By Roland Balik, 436th Airlift Wing Public Affairs / Published October 09, 2018
Tech. Sgt. Michael Kelly (top left), 736th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron C-17 Globemaster III flight line expediter, waves the green flag for the start of the "Gander Outdoors 400" Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race Oct. 7, 2018, at Dover International Speedway in Dover, Del. Kelly waved the flag as the row one cars, No. 18 Kyle Busch and No. 4 Kevin Harvick, head to the starting line. (U.S. Air Force photo by Roland Balik)
Maj. Gen. Peter Gersten, U.S. Air Force Warfare Center commander, Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., speaks to race attendees before issuing the oath of enlistment for Air Force recruits and prior to the start of the "Gander Outdoors 400" Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race Oct. 7, 2018, at Dover International Speedway in Dover, Del. Forty-two recruits joined the U.S. Air Force, Delaware National Guard and Air National Guard through the Delayed Entry Program. Under the DEP, individuals going onto active duty, enlist first into the DEP. This is an actual enlistment into the inactive Reserves, with an agreement to report for active duty to attend basic military training at a specific time in the future. (U.S. Air Force photo by Roland Balik)
The Dover Air Force Base Honor Guard presents colors during the opening ceremony for the “Gander Outdoors 400” Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race Oct. 7, 2018, at the Dover International Speedway in Dover, Del. Dover NASCAR races are held biannually and encourage community and Team Dover involvement. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman First Class Dedan D. Dials)
Tech. Sgt. Michael Kelly, 736th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, C-17 Globemaster III flightline expediter, waves the green flag at the start of the “Gander Outdoors 400” Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race Oct. 7, 2018, at the Dover International Speedway in Dover, Del. Kelly was selected for this honor on behalf of the NASCAR and DIS track officials to honor his military service and represented Dover Air Force Base in front of hundreds of thousands of viewers on national television. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman First Class Dedan D. Dials)
Airman 1st Class Georgie Boyd, 436th Security Forces Squadron response force leader, smiles after receiving lug nuts from a NASCAR driver’s wheels during the “Gander Outdoors 400” Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race Oct. 7, 2018, at the Dover International Speedway in Dover, Del. Boyd was selected to be an honorary pit crew member where she got to be up close and personal with David Patrick Ragan, driver of the No. 38 car, and his crew. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman First Class Dedan D. Dials)
Maj. Gen. Peter Gersten, U.S. Air Force Warfare Center commander, Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., administers the oath of enlistment for more than 40 enlistees in the Air Force Delayed Entry Program prior to the start of the “Gander Outdoors 400” Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race Oct. 7, 2018, at the Dover International Speedway in Dover, Del. This is one of the first steps these recruits will take to enter the United States Armed Forces. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman First Class Dedan D. Dials)
Delayed Entry Program enlistees repeat the oath of enlistment Oct. 7, 2018, administered by Maj. Gen. Peter Gersten, U.S. Air Force Warfare Center commander, Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., at the Dover International Speedway in Dover, Del. Soon, these enlistees will be sent to their respective basic military training installations. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman First Class Dedan D. Dials)
Tech. Sgt. Michael Kelly, 736th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, C-17 Globemaster III flight line expediter, receives the green flag from Mike Tatoian, Dover International Speedway president and CEO, and Tamara Ward, Camping World Holdings Inc. executive vice president of corporate development, at the “Gander Outdoors 400” Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race Oct. 7, 2018, at the Dover International Speedway in Dover, Del. Kelly was named the honorary starter for the race by DIS officials to honor his military service and to represent Dover Air Force Base at the event. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman First Class Dedan D. Dials)
Kevin Harvick, driver of the No. 4 Busch Outdoors Ford in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, surprises Tech. Sgt. Michael Kelly, 736th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron C-17 Globemaster III flight line expediter, with the green flag Oct. 6, 2018, at Dover International Speedway in Dover, Del. Kelly was selected as the honorary starter for the "Gander Outdoors 400" Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race on Oct. 7. (U.S. Air Force photo by Roland Balik)
Col. Joel Safranek, 436th Airlift Wing commander, speaks with Bubba Wallace, driver of the No. 43 World Wide Technology Chevrolet in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, prior to arriving at the NASCAR Social Oct. 5, 2018, at The Landings on Dover Air Force Base, Del. Wallace provided autographed information cards to attendees. (U.S. Air Force photo by Roland Balik)
Bubba Wallace, driver of the No. 43 World Wide Technology Chevrolet in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, hands an autographed information card to Tech. Sgt. Scott Morisette, 436th Civil Engineer Squadron fire department station chief, during the NASCAR Social Oct. 5, 2018, at The Landings on Dover Air Force Base, Del. Wallace and several other NASCAR drivers visited the free event to meet with Team Dover members and show support for military families. (U.S. Air Force photo by Roland Balik)
Bubba Wallace, driver of the No. 43 World Wide Technology Chevrolet in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, shakes hands with Tech. Sgt. Michael Kelly, 736th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron C-17 Globemaster III flight line expediter, during driver introductions Oct. 7, 2018, at Dover International Speedway in Dover, Del. Kelly was selected as the honorary starter for the "Gander Outdoors 400" Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race. (U.S. Air Force photo by Roland Balik)