DVIDS – News – NASCAR Champion Brad Keselowski visits the National All-Domain Warfighting Center during Northern Strike 22

GRAYLING, Mich. – NASCAR driver Brad Keselowski joined Soldiers and Airmen Aug. 5 to kick off exercise Northern Strike 22 at Camp Grayling Joint Maneuver Training Center, part of the National All-Domain Warfighting Center in the north from Michigan.

Accompanied by his wife, Paige, Keselowski was greeted at Camp Grayling by U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Jon Jensen, Director of the Army National Guard and U.S. Army Gen. Paul Rogers, Adjutant General and Director of the Michigan Department of Military and Veterans Affairs. Later, the driver of the #6 RFK Racing Ford donned military Kevlar to experience several training activities alongside National Guard soldiers from Tennessee and Alabama. Keselowski drove a 9-man AM General modernization vehicle to and from Camp Grayling’s sprawling gunnery complex, where he fired the MK19 grenade launcher and M2 .50 caliber machine gun.

“We are incredibly excited to welcome Brad Keselowski to Camp Grayling for the chance to experience all that Michigan is doing to support our joint forces’ readiness through NADWC and events like Northern Strike,” Rogers said. “Beyond his impressive record of representing Michigan on the NASCAR circuit, we appreciate the outstanding work Mr. Keselowski does to support veterans and military families in a variety of ways.”

With a resume that includes 35 NASCAR Cup Series victories and the 2012 Cup Series championship, Keselowski, a native of Rochester Hills, Mich., is one of the most accomplished stock car drivers of his generation. He has a long history of supporting military families through various charitable endeavours. During a visit with service members, he pointed out the parallels between top-level motorsports and the armed forces.

“It’s about staying ahead of the competition through hard work, adapting to the latest technology and giving it your all to be the best at what you do,” Keselowski said. “What these men and women are doing at Northern Strike is so important because showing our strength is our greatest tool for keeping peace in the world.”

Northern Strike is the National Guard’s largest joint reserve component exercise, held annually in Michigan at the National All-Domain Warfighting Center. This year, Northern Strike will draw more than 7,400 personnel from 19 U.S. states and allied nations, including Canada, Latvia and the United Kingdom, to increase readiness in some of the world’s best training spaces. Department of Defense. Northern Strike also presents an excellent opportunity for defense industry partners to test emerging capabilities for future combat.

“Northern Strike is a very demanding exercise and these soldiers will be training for some very tough missions over the next two weeks,” said Col. Scott Meyers, Camp Grayling Commanding Officer. “For a NASCAR champion to get out on the field, get your hands dirty, and show that level of support by your side really means a lot.”

Following Keselowski’s visit to Camp Grayling, he competed on August 7 in the FireKeepers Casino 400 at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, Michigan, finishing 15th.