Speedweek Starts the Season

The American Legion Racing #76 Freedom Car competed this year in the 2009 World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing in New Smyrna Beach, FL. (10 miles south of Daytona). This 43rd annual World Series event is the traditional start of the auto racing season in America. The event consists of nine nights of racing, beginning Friday February 6, and lasting until Saturday, February 14, 2009.

This nationally recognized auto racing event features cars in a variety of race classes. The #76 Freedom Car competed in the ASA Crate type Late Model class. This racing class is most like that of the NASCAR Nationwide and Sprint series. Because of its similarity to NASCAR racing, the competition in this class of racing is highly competitive, and hugely popular with race fans. The racing in this class is sure to draw standing room only attendance. The #76 Freedom Car schedule for the event was as follows:

Wednesday, February 4, 2009 Arrive at track, Garage and pit set
Thursday, February 5, 2009 Practice.
Friday, February 6, 2009 ASA Crate Type Late Model Race
Saturday, February 7, 2009 ASA Crate Type Late Model Race
Sunday, February 8, 2009 Garage Day (no racing).
Monday, February 9, 2009 ASA Crate Type Late Model Race
Tuesday, February 10, 2009 ASA Crate Type Late Model Race
Wednesday, February 11, 2009 ASA Crate Type Late Model Race
Thursday, February 12, 2009 ASA Crate Type Late Model Race
Friday, February 13, 2009 ASA Crate Type Late Model Race
Saturday, February 14, 2009 Depart Track, Garage and pit tear-down.

Additional event details are available at www.newsmyrnaspeedway.org.

On Tuesday, February 10th, at 8:30 AM, Freedom Car driver Jerick Johnson was featured on the Lucas Day radio show. Through the magic of modern communications, Jerick was in Florida at that time, and the show was broadcast from radio station WFLR, which covers all of central New York. A big thank you to Tom Boorrom from Dundee, NY for setting that up. You can listen to the Lucas Day program by tuning in to 1570 AM or 96.9 FM.

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Freedom Car Speedweek turns into Speed Days

On Thursday, February 5, 2009, practice for the American Legion / David Law Firm #76 Freedom Car went very well. The #76 car started kind of slow, but the crew made the right changes to the car, and was pleased with the speeds by the end of the day.

Friday, February 6, 2009, was more of the same. An early practice session, and a few more adjustments to the car, and everyone was confident that the #76 Freedom Car was definitely going to be a contender, in the biggest car count (38) class of Speedweek.

In the Speedweek program for qualifying, everyone qualifies and then a drawing determines the actual starting order of the race. However, in order to gain a front starting position, you must qualify in the top 10. As expected by the race team, the #76 Freedom Car easily qualified in the top 10, and when the draw was made, the #76 car was given the pole (first) starting position. This was obviously a great start of Speedweek for the American Legion/David Law firm race team.
 
Friday evening, the green flag flew to start the race with the #76 car driver Jerick Johnson and 2007 Nationwide Series Rookie of the Year driver Landon Cassill, leading the field of 38 cars to the starting line. Early in the race, Jerick fell into the second position behind Landon. When that happened, the race was on. There were many cautions with everyone in the back of the field fighting for position. Jerick welcomed the cautions, because each gave him another opportunity to attempt to duck inside of Landon on the restarts, and regain the lead. Jerick however was never quite able to complete the pass.

With 8 laps left in the race, driver Jerick Johnson suddenly came on the radio and said, “Something didn’t feel right.” The next few laps, the #76 car, the car that once looked like it could win the race ... started to show that it was having problems, and dropped from 2nd to 6th position. With only 2 laps left to go in the race, Jerick gingerly drove down into turn three and the right front ball joint assembly failed. This caused the #76 Freedom Car to slam in the outside wall. Driver Jerick Johnson walked away from the incident OK, but the Freedom Car which had had such a great and promising start, was through, with an 18th place finished in the 38 car field. Normally, a top 20 finish would be exciting, but not this time.

The American Legion / David Law Firm “Freedom Car” could have definitely won this race. At the very least, it could have finished in the top 5, which would have been OUTSTANDING! Yes, racing is racing, but this finish was tough to take.

