Stories in this newsletter;
- Meet the 2026 SRO Beneficiaries
- Beneficiary Challenge Coin Presentations
- More pics from Sonoma
- 3000 Followers on FB and growing
- OpMo @ Mobil 1 Twelve hours of Sebring
- Beneficiary Spotlight – Richard Davenport
- Chris Glandon, Message of gratitude
- eMotorsport League Season 12 – Round 4 recap
- Operation Motorsport Podcast – Episode 4
- Beneficiary testimonial – Chris Glandon
- Veterans Race of Remembrance entries opened March 3rd
-
Calling Canadian Beneficiaries
| | | Meet the 2026 SRO Beneficiaries | | For more information on the Motorsport Immersion program for U.S. veterans with a VA/VAC rating, visit https://operationmotorsport.org/motorsport-immersion/ | | |
Introducing 2026 Motorsport Immersion beneficiary Aaron Falk!
We are happy to have Falk join us for the second year of his program, assigned to Orlando Motorsport Services in the McLaren Trophy America series.
Good luck Aaron & OMS!
📸 Jonathan Croly, event coordinator
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Introducing 2026 Motorsport Immersion beneficiary Ben Lauder!
Lauder joined the U.S. Army as an infantryman in South Florida after high school, before switching to Explosive Ordnance Disposal later on.
Lauder’s wife is an Active Duty Civil Affairs Officer serving at Ft. Bragg, N.C.
Lauder will work with SRO Motorsports Group Tech.
Welcome Ben & good luck this season! We are happy to have you!
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Introducing (count ‘em!) two new 2026 Motorsport Immersion beneficiaries assigned to Random Vandals Racing’s GT World Challenge America program!
Both Munnings (U.S.M.C. 2147 Light Armored Vehicle Mechanic) & Holladay (U.S. Army combat veteran with the 101st Airborne Division) have experience with track days so they will certainly have no trouble finding their way around Sonoma Raceway.
Good luck Nathan, Logan & our partners at RVR!
🦝 Not to mention program alumni Dave Bell, who, we are sure, is teaching our rookies a thing or two.
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Introducing 2026 Motorsport Immersion beneficiary Brian Sayer!
Brian served multiple deployments as a combat engineer in the U.S. Army.
He enters his second year with Archangel Motorsport Services, competing in GT World Challenge America.
Good luck, Brian & Archangel!
📸 Richard Davenport, U.S. Army/Navy veteran & Operation Motorsport beneficiary
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Introducing 2026 Motorsport Immersion beneficiary Trenton Seck! (He’s the one on the left with wife Sara & son Gunnar 🤣). Seck will work with OGH Motorsports.
Seck is a combat veteran & served as an Airborne Infantryman with the 1-501st out of Anchorage, AK.
Seck grew up attending NASCAR races with his father, who was a Ford mechanic for 40 years.
Good luck Trenton & OGH!
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Camen Lackney
Operation eMotorsport League ✔️
Motorsport Immersion program assignment = Complete!
We at #OpMo get tremendous motivation through watching our veterans with a VA/VAC rating make progress in their unique healing journeys. Camen Lackney, a U.S. Army veteran, is starting his first year with the Motorsport Immersion program assigned to SRO Motorsports Group Tech after joining us first in our virtual community, the Operation eMotorsport League (iRacing).
“Operation Motorsport has given me the chance to be the father figure I want to be. Before, I did not know what I would do with my life & had given up on everything. But now I am able to hold my head up high & set an example for my daughter. No matter what struggles you go through, you persevere & endure it. There is always something greater on the other side of whatever personal struggles you are going through,” Camen Lackney.
Good luck, Camen! We are excited to see what you will do.
| | | Beneficiary Challenge Coin Presentations | |
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The tradition of military Challenge Coins dates back decades. It’s a way to show you are part of a Team. Here at Operation Motorsport, each of the veteran beneficiaries participating in the Motorsport Immersion program receives a numbered gold challenge coin.
Don’t forget to carry it with you! You never know when you might be challenged to show it!
SRO Motorsports Group | Sonoma Raceway
| | | | More Sonoma moments captured | | |
You are the reason we do what we do. Our veterans, their families & friends, all those who support our soldiers in the next chapter of their lives. Even when it’s hard.
We’ve built this community to 3,000 (on Facebook alone!).
If all of our followers donated just $22 today, together we could make a $66,000 impact on our programs. Talk about BIG potential!
