Daytona to host Ford’s Veterans Day tribute race
NXTbets Pro | Published On: September 15, 2026
Ford unveils tribute
Ford Motor Co. will stage the inaugural Proud to Honor Veterans Day Classic at Daytona International Speedway, a NASCAR exhibition built as a military tribute race. Ford says the event is meant to honor military members, veterans and their families, and it is shaping up as a showcase that combines racing with live entertainment. The company described it as a first-of-its-kind event in the sport. The field will include 12 drivers across six teams, with each team carrying the colors of one of the six branches of the U.S. Armed Forces, the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Force and Coast Guard. Drivers will compete in identical Mustang Dark Horse Rs. Ford also plans a Zac Brown Band concert as part of the day’s lineup, adding entertainment to the racing program.
Veterans branches represented
Among the drivers Ford has already announced are Joey Logano, Brad Keselowski, Noah Gragson, Frankie Muniz, Ben Hobson and Logan Sargeant. The race also carries a calendar connection to the rest of NASCAR’s season. Ford said the event will come three days after the Cup Series championship finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
Tickets, broadcast and fundraising
Ford has also built a charity and access plan around the race. The company is creating the Proud to Honor Fund, powered by GlobalGiving, and said donations will support Blue Star Families, Camp Southern Ground, Disabled American Veterans, TAPS, Team Rubicon and the Travis Manion Foundation. Ford said 1,000 complimentary tickets were distributed to eligible military and veteran families, and it is also offering a 20% military discount through GovX. Fans can buy tickets through Ticketmaster and fordveteransdayclassic.com, with early-bird general admission tickets starting at $110 and VIP tickets priced at $305. Ford said the race will air live on a broadcast network, but it has not announced where fans will be able to watch.
