As drivers in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, Brendan Gaughan and Timothy Peters understand better than most the importance of good decisions and the value of respect.
Thursday the veteran Camping World Truck Series drivers brought that message to more than 750 students at Laurel Park Middle School. Fifty-five of those students are members of the Boys & Girls Club of the Blue Ridge.
Both Gaughan and Peters expressed their belief that the respect students earn for themselves as well as the respect they display for others is about choosing the right path throughout life.
“Character is what you do,” said Gaughan. “It is whether you choose to bully the kid next to you or to pick that kid up.”
Students learned first-hand the impact decisions have and how making a series of correct ones is of the utmost importance.
When Peters, who lives about 15 miles from the school, brought out his fire suit, racing gloves and shoes, Gaughan brought the students attention to the work behind each. He made the students aware of the science and math behind all of it as well as the amount each of those subjects are used daily in racing. Gaughan challenged the middle school students to use lessons learned to invent the safety material of the future.
Two students were selected to stand center court, one to try on the fire suit and the other to put on the gloves and shoes prior to the conclusion of the program. Once they returned to their seats, hands were in the air as Gaughan and Peters answered questions from those in attendance.
Both stayed for some time signing autographs for the youngsters, which included 200 members of the Boys & Girls Club Camp Excel program. Camp Excel is a twice weekly after school program that assists students with their homework.
After the gym was clear and students were dismissed Peters stated, “I hope they took what we said with consideration and it stays with them for awhile.”
Students from the program will be at Martinsville Speedway this weekend helping run the NASCAR Foundation booth along the midway.
THE SCHEDULE: The first on-track action at Martinsville Speedway will be a practice session for the Kroger 200 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series at 11 a.m. Friday, kicking off a day full of excitement. It will be followed by practice for the TUMS Fast Relief 500 and another Kroger 200 practice.
Time trials for the Kroger 200 begin at 10:40 a.m. on Saturday with qualifying for the TUMS Fast Relief 500 scheduled for 12:10 p.m.
There will be back-to-back Sprint Cup practice sessions beginning at 10 a.m. Saturday, with the Kroger 200 taking the green flag at 2 p.m.
The TUMS Fast Relief 500 is set to begin at 1:30 p.m. Sunday.
Fan gates open at 9 a.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
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