffrey Martin and Tech. Sgt. Richard Burley, 37th Training Support Squadron.
The racing team then moved to the 324th Training Squadron dormitory for lunch, received haircuts at the BMT Shoppette, exercised with combat controllers and tested their firearm proficiency at the 342nd range.
The visit finished at the parade grounds for the BMT graduation on the final day of their visit.
Celebrating his 23rd birthday yesterday, the three-time Nationwide series winner will get behind the wheel of the Air Force sponsored Dodge stock car for the first time at the famed Daytona Motor Speedway.
"All the crew guys understand that you are representing something a little bit different than a brand name," Sorenson said as the crew shuttled around Lackland. "There is honor in it and we take it seriously, and we want to represent (the Air Force) well."
Sorenson does not have qualms about crossing into the Air Force blue paint job.
"I feel good," he said. "They made it look like the sky so it's a pretty cool looking car. As long as it's fast we'll be good."
Along with having Air Force as a primary sponsor, the agreement between Gillett Evernham Motorsports and Richard Petty Motorsports places Sorenson at the forefront of a new team.
"You know, looking back to last year, now that it has all come together, it's 10 times more exciting than we thought it was going to be as far as how much we've got going on," Sorenson said. "It's a big season for us."
After getting to know life as an Airman in the Air Force through visits at Lackland and flying co-pilot in an F-15 at Tyndall AFB, Fla., Sorenson drew a comparison.
"It definitely takes dedication," he said. "Just like racing does, it takes a lot of time out of your life but everybody seemed to enjoy what they did."
When talking about manning a machine that tops 200 mph, the racer since six years old said, "That's what I do; I love it. Fear is having to eject out of an F-15. I was a little worried about that."
Sorenson's first chance for points in the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series will be at the Daytona 500 Feb. 15.