Ford Reveals Lineups, Liveries for Veterans Day Classic

Photo: Wes Duenkel/Ford

Ford Racing has revealed the complete driver lineups and military-inspired liveries for its inaugural ‘Proud To Serve: Veterans Day Classic’ at Daytona International Speedway on Nov. 11, along with other additional details involving festivities.

Six two-car teams of Ford Mustang Dark Horse Rs will represent the six branches of the U.S. military in the 30-minute sprint race, with drivers drawn from NASCAR, IMSA, Formula 1, drifting and other motorsports disciplines.

Several pairings also have personal or professional connections to the branches they will represent, while each car will feature a livery inspired by a military vehicle or aircraft.

Army

Photo: Ford Racing

The U.S. Army will be represented by 2016 24 Hours of Le Mans winner Joey Hand and 2012 NASCAR Cup Series champion Brad Keselowski.

Hand’s father served 20 years in the Army National Reserve. Hand also previously drove for Keselowski’s RFK Racing team in the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series Chicago Street Race, finishing fourth in the No. 60 Ford Mustang.

Their entries will feature a camouflage livery with yellow accents inspired by the Army’s M1 Abrams tank.

Marines

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The 2023 NASCAR Cup Series champion Ryan Blaney will team with 2023 Formula Drift PROSPEC champion Ben Hobson to represent the U.S. Marine Corps.

Both drivers are set to make their race debuts in the Mustang Dark Horse R, with their cars featuring a camouflage livery with red accents inspired by the Marine Corps’ Assault Amphibious Vehicles.

Navy

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Incoming Ford Hypercar driver Logan Sargeant will join NASCAR Cup Series competitor Ryan Preece to represent the U.S. Navy.

Preece returns to Daytona after earning his maiden Cup Series victory in August’s Coke Zero Sugar 400, while Sargeant brings experience from Formula 1 and Proton Competition’s Ford Mustang GT3 program in the FIA World Endurance Championship’s LMGT3 class.

Sargeant’s grandfather also served 30 years in the Navy.

Their Dark Horse Rs will feature a gray and seafoam blue livery inspired by an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer.

Air Force

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The 2022 Daytona 500 winner Austin Cindric will represent the U.S. Air Force alongside NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series driver and this season’s GT4 America Am class champion Frankie Muniz.

Cindric has previous experience in Ford’s Mustang GT3 and GT4 machinery, including a third-place finish in the 2025 Rolex 24 at Daytona with Multimatic Motorsports. He shared the No. 64 Mustang GT3 with Mike Rockenfeller and Sebastian Priaulx after filling in for the injured Ben Barker.

Muniz is the only driver in the lineup with previous race experience in the Mustang Dark Horse R, having competed with TechSport Racing in the 2025 Mustang Challenge Le Mans Invitational. His father also served in the Air Force and Navy.

Their livery pays tribute to the F-22 Raptor, a twin-engine, single-seat stealth fighter aircraft.

Space Force

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NASCAR Cup Series driver Noah Gragson will team with NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series competitor Layne Riggs to represent the U.S. Space Force.

Gragson is in his second season with Front Row Motorsports in the Cup Series, while Riggs, who also drives for the team, currently sits second in the Truck Series championship standings.

Their Mustang Dark Horse Rs will feature liveries inspired by the X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle, an autonomous spacecraft used for long-duration orbital experiments and technology testing.

Coast Guard

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Three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Joey Logano will join 2024 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champion Ty Majeski to represent the U.S. Coast Guard.

Their Ford machines will feature a livery inspired by the Sentinel-class Fast Response Cutter, a 154-foot vessel used for coastal security, search and rescue, maritime law enforcement and other operations.

The event will also feature performances by the headlining Zac Brown Band, Russell Dickerson, Jo Dee Messina, Brittney Spencer and Warren Zeiders, alongside appearances from actors, creators and other special guests.

Among the announced guests are Emmy Award-winning actor Bryan Cranston and Adam Scherr, host of USA Network’s Everything On The Menu, who is also known as WWE personality Braun Strowman.

The live show will also include segments honoring military personnel and highlighting nonprofit organizations that support service members, veterans and their families.

The race will air live from 8-10 p.m. ET on USA Network and stream on Fandango’s free streaming platform, with the race kicking off at 9 p.m. ET. A 30-minute practice session will proceed the race beginning at 12:15 p.m. ET, followed by a 15-minute qualifying at 6:45 p.m. ET.

Source: Sports Car 365