29th Army Band to Perform National Anthem at STP 500

The 29th Army Band, Virginia Army National Guard will perform the National Anthem prior to the STP 500 at Martinsville Speedway Sunday. The 29th Army Band is one of the oldest and most decorated military bands in the nation.

"We believe our National Anthem should be played with great respect and pride, and having heard the 29th Army Band perform the anthem, we know we will get a that type of performance," said Martinsville Speedway President Clay Campbell. "We are truly honored to have such a patriotic and historic band perform here. I'm looking forward to hearing their version Sunday."

The 29th Army Band has been in existence since 1922 and has served the Commonwealth of Virginia and the nation with distinction.
It was pressed into active duty during World War II and joined in the assault on Omaha Beach, duty for which its members received the French Croix de Guerre with Palm. The band saw action in four European campaigns during World War II: Normandy, Northern France, the Rhineland and Central Europe.

Present-day duties take the 29th Army Band all over the Commonwealth of Virginia and sometimes out of the state. They perform in concert, marching band and small ensembles for military and civilian functions with a repertoire that ranges from the classics to pop to Broadway to motion picture hits.

The Band's most recent foreign assignments were in Bosnia-Herzegovina in support of Stabilization Force 10 in 2002 and the 60th Anniversary of D-Day in Normandy, France in 2004.

Tickets to the STP 500 on March 30, the Kroger 250 on March 29 and Alpha Energy Solutions Pole Day on March 28 can be purchased by calling 1.877.RACE.TIX. Tickets may also be purchased online at www.martinsvillespeedway.com.

The first on-track action of the week will be at 9 a.m. on Friday with a 2-hour, 45-minute practice session for the Kroger 250 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race. STP 500 practice is set for noon, with the final Kroger 250 practice at 3 p.m. Alpha Energy Solutions Pole Day qualifying for the STP 500 begins at 4:40 p.m.

Saturday's action begins with a Sprint Cup practice at 10 a.m. followed by qualifying for the Kroger 250 at 11:10 a.m. The final practice session for the STP 500 is scheduled for 1 p.m. The Kroger 250 will take the green flag at 2:30 p.m. The STP 500 is slated to begin at 1 p.m. on Sunday.