Michelin Returns as Official Tire Partner of the 2026 Veterans Race of Remembrance at VIR | | | |
RALEIGH, N.C. (August 28, 2026) – Operation Motorsport® today announced that Michelin will return as the Official Tire Partner of the 2026 CrowdStrike Veterans Race of Remembrance powered by AWS, taking place at VIRginia International Raceway (VIR) November 6-8, 2026.
| | |
Michelin has been a trusted partner in Operation Motorsport’s mission since 2018, when the company first supported beneficiaries participating in the original Race of Remembrance at Anglesey Circuit in Wales. Over the past eight years, the relationship has grown alongside Operation Motorsport, creating opportunities for medically retiring and retired Service Members to rediscover Team, Identity and Purpose through motorsport.
| | |
“Michelin is proud to continue as the Official Tire Partner of the Veterans Race of Remembrance and to support Operation Motorsport’s recovery programs for Service Members and Veterans,” said Raymond Cotton, Director of Michelin Motorsports NA. “This partnership reflects the teamwork, performance and shared purpose that define motorsport, and we look forward to helping make the 2026 event a safe and meaningful success.”
| | |
That shared commitment helped bring the Race of Remembrance concept to North America in 2025 with the successful inaugural event at VIR. The weekend united professional and amateur racers, manufacturers, teams, corporate partners & sponsors, volunteers and military service members & Veterans in a tribute to service that also demonstrated motorsport’s ability to foster recovery, resilience and community.
| | |
“Michelin has believed in Operation Motorsport’s mission from the beginning, and for nearly a decade that commitment has helped us create meaningful recovery opportunities for Service Members and Veterans on both sides of the Atlantic,” said Tiffany Lodder, Co-founder and Executive Director of Operation Motorsport. “Their support reaches far beyond the racetrack. Together, we are demonstrating how the familiar environment of a race team can restore confidence, rebuild identity and create lasting purpose. As the Veterans Race of Remembrance continues to grow, we are proud to have Michelin standing alongside us as a foundational partner in showing how motorsport can transform lives.”
| | |
Building on that foundation, the 2026 V-RoR expands into an eight-hour race format with approximately 18 hours of track activity, including the Michelin-supported Friday Test Day, the inaugural race weekend for supporting series Super GP Americas and the signature eight-hour multi-class endurance race on Sunday. Operation Motorsport beneficiaries will once again be embedded with professional and amateur teams in technical, operational, media, hospitality and management roles.
| |
2026 Partnership Highlights
• Michelin returns as the Official Tire Partner of the 2026 CrowdStrike Veterans Race of Remembrance powered by AWS.
• Michelin will provide its proven 200-treadwear competition tires to Operation Motorsport beneficiary race teams, together with technical expertise and engineering support throughout the weekend.
• Michelin will donate $100 to Operation Motorsport for every set of Michelin tires sold for the Veterans Race of Remembrance, directly supporting the organization’s mission.
• Michelin has donated the official Friday Test Day, giving competitors valuable preparation time before the race program begins.
• The partnership continues a relationship that began at the original Race of Remembrance in Wales in 2018 and helped establish the North American event in 2025.
| | |
Michelin’s contribution extends well beyond tires and track time. Working within a race team gives beneficiaries the opportunity to rebuild confidence, restore a sense of belonging and reconnect with teamwork, leadership and purpose that shaped their military service. The partnership helps turn each race weekend into a practical recovery environment One At A Time.
For event information, team registration, volunteer opportunities and partnership details, visit operationmotorsport.org/veterans-race-of-remembrance/ Interested teams and drivers may also contact Jonathan Vance at Jonathan.Vance@OperationMotorsport.org
| |
About Michelin
Michelin is building a world-leading manufacturer of life-changing composites and experiences. Pioneering engineered materials for more than 130 years, Michelin is uniquely positioned to make decisive contributions to human progress and to a more sustainable world. Drawing on its deep know-how in polymer composites, Michelin is constantly innovating to manufacture high-quality tires and components for critical applications in demanding fields as varied as mobility, construction, aeronautics, low-carbon energies and healthcare. The care placed in its products and deep customer knowledge inspire Michelin to offer the finest experiences. This spans from providing data- and AI-based connected solutions for professional fleets to recommending outstanding restaurants and hotels curated by the MICHELIN Guide. Headquartered in Greenville, S.C., Michelin North America, Inc. has approximately 22,000 employees and operates 36 production facilities in the United States (michelinman.com) and Canada (michelin.ca).
| | |
About the Veterans Race of Remembrance
The CrowdStrike Veterans Race of Remembrance powered by AWS is the only endurance motorsport event of its kind in North America and is held annually during Veterans Day/Remembrance Day weekend at VIRginia International Raceway. In the spirit of the original Race of Remembrance, founded by Mission Motorsport in the United Kingdom in 2013, the USAC-sanctioned race weekend honors the service and sacrifice of military Veterans while providing a platform to support recovery through motorsport. The 2026 event features an eight-hour multi-class endurance race, which includes a Heroes Dinner and poignant trackside Remembrance Service. The event unites Veterans, racers, teams and supporters in tribute to those who have served.
Learn more at https://operationmotorsport.org/veterans-race-of-remembrance/
| |
About Operation Motorsport
Operation Motorsport® is a veteran-led and operated 501(c)(3) nonprofit foundation in the U.S. and a registered charity with the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) in Canada. It serves American and Canadian service members and veterans based on three core values: Team, Identity and Purpose. Operation Motorsport supports the recovery of medically retiring Service Members and Veterans affected by military service through motorsports opportunities.
Our motto is “One At A Time.” For more information and to donate, please visit www.operationmotorsport.org.
| | |
Media Contacts: Lachelle Laney
Operation Motorsport Email: Media@operationmotorsport.org
Follow Operation Motorsport on social media for the latest updates:
● Facebook: facebook.com/OperationMotorsport
● Twitter: twitter.com/OpMotorsport
● Instagram: instagram.com/operationmotorsport
####
| | | | |
