Salisbury, N.C. (May 3, 2024) – Kaden Honeycutt’s No. 45 Chevrolet Silverado RST will carry a special patriotic scheme for Memorial Day weekend in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race at Charlotte Motor Speedway, with R.D.C Shoe Company serving as the anchor partner.
R.D.C. Shoe Company is owned by a disabled United States Marine Corps veteran who sells patriotic-designed tennis shoes to support Congressional Medal of Honor recipients, as well as foundations that support military heroes. In every box of shoes, a Medal of Honor recipient card is placed in the box that tells the story of that recipient.
“I’m excited to have R.D.C. Shoe Company on our Chevrolet at Charlotte for Memorial Day weekend, along with all a lot of other really special military-focused organizations,” said Honeycutt. “Their support means the world, and I’m honored to get on track and am looking forward to making them all proud.”
The Friday night race will mark Honeycutt’s first Truck Series start at the 1.5-mile track. To date, Honeycutt has two top-10 and three top-15 finishes in three Truck Series starts this season.
“R.D.C. Shoe Company is honored to be a part of something that is so important to the Memorial Day mission,” said R.D.C. Shoe Company Founder and Owner Darren Davis. “When asked to sponsor a Niece Motorsports truck, we jumped on the opportunity because we believe in Kaden Honeycutt, and then when we found out that Al Niece is a Marine, it all came together. I am a Marine and a former Police Officer from Roanoke, Virginia, and knowing that the NASCAR fan base is so patriotic was the perfect fit for us. We cannot wait to meet our new NASCAR family in Charlotte on May 24th”.
In addition to R.D.C. Shoe Company, several well-known military organizations will race aboard the No. 45.
The partnership is a natural fit with team owner Al Niece, a veteran of the United States Marine Corps (USMC).
In 1967, Niece enlisted in the USMC, serving for two years. During those two years, Niece deployed to Vietnam with the 3rd Marine Division, Lima Co. 3rd Marine Regiment. During his time in the USMC, Niece earned the rank of Sergeant.
“As a proud Veteran of the United States Marine Corps, any time we can honor our service members is something that’s near and dear to my heart,” said Niece. “I’m thankful to have R.D.C. Shoe Company and all of these great organizations on board our Chevy for this special race weekend.”
Since 2007, Folds of Honor has provided life-changing scholarships to the spouses and children of America’s fallen or disabled military. Now, the mission also expands to the families of America’s first responders.
Chartered by Congress in 1958, the Congressional Medal of Honor Society’s membership is comprised of those who wear the Medal of Honor, the nation’s highest military award for valor. The nonprofit Society preserves Medal of Honor recipient stories and shares those values through Outreach and Education initiatives and its Medal of Honor Museum.
The No. 45 Chevrolet will also carry the name of Medal of Honor recipient Corporal Jason Dunham both on the bed top as well as the passenger side name rail of the truck. Corporal Dunham’s family will also attend the Friday night race.
While serving in Iraq, Corporal Dunham, aware of the imminent danger and without hesitation covered a grenade with his helmet and body, bearing the brunt of the explosion and shielding his Marines from the blast. In an ultimate and selfless act of bravery in which he was mortally wounded, he saved the lives of at least two fellow Marines. Read Corporal Jason L. Dunham’s full Medal of Honor Citation here.
Warrior Rising is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization founded by retired U.S. Special Forces combat veteran, Jason Van Camp, that empowers U.S. veterans and their immediate families to find their purpose and sense of community by providing them opportunities to create sustainable businesses, perpetuate the hiring of fellow U.S. military veterans, and earn their future. Warrior Rising is dedicated to helping veterans achieve success in business through instruction, mentoring, funding access, and maintaining the veteran community. Since its inception, Warrior Rising has assisted more than 30,000 veterans to re-discover purpose post service through business ownership. Warrior Rising is also a U.S. Small Business Administration resource partner.
In 2022, Wreaths Across America and its national network of volunteers placed more than 2.7 million sponsored veterans’ wreaths on headstones of U.S. service members at 3,702 participating locations. This was accomplished with the support of more than 5,000 sponsorship groups, corporation contributions, and in-kind donations from the transportation industry across the country.
Purple Heart Homes aims to provide peace of mind and higher quality of life to veterans of all eras, by providing housing and employment opportunities for disabled and aging veterans.
Special Operations Wounded Warriors provides unique outdoor experiences and targeted therapeutic treatments to the deserving men and women of the U.S. Special Operations Forces that have sustained wounds in battle and/or in significant service to the United States.
The Woody Williams Foundation is a charitable 501(c)(3) organization that pursues specific endeavors and goals through the vision of Medal of Honor Recipient Hershel “Woody” Williams. The Foundation encourages, with the assistance of the American public and community leaders, establishing permanent Gold Star Families Memorial Monuments in communities throughout the United States, conducting Gold Star Families Outreach across the country, and providing Living Legacy scholarships to eligible Gold Star Family members.
The NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series will take the green flag from Charlotte Motor Speedway for the North Carolina Education Lottery 200 on Friday, May 24 at 8:30 p.m. ET. The race will air live on FS1, The Motor Racing Network (MRN) and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio at 7:30 p.m. ET.
About Niece Motorsports:
Niece Motorsports is owned by United States Marine Corps Veteran Al Niece. In 2024, Niece Motorsports enters its ninth season in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. Niece also owns Niece Equipment, which has for over 40 years provided clients with reliable products at competitive prices. Niece Equipment’s reputation is built on service, integrity and dependability. The company provides water and fuel/lube trucks that are engineered with quality and durability in mind for the construction and mining industry. Follow the team on Facebook and Instagram @NieceMotorsports as well as X @NieceMotorsport.
