“Your Hero’s Name Here” Winner John Wayne Walding is Today’s Honoree

It was a star-studded night at the 2014 CMT Music Awards as the best and brightest in country music celebrated in Nashville. During the live broadcast of the show, country music artist Justin Moore announced the winner of Crown Royal’s “Your Hero’s Name Here” program, which renames the NASCAR race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on July 27^th after a deserving hero.

Through a special unveiling of a custom-made Gibson guitar sporting the official race logo, Green Beret John Wayne Walding was introduced to viewers as the program winner. You can view that moment at CrownRoyal.CMT.com.

Come July, thousands of NASCAR fans will travel to the Crown Royal Presents John Wayne Walding 400 at the Brickyard Powered by BigMachineRecords.com, where Walding will receive a VIP at-track experience and hand the trophy bearing his name to the race winner in Victory Lane.

Country Music star Justin Moore unveils John Wayne Walding as the winner of Crown Royal’s “Your Hero’s Name Here” with a custom guitar bearing the John Wayne Walding 400 logo at Bridgestone Arena on June 3, 2014 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Ilya S. Savenok/Getty Images for Crown Royal)

Walding was announced the winner of Crown Royal’s annual “Your Hero’s Name Here” program, which awards naming rights to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at IMS to a deserving American hero, during last night’s live broadcast of the CMT Music Awards. As the winner, Walding’s name will be incorporated into the official race title, the Crown Royal Presents the John Wayne Walding 400 at the Brickyard Powered by BigMachineRecords.com.

Walding, of Little Elm, Texas, is a highly decorated Army veteran who served for 12 years, completing tours in Afghanistan and Iraq. While overseas in 2008, Walding was involved in a fire fight during a mission to capture a high value target, during which he lost the lower part of his right leg.

After recovering from his injury, Walding was the first amputee to graduate the Special Forces Sniper School. He completed the Army 10 miler on foot and the 2009 Boston Marathon utilizing a hand cycle, within a year of the accident. Among Walding’s many awards and badges are the Silver Star, Bronze Star, Purple Heart, and Combat Infantry Badge. Walding was nominated for the program by his brother and lives in Little Elm with his wife Amy and their four children. He is the founder of Five Toes Custom, which employs wounded veterans in an effort to provide support and direction within their lives.

“The fact that Crown Royal cares enough to say ‘thank you’ for what I’ve done is a true validation for my sacrifice,” said Walding following the unveil event. “The magnitude of those two words goes above and beyond.”

On hand to take part in the program’s winner reveal event for the third year in a row was country music star and reigning ACM New Artist of the Year Justin Moore. Moore presented Walding with a custom-made Gibson guitar bearing the official race logo incorporating Walding’s name and thanked him for his service during the award show broadcast.

“To be able to be involved in this program’s winner reveal event for the third year in a row is really special to me,” said Moore. “We’ve had the opportunity to meet so many amazing heroes over the years and are looking forward to honoring John Wayne at the Brickyard this summer.”

Visit John Wayne Walding for more information.