AJ Racing To Honor Fallen Soldiers With Names On Helmets, Car At Charlotte

BUFFALO, N.Y. — Driver Andy Jankowiak and his AJ Racing team plan to honor members of the Western New York community who gave their lives while serving the United States when he makes his Charlotte Motor Speedway debut in the General Tire 150 for the ARCA Menards Series on Saturday.

With the permission of the fallen soldiers’ families, all members of the team will carry service member names on their helmets.

“First Sergeant Adam Brown, USMC (ret), is a crew member on our team, and he guided us on how to honor these men and women,” said Jankowiak.

Brown will serve as the team’s fuel carrier on pit road Saturday.

“I want to thank Army specialist Craig Cassick for his help in organizing this tribute, as well,” added Jankowiak.

Eight service members will be honored. Brown will carry the name of Marine Lieutenant Corporal Tamario Burkett, who died March 23, 2003, while serving during Operation Iraqi Freedom in the battle of An Nasiriyah. Tamario, just 21 and the oldest of seven children, was a resident of Erie, New York. He was considered a poet, an artist and a big brother. His letters home included special notes for each of his younger siblings. Burkett and Brown, who were companions through boot camp and infantry school, were fighting alongside each other the day Burkett died.

Tire changer Jake Jankowiak’s helmet will display the name of Marine Lance Cpl. Zachary D. Smith of Hornell, New York, who died Jan. 24, 2010, serving during Operation Enduring Freedom. Smith was killed by a roadside bomb while serving in Afghanistan just six months after he wed the love of his life, Anne. Described as fun-loving and generous, Smith was 19 and posthumously awarded a Purple Heart by President Barack Obama.

Tire changer Steve Mendoza will honor Army Sergeant First Class Peter P. Tycz II, who died June 12, 2002, while serving in Operation Enduring Freedom. Tycz was born in Cheektowaga, New York, and graduated from Tonowanda High School in 1988. He began his career as a Fire Support Specialist when he served in the active-duty Army from 1988-1990. He served three years in the Army Reserve prior to returning to active duty in 1993. In 1997, he completed the Special Forces Qualification Course and was assigned to Company C, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne). SFC Tycz was awarded the Bronze Star for Valor and the Purple Heart. SFC Tycz is survived by his wife Tami and their five children: Felicia (10), Faith (7), Tiffany (5), Samantha (3) and Elizabeth (1). He was 32.

Jackman Rick Hoctor will carry the name of Army Specialist Alan N. Dikcis, who died March 5, 2010, in Kandahar, Afghanistan, at age 21. Dikcis was born in Niagara Falls, New York, and adored his 3-year-old daughter, Sophia.

“Everything Alan did, he did to make Sophia proud,” said his stepmother, Gricela Dikcis. “He enjoyed going to the beach, working on cars, four-wheeling and riding his motorcycle with friends.”

Crew chief Mike Dayton will bear the name of Tonawanda’s Army Staff Sergeant Michael S. Lammerts, who died April 4, 2011, at age 26. Sgt. Lammerts joined the Army after the events of Sept. 11, 2001, and served two Iraq tours before being deployed to Afghanistan. He had been stationed there for less than a month when he was killed. Sgt. Lammerts received both the Bronze Star and Purple Heart. He was posthumously promoted to staff sergeant. Lammerts is survived by his wife, Missy, their 3-year-old daughter Savannah and a 1-year-old son, Micheal Jr.

Micheal’s mother, Kendra Speck, said she will describe Michael to his children “as a hero whose kids would read about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan in school, and when they did, they would be reading about him. He was proud of what he did.”

Tire catcher Sue Lewis will pay respect to Army Sergeant Cari Anne Gasiewicz, who died on Dec. 4, 2004, at age 28 in Operation Iraqi Freedom. From Depew, New York, Gasiewicz was a military interpreter killed by a roadside bomb. Survived by her parents, Paul and Kathleen Gasiewicz, and a brother, Paul, Cari’s aunt, Barbara Funk, spoke at her eulogy: “One more place you wish to serve, one more group of people you want to know, and an additional foreign language you desire to learn. And Sgt. Cari Anne Gasiewicz, when you master the language of the angels, remember to teach the rest of us.”

Driver Andy Jankowiak will feature the name of Army Staff Sergeant Christopher W. Dill, who died on April 4, 2005, at age 32. Another resident of Tonawanda, Dill was killed when his patrol was attacked by enemy forces using small-arms fire in Balad Ruz, Iraq. Dill, a Buffalo firefighter, was remembered by Fire Commissioner Michael D’Orazio, who said, “Chris fought for his country as a soldier and for his community as a Buffalo firefighter.”

Dill’s father William said, “He loved what he was doing.”

Dill received the Bronze Star for valor following a mission in Fallujah with some of the Iraqi troops he had trained.

“His mission was to get them prepared,” said William Dill. “He saw some light at the end of the tunnel.”

Dill is also survived by his wife of five years, Dawn, as well as his mother and two sisters.

Brave men and women from the Charlotte area will be acknowledged by the AJ Racing team, too. All team members, including Rachel Alix, Billy Mcnerney, Bruce Bachta and Andy Seuss, will honor Marine Lance Corporal Nicholas S. O’Brien, whose name will be featured on the red, white and blue car.

O’Brien was a resident of Stanley, North Carolina. He died June 9, 2011, at age 22 in Afghanistan while conducting combat operations. He was a 2008 graduate of East Gaston High School. A centerfielder for the baseball team, O’Brien was named the defensive Player of the Year. LCpl O’Brien is survived by his parents, Richard and Tammy, as well as his sister, Haley O’Brien, and his longtime girlfriend, Hayley Black.

“It is an honor for us to be able to do this.” said Jankowiak of the tributes. “It has been an emotional experience for me, and it’s difficult to put words to how much it means to our team that we will be able to recognize all of these men and women.”

The team’s No. 73 car will feature a special Memorial Day paint scheme that was designed and created by Don Adamczyk and Justin Gumley.

“This is a brand new car to our race team that we put together for this race, and it looks amazing,” added Jankowiak. “I am just thrilled with the way everything turned out.

“We are all proud to have this opportunity to do this tribute. It was a team effort to put this all together, and we are all looking forward to Saturday night.”

The General Tire 150 at Charlotte Motor Speedway is scheduled to start at 7 p.m. ET on Saturday, May 29, and will broadcast live nationally on FS1.

You can keep up with Jankowiak at www.facebook.com/andyjracing.