CrowdStrike Reaffirms Support of Operation Motorsport for 2021 Racing Season

CrowdStrike Reaffirms Support of Operation Motorsport for 2021 Racing Season
  • Teaming with valuable program that engages ill, injured service members in motorsport

 
SUNNYVALE, CALIF. – With SRO America’s sportscar championship season premiering next week, CrowdStrike Racing will ride into it with a continued association with Operation Motorsport for 2021. 
 
A not-for-profit organization, Operation Motorsport provides a chance for veterans to use their skill sets in a variety of areas including paddock operations, car and tire prep, marketing, social media and other key areas that are part of a racing program.
 
With the success of Operation Motorsports’ engagement with the Boehm Racing program in 2020, introducing beneficiaries to additional features of the DXDT program is a critical next step in accelerating the program.  For 2021, CrowdStrike Racing entries proudly will have four service members as part of its ranks. Staff Sgt. William Babineau (Ret.) and Staff Sgt. Katrina Williams will work with the CrowdStrike/AWS/DXDT Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3s. Both will gain hands-on motorsport experience working on the car of George Kurtz and Colin Braun in Fanatec GT World Challenge America Powered by AWS.
 
Kevin Boehm will welcome Sgt Cody Reinecker (Ret.) and OpMo newcomer Chief Master Sergeant (Ret.) Craig Neri to the crew of the No. 9 CrowdStrike/AWS/DXDT Honda Performance Development Civic Type R TC for the TC America Powered by Skip Barber Racing Schools championship.
 
Both CrowdStrike Racing entries – plus the No. 58 CrowdStrike/AWS/DXDT Mercedes-AMG GT3 of CJ Moses in GT America Powered by AWS – will open the season March 5-7 at Sonoma Raceway.
 
Operation Motorsport beneficiaries contribute much to their race team’s efforts. As an example, Staff Sgt. Babineau was part of Boehm’s TCA championship-winning effort a year ago in which the No. 9 HPD Civic Si won six races.
 
"It's an honor for everyone at CrowdStrike Racing to continue supporting the mission of Operation Motorsport," Boehm said. "I've seen first-hand what its mission does for our veterans. To be able to provide them an opportunity to be part of our team and work with them each race weekend is extremely rewarding. We salute their service and are proud to do what we can to help our veterans succeed in the next part of their lives.”
 
CrowdStrike is the Official Internet and Cloud Security provider for GT World Challenge and has helped organize the placement of veterans in its racing programs during the last four years. 
 
Operation Motorsport is one of many veteran programs that CrowdStrike supports corporately. It is active in many avenues of placing veterans in employment opportunities with the aim of helping service members integrate into private workplaces.
 
CrowdStrike consistently enhances its strong veterans community through programs like Operation Motorsport and has developed its own global employee resource group, led by executive Shawn Henry. CrowdStrike also is a proud part of American Corporate Partners (ACP), which provides CrowdStrike mentors for service members looking to transition to the private sector. In addition, CrowdStrike is a partner with HireMilitary to provide meaningful internship experiences to service members exiting the military via the DoD SkillBridge program.
 
Operation Motorsport focuses on those military veterans who do not get a chance to complete their service due to service-related illnesses, injuries or wounds. These servicemen and women, sometimes quite suddenly, have their career plans and aspirations taken away. They are removed from their team, no longer fulfill their purpose within the service, and ultimately lose that cherished identity.
 
OpMo beneficiaries become part of the team in the truest sense. They travel with the crew, are provided team clothing and gear, and are heavily integrated into all at-event activities – both in the paddock and away from the track. The collaboration highlights CrowdStrike’s “Win as One” mantra both in business and on the racetrack.
 
“We’re so fortunate to have found this partnership with such a wonderful and caring group at CrowdStrike and DXDT Racing,” said Tiffany Lodder, Executive Director of Operation Motorsport. “This team is what it’s all about: introducing beneficiaries to a new team and identity, and giving them a renewed purpose. Activating in motorsports brings them back into a team environment that they have lost by leaving the military.”

Learn more about Operation Motorsport’s activities in the USA and Canada at https://operationmotorsport.org/. See the full CrowdStrike Racing calendar, including livestream events from SRO races, at https://crowdstrikeracing.com.