Bristol Motor Speedway is a great venue to attend a NASCAR race under any circumstances. It is very special when you get to go at the invitation of a VIP!
MG (ret) Chuck Swannack is the Vice President of Armed Forces Affairs for Speedway Motorsports, LLC. General Swannack is a former Division Commander of the 82nd Airborne Division. I was a Paratrooper in the 82nd and this was extremely gratifying for me. I am probably one of the few people who can say they had a General (graciously) drive me around on a golf cart at Bristol!
Speedway Motorsports owns and operates eight motorsports entertainment properties within the United States. The owner, Bruton Smith was also a paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne and served during the Korean War years.
On this very special day, I got to incorporate several of the things I love.
All things 82nd Airbone (along with a C-130 flyover at the race), my excitement of being at ANY race track, and seeing the use of technology… or the lack of technology. It gets my mind going!
I have had the great fortune to drive on several road course and oval race tracks. I love the speed and the rush of adreneline.
I have driven motorcycles, sports cars, Porsche race cars, and even a former NASCAR cup car in Charlotte at the motorspeedway in this quest for the speed adrenaline rush. As I get older, the passion is leaning more to the technology!
Surgere Motorsports is doing exciting work in the motorsports industry. We are experts in using IoT devices to gain access to vehicle parts data that is accurate. We collect the IoT-created data and fuse it with other telemetry data with our software. With this, we are able to create new insights for motorsports and all things with a motor!
Data is fueling the transformation of our lives on and off the track. Surgere is employing the same approach to fuel the transformation of the day to day lives of those lucky enough to be on the track. And all I could say Saturday was, “It’s Bristol Baby”!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Rusty Coleman, Vice President of Digital Transformation, started his career in the U.S. Army where he served with the 82nd Airborne. Since then, Rusty has contributed to top companies such as Gulfstream Aerospace and Electrolux, with over 37 years of operations and supply chain management experience. As a leading member of Global and Corporate Digital Governance Boards, Rusty brings his visionary approach to strategic corporate digitalization efforts, supply chain visibility and connectivity, digital project execution, and IT systems integration to Surgere.
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