After the race, in the garage area, it was confirmed that the right front ball joint had broken. This allowed the right front wheel to buckle under the chassis, which resulted in the quick and complete destruction of the right side of the #76 race car body, even before Jerick hit the wall. The incident unfortunately ended the Speedweek participation for the American Legion/David Law Firm sponsored team.

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The David Law Firm Supports The Legion Freedom Car

The American Legion and Team Johnson Motorsports are pleased to announce that The David Law Firm has joined The American Legion as an official co-sponsor of the #76 Freedom Car. The David Law Firm has helped countless veterans diagnosed with asbestos-related cancers, to get the compensation they deserve. Their ad is featured on the inside back cover of The American Legion Magazine. With the addition of this co-sponsor, The American Legion Racing Team will be competing in the following 2009 ASA Challenge Series racing events.
2009 ASA Challenge Series Schedule:

           May 17th - Milwaukee Mile West Allis, WI
           June 13th - O'Reilly Raceway Park Indianapolis, IN
           July 4th - Rockingham Raceway Rockingham, NC
           July 18th - Salem Speedway Salem, IN
           August 1st - Bristol Motor Speedway Bristol, TN
           August 15th - Nashville Superspeedway Nashville, TN
           September 12th - Gateway International Raceway St. Louis, MO
           September 19th - Iowa Speedway Newton, IA
           November 7th - Memphis Motorsports Park Memphis, TN

When asked about the 2009 racing season, Freedom Car driver Jerick Johnson said, “We’re all excited about The David Law Firm joining The American Legion Racing Team, and the possibilities of the upcoming ASA racing season”. Team Johnson Motorsports owner Jack Johnson added that, “As we travel to each race city, we are really looking forward to the opportunity to visit American Legion Departments and Posts, and to participate in their special events”. Jerick concluded by stating, “We very much enjoy meeting members of The American Legion “family”, they are very special people and it’s an honor to represent both them, and The David Law Firm.”

For information on our new co-sponsor, The David Law Firm visit: www.asbestos-attorney.com or call 1-800-998-9729.

You can be part of The American Legion Race Team activities this season by subscribing to the FREEDOM CAR E-NEWSLETTER. It’s simple and it’s free. All you need to do is visit www.legioncar.com or www.legionracing.org and sign up. Be part of American Legion Racing….and all the excitement…like never before possible. Now let’s go racing. NO…LET’S GO AMERICAN LEGION RACING!

The American Legion #76 Freedom Car is funded by donations and associate sponsorships. Funding permitting, additional race related activities and events may be added to the above schedule. Donation and sponsorship inquiries should contact (704).658.9988.

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Operation Freedom Car - Supporting Our Troops

Do you know The American Legion has a race car?
Do you know why The American Legion has a race car?

NASCAR has over 75 million race fans, what a great marketing opportunity…with all the National Media exposure...this program will raise our fellow Americans awareness of; what The American Legion stands for, the important veteran programs we support, and help recruit the next generation of The American Legion family members.

The American Legion National Organization did not give the race team a big check like other companies to go racing. American Legion Posts across this country, and members of The American Legion “Family” just like YOU, provides most of the support for the “Freedom Car”, and that’s why we’re asking you to join in our newest effort
.
American Legion Racing, and its associate sponsor, The David Law Firm, is conducting “Operation Freedom Car”. Through this unique effort, a much needed hygiene care product will be sent to our troops overseas. Our troops are in special need of this extremely concentrated product, because it is actually four products in one. This “4 in 1” product is a …shampoo, conditioner, body wash and shave … all in one convenient, travel size bottle. Where space is limited and convenience is at a premium, this product has proven to be very popular with the troops.

Our goal is to provide 5,000 cases of this popular product to our troops in 2009. Each case will contain twelve (12) travel size “4 in 1” bottles. Reaching our goal would mean that 60,000 troops received the “4 in 1” product. After learning of this product, a medical unit leader in Maryland was quoted saying:
“What a great idea! What a blessing for the wounded troops to be able to use... and the staff.
Fewer bottles to lug around to the shower or bedside. I will forward this to the combat Marines overseas.”

Here’s how YOU and your LEGION POST, AUXILIARY UNIT OR SAL SQUADRON can help!

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