APRIL 10, 2023 – The Defense Commissary Agency (DeCA) hosted JR Motorsports (JRM), the NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) team owned by NASCAR Hall-of-Famer Dale Earnhardt Jr., at its Fort Lee, Virginia, headquarters March 31.
During the visit, JRM and driver Justin Allgaier unveiled the special paint scheme on a simulator replica of the No. 7 Chevrolet that will run at Charlotte Motor Speedway outside of Charlotte, North Carolina, May 27, featuring the familiar red, white and blue colors, plus DeCA’s logo on its hood.
Following the unveiling, Allgaier remained on site to greet agency employees and leadership, pose for photos, sign autographs and show off his ride. The replica of the No. 7 Chevrolet is currently scheduled to visit 42 military commissaries across the nation during a promotional tour this spring and summer.
Bill Moore, DeCA’s retiring director and CEO, set aside his last day on the job to attend the event and praise the agency’s relationship with industry, which he said allows for cooperation in bringing promotional benefits to commissary customers.
“I’ve worked hard in the two and a half years I’ve been here as director to build a better relationship with industry,” said Moore. “We cannot be successful in delivering the commissary benefit to military families without industry. You know even our private brands are made by someone else. It’s really important that we have that relationship.”
In a pre-recorded video, Earnhardt Jr. also took the opportunity to praise DeCA’s role as a valuable military benefit.
“We’re proud to have a DeCA decal represented on our race car,” Earnhardt Jr. said. “DeCA provides a crucial quality of life benefit to those in service to our great nation. Thank you for all you do, and I hope to see you not only at the racetrack but at the commissary too.”
Echoing Earnhardt Jr.’s comments, Allgaier spoke of his appreciation for the opportunity to highlight DeCA’s role as a benefit to the U.S. military.
“With Unilever’s support, we’ve been able to do this the last number of years now, and it truly is special,” Allgaier said. “To be able to have the commissary logo on the hood and to carry a red, white and blue paint scheme on Memorial Day weekend really means a lot to me. Hopefully everyone at DeCA will enjoy this and we give them all something to root for when we hit the track in Charlotte.”
Also in attendance were representatives from DeCA industry supplier and long-time JRM partner Unilever, and members of the Round Canopy Parachute Team (RCPT-USA), a registered non-profit organization which highlights allied paratroopers from World War II onward through parachuting demonstrations at air shows and commemorative events. The team, which was presented with a check for $25,000 by Unilever at the unveiling, will be featured with their own logo on the No. 7 for the NXS Memorial Day weekend race in Charlotte.
Schedule of commissary appearances for the JR Motorsports No. 7 NASCAR Xfinity Series Simulator Car replica:
April
10 – Fort Bragg South, North Carolina; 11 – Fort Bragg North, North Carolina; 13 – Fort Jackson, South Carolina; 14 – Fort Gordon, Georgia; 17 – Fort Benning, Georgia; 19 – Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma; 20 – Fort Sill, Oklahoma; 22 – Fort Hood (Clear Creek), Texas; 24 – Fort Hood (Warrior Way), Texas; 26 – Randolph Air Force Base, Texas; 27 – Lackland Air Force Base, Texas; 28 – Fort Sam Houston, Texas.
May
8 – Fort Bliss, Texas; 10 – Davis Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona; 11 – Luke Air Force Base, Arizona; 15, 16 – Naval Station San Diego, California; 17 – Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California; 18 – Camp Pendleton, California; 19 – March Air Reserve Base, California; 23 and 24 – Travis Air Force Base, California; 27 – Joint Base Lewis Main, Washington; 30 – McChord Field, Washington.
June
5 – Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico; 15 – Fort Carson, Colorado; 16 – Peterson Space Force Base, Colorado; 19 – Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska; 20 – Fort Riley, Kansas; 22 – Scott Air Force Base, Illinois; 26 – Fort Campbell, Kentucky; 27 – Fort Knox, Kentucky; 29 – Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio.
July
3 – McGuire Air Force Base, New Jersey; 5 – Fort Meade, Maryland; 6 – Joint Base Andrews, Maryland; 7 – Fort Belvoir, Virginia; 8 – Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia; 12 – Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.
August
16 – Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi; 18 – Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida; 19 – Hurlburt Field, Florida; 21 – Eglin Air Force Base, Florida; 23 – MacDill Air Force Base, Florida; 25 – Patrick Space Force Base, Florida; 29 – Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Florida.
About DeCA: The Defense Commissary Agency operates a worldwide chain of commissaries providing groceries to military personnel, retirees and their families in a safe and secure shopping environment. Commissaries provide a military benefit, saving authorized patrons thousands of dollars annually on their purchases compared to similar products at commercial retailers. The discounted prices include a 5-percent surcharge, which covers the costs of building new commissaries and modernizing existing ones. A core military family support element, and a valued part of military pay and benefits, commissaries contribute to family readiness, enhance the quality of life for America’s military and their families, and help recruit and retain the best and brightest men and women to serve their country.
NOTE: To see a DeCA video related to this event, click https://vimeo.com/815105752/842c521da4.
By Mike Perron, DeCA public affairs specialist