To donate: https://operationmotorsport.org/donate-us/
Thank you for joining us as we provide Team, Identity & Purpose to our veterans with a VA/VAC rating.
| | Operation Motorsport @ Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring | |
Beneficiary Spotlight – Richard Davenport
If you’ve been around Operation Motorsport lately, you’ll recognize work by photographer Richard Davenport (U.S. Army/Navy).
When’s he’s not at races for us, you can find him on the Operation Motorsport podcast & competing in the Operation eMotorsport League. He captured all the action at Sonoma Raceway for the GT World Challenge America season-opener.
| | A Video Message of Gratitude from Operation Motorsport Beneficiary WO (Ret) Chris Glandon | | |
Operation eMotorsport League –
Round 4 RECAP – Barber Motorsports Park
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Operation eMotorsport returned to Barber Motorsports Park for what proved to be a clean and competitive evening across all four classes, with some familiar faces continuing to assert their dominance while a few new names made their presence felt.
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In the LMP2, Matt Smothermon rebounded from his Road Atlanta and Watkins Glen runner-up finishes to take a commanding wire-to-wire victory, leading every lap and adding the fastest lap bonus to his haul. Zachary Baish continued his solid season with a P2, while Taner Masters rounded out the podium. Justin Bessette, a consistent top four finisher all season, slotted into fourth. Jonathan Labbee and Jacob Little completed the field, both finishing a lap down but still in the points.
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The Porsche 992.2 class welcomed a new face at the front as Tyler Guillemette took the class win, breaking up the Glandon/Wallace podium monopoly we have seen in prior rounds. Chris Glandon recovered to second and picked up the fastest lap, while Martin Wallace held on for third. The story at the back of the class was a tough night for Scott Andrews, who disconnected after just seven laps — well under the 50% threshold — walking away with only four points.
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In GT3, Chance Sheffield took his third consecutive class win but could not replicate his back-to-back clean race sweeps — picking up a single incident point that cost him the +3 bonus. Newcomer Nolan Yuke impressed on debut, finishing second and taking the fastest lap, showing genuine pace in the class. Damion Castro and Richard Davenport continued their steady presence in third and fourth, respectively.
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The GT4 class was another dominant performance from Tyler Manning, who now has three class wins from four races and added the fastest lap for good measure. Andrew Cooper moved up to second ahead of Peter Hitzeman, while Zach Merrill and Kyle Shelton rounded out a competitive midfield. Nicolas Batista had a difficult race, finishing eight laps down in last.
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The big picture after four rounds: Elias Roman and Matt Smothermon are locked in a close battle at the top of the LMP2 standings. Chance Sheffield has been the dominant force in GT3, racking up maximum or near-maximum hauls in almost every race. Tyler Manning looks equally untouchable in GT4. With the championship counting the best 6 of 8 results, the pressure is still low — but the racing is anything but.
You can watch the Tuesday races online courtesy of Racespot on Operation Motorsport’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@OPERATIONMOTORSPORT
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Operation Motorsport Podcast – Episode 4
The podcast episode features a discussion with veterans from Operation Motorsport, covering topics such as the beneficiary advisory round table, e-motorsport, sim racing, and the Moza motion platform. The conversation also delves into personal experiences and the impact of sim racing on mental health and well-being. The conversation covers a range of topics including the use of AI in racing simulators, the impact of recent cancellations in motorsport, and the importance of safety at racing events. The hosts also discuss the role of Operation Motorsport in supporting veterans through motorsport immersion and diversionary therapy.
Check out Ep. 4 online at https://operationmotorsport.org/the-operation-motorsport-podcast/ or on Spotify.
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Meet WO (ret) Chris Glandon,CDN Army,
Beneficiary Testimonial Video
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ABOUT OPERATION MOTORSPORT: | |
Operation Motorsport is a Veteran Led and Operated, 501(c)3 Not for Profit Foundation, based in Raleigh, North Carolina and Brighton, Ontario, serving American & Canadian Service Members and Veterans and is based on three core values: Team, Identity, and Purpose. Operation Motorsport supports the recovery of medically retiring or retired Service Members affected by military service through Motorsports opportunities. Our motto is One At A Time (#OneAtATime).
For more information and to donate, please visit: www.operationmotorsport.org.
| | | | If you or someone you know is in need of help or someone to talk to | |
(613) 475-0236 | info@OperationMotorsport.org
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