Winners were crowned at the second annual CrowdStrike Veterans Race of Remembrance powered by AWS Sunday, with four classes taking to the grid – Freedom, Honor, Sacrifice and Remembrance. But the race was about so much more.

Hosted by Operation Motorsport, a nonprofit that provides opportunities in motorsport for veterans with a disability rating from the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs or Veteran Affairs-Canada, the eight-hour test of endurance paused for a Remembrance Ceremony to honor those who have lost their lives in service to their countries.

After a pre-race ceremony and anthems provided by cadets from Hargrave Military Academy, of Chatham, Va., drivers Sabre Cook and Beitske Visser drove away with the overall win and Sacrifice P1 Class title for Stratus Racing. The team’s polewinning sister car retired early due to an axle issue.

“Virginia International Raceway is such an amazing track to race on,” said Cook. “[Racing at VIR in a] more aero-focused car, it’s so much fun and every time you get to go through the esses it’s such a treat.

“I really love and really enjoy driving with Beitske. She’s incredibly talented and I think we work really well together so overall, it was just a great learning day and great team-building and hopefully a really good foundation for things in the future.

“Supporting veterans is extremely close to my heart. I have two veterans in my family and I have worked with a lot of different organizations that support veterans.

“We get to drive around in circles and race cars all day and we only get to do that because of their sacrifices, so any way that I can support them and even just give back a fraction of what they have done for us is just incredible and I can’t thank them enough.”

The 14-year-old phenom William Vetor, along with co-drivers Kelton Jago and Trevor LaTourrette, took the checkered flag in the Sacrifice P2 class.

Zach Dayton, along with co-drivers Michael Dayton, Robert Mau and Chris Allen took second place for Nimbus Racing and the podium was rounded out by the Radical SR3 entry from Warriors in Motion with drivers Patrick Nolan, Levi Goffeney, Carl Townsend and Dan Buckle.

In the Remembrance Class, Slate Racing carried the momentum from their pole-setting lap to victory with drivers Megan Leahy, Megan Tomlinson and Erika Hoffmann.

In second place were Team King Competition with drivers Taner Masters, Grace Quinones, Pierce Florine, Paul York and Vinny Metz. Rounding out the class in P3 was the TFG Racing entry featuring drivers Jake Porter, Jason Bivins and Chris Walsh.

Finally, in the Honor class, finishing on the top step of the podium from Tomlinson Motorsports were Ron Tomlinson, Tyler Ambo and Jason Mountney.

In the second place TWOth Autosport machine were Owen Clarke, Jon Labbee, Cameron Keighley and Alex Gutknecht. On the third step on the podium was the Powersports Garage, Operation Motorsport liveried Miata entry with drivers Adam Roberts, George Love and Pat Berube.

One of the highlights of the day had nothing to do with the racing.

For the Remembrance Ceremony, the race paused and all cars returned to the pits as the paddock came to a halt in order to pay respect to the fallen from both Canada and the United States in a somber ceremony.

Wreaths were laid on the No. 001 Operation Motorsport Civic and tears were shed by most in attendance.

The weekend also featured a Heroes Dinner benefitting Operation Motorsport that gave sponsors, drivers and teams the chance to hear the stories of the veterans who benefit from the organization’s Diversionary Therapy (Operation eMotorsport League – iRacing) and Motorsport Immersion programs, where veterans are embedded with professional motorsport teams in IMSA, SRO, NASCAR Canada and FEL Radical Cup.

In 2026, 31 veterans traveled to races across North America as part of the program with teams like Meyer Shank Racing, Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports, Random Vandals, TWOth, Powersports Garage, Medusa Motorsports and more.

“This weekend was all we could’ve asked for,” said Tiffany Lodder, executive director, Operation Motorsport.



“To see all the teams coming together, having a competitive race but really supporting our veterans through it is so gratifying for us but life-changing for our veterans. We are so thankful for everything these teams, sponsors, staff, volunteers and beneficiaries put into this race.”

Author: Richard Davenport, U.S. Army and Navy veteran. Davenport participates in the Motorsport Immersion program as a photographer and is the producer and host of The Operation Motorsport Podcast.

The second annual Veteran’s Race of Remembrance was an incredible experience. Starting at the team building phase where us veterans got the opportunity to participate in a variety of activities ranging from smashing golf balls together at Top Golf, to turning real laps together at Andretti Indoor Karting, scaling the treetops at Treerunner Adventures, turning even more laps though virtually this time together at Apex Sim Labs or just joining in fellowship and providing feedback at the Carolina Exotic Car Club, we gelled together, new faces became fast friends and bonds were forged.

As we set out to the track, the work began in earnest. Teams got the first look at their entries for the event and began forming their individual race teams. These teams became family and like all families, there were a range of emotions seen throughout the weekend. Irritation, frustration, thrill, joy, grief, elation. These are just some of the feelings that the Veteran’s Race of Remembrance elicits, speaking from the perspective of one of the beneficiaries in attendance and as someone who experienced all of these and more.

More than a few of us feel like we owe Operation Motorsport a debt of gratitude. For giving us our purpose, for giving us a future and for some and perhaps most importantly for saving our lives. Many of us wouldn’t be here if not for this organization, if not for the belief placed in this organization by the sponsors, by the teams who make that leap, by the volunteers.

This event is one where, for some, it is the sunrise on a new future, where they experience the culmination of their first year in the program, with another season right around the corner and more of these same feelings looming on the horizon. More new experiences, whether it is with new teams, at new tracks or with new faces. For others, it is the twilight of their time as a beneficiary. Some have described this with a hint of loss as they depart the program officially, many to begin their new careers on race teams. But, for those who wish it to be so, they can continue to be a part of this family, they can continue to stay in touch, to find ways to get involved, join the Discord even if they don’t sim race and continue to see that sense of team persist in their lives.

For the staff at Operation Motorsport, Jason, Tiffany, Diezel, Lachelle, Nicole, Jonathan and Nathan in particular (I know there are others but I am speaking directly of the ones that had an impact on my personal journey) a million words could never summarize the debt I owe, the gratitude I feel or the overwhelming urge to try to share this organization with other veterans through any means possible. If I can make one positive impact on one life then I feel like all of my own personal struggles have been worth it and you all have given me a platform to make that even remotely possible. Through your belief in me and trust to have the best interest of this organization in mind, I’ve played a small part in the growth this organization has seen and I understand that growth doesn’t come without challenges but I am excited for the growth and thrilled to see how you all tackle these challenges, as I know you will.