This weekend at Talladega Superspeedway, NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series driver Harrison Burton and Sam Hunt Racing will honor the life of firefighters in a special collaborative paint scheme with the Jesse Gerhard Memorial Foundation and Bulovas Restorations.
The Jesse Gerhard Memorial Foundation was created in memory of New York City Firefighter Jesse Gerhard, who passed away in February 2022.
With the support from the sponsor Bulovas Restorations, Gerhard’s name will grace the hood of Burton’s No. 24 Toyota Supra.
But, the symbolic nature of this car does not stop there, as Burton will also carry the names of many other FDNY firefighters lost in the line of duty or, from medical issues suffered while serving New York City.
In a press release from Sam Hunt Racing, Rory Bulovas, founder of Bulovas Restorations, said:
“We are proud to support the Jesse Gerhard Memorial Foundation and help make this tribute possible. This is an opportunity to honor Jesse, recognize the first responder community, and support a cause that continues to make a difference.”
Alongside Bulovas in making this special tribute possible were 13 additional partners:
The decklid of the car also sports a special nod to over 350 names who donated to the cause, with proceeds benefiting the Jesse Gerhard Memorial Foundation.
Taking this extraordinary partnership off the track, the team has also created Hero Cards featuring Burton’s Jesse Gerhard Memorial Foundation No. 24, alongside those names who helped make this possible, and a 1:24 scale NASCAR diecast of the car, available for purchase on the organization’s website, jessegerhard.org.
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