My Dad was a pilot for the Air Force, and one summer while we were there, I was a Red Cross volunteer at the hospital. While working on the pediatric ward one weekend, we had the chance of a lifetime drop in on us…although I didn’t think of it that way back then.

The Blue Angels were in town, and the pilots were going to come through the hospital to visit the kids and other patients. Living by the Air Force Base, the sound of jets was a constant daily occurrence that all of us took for granted, but to see those special sleek blue F/A-18’s go flying by was very special, one that would become more a part of my life than I realized at the time.

The Blue Angels…an elite and highly respected U.S. Navy flight demonstration team are breathtaking, spectacular and tremendously patriotic. It’s an indescribable experience to be looking off toward the horizon as they sneak up from behind you and in a fraction of a second go by in a streak of graceful blue, followed by the thunderous roar of their engines.

This Saturday at the Richmond International Raceway in Virginia, during the Nationwide Series race on Saturday, the No. 88 Chevy of JR Motorsports will trade in its “Dress White” paint scheme for the blue and gold that is synonymous with the Blue Angels. Behind the wheel will be Brad Keselowski, a young man that had the opportunity to ride in the second seat of one of those blue and gold F/A-18 jets back in February. Keselowski rode with Blue Angels No. 7 pilot Lt. Frank Weisser for more than an hour of tactical maneuvers. What did he think about it?

“Man, it was awesome,” Keselowski said. “That’s definitely a wild ride that I’ll never forget.

“For a pilot to be able to make the moves with the aircraft like Lt. Weisser did was just incredible.”

For me, I remember watching the pilots as they strolled down the sterile hallways of the pediatric ward. They seemed almost out of place for a moment as they walked by the colorful murals of dancing animals and happy children that had been painted over the many years of white. The pilots wore their flight suits, covered in countless zippered pockets, each with their name in bold letters over their hearts.

One by one they introduced themselves to the doctors and attending nurses and began to make their way around the ward, talking to the patient’s and making them smile. They carried a certain assurance with them, one that seemed to give off pride and humbleness at the same time, perhaps from knowing they carried the image of patriotism with every step they took. They were polite, posed for pictures, and autographed pamphlets. I still have my pamphlet tucked away that I got that day. It has their signatures that were hastily written as they continued to move from room to room. It’s now a little faded and tattered, but when I pick it up and open it, I appreciate all over again the work and commitment that goes into every turn and roll that these guys do every time they touch the sky.

Time has gone by and many different pilots have worn the Blue Angels pride. But those men will forever hold a special place in my memory, and my heart. I imagine Brad Keselowski walked away feeling similar things after he had a chance to ride in one of the blue and gold F/A-18 fighter jets back in February.

The media wanted to know how it compared to his experiences in NASCAR. He searched for words and found answers, but I’m sure he is carrying around a new found sense of patriotism and pride that couldn’t be put into words even as he prepares to climb in that specially painted car this weekend. What a lot of fans will see as a beautiful car promoting the Navy, Brad will see as a reminder of the new found bond he has with the military and those folks that give their lives to keep us safe and happy.

The Blue Angels will do the infamous fly over while at Richmond, and the fans will scream and wave their flags and put their hands over their hearts and take pictures and wish they could see those jets fly over them a thousand times more instead of the few times they will.

For Brad and I, and a few others in this community of racing, we’ll feel like our hearts are going to bust as we hear the incoming roar and see the perfect formation slide across the sky…because we’ve got a connection to the men in blue. Our hearts have been touched beyond what words can express. And for just a brief moment we’ll get a glimpse of the heart of this nation. While these men are Navy boys and serve as such, they are military, inclusive in a broad spectrum of men that wear blue, green, khaki and the like. But they all stand for the same thing…us.

Whether you’re at Richmond or not this weekend, take a moment to pay attention to the pre-race hoopla that sometimes gets overlooked, you won’t want to miss those few seconds that the camera focuses in on some of the bravest men in the world. Brad and I will be watching… I hope we can count on you to do the same.

NOTE: I'm a one man show, not supported by anyone. If you wish to donate to help offset expense, it would be appreciated:

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