Since 2018, Battle Scarred Motorsports has been battling the epidemic of veteran suicide.
Founded by Marine Corps veteran Brian Czech while still on active duty, the organization has continued to evolve, and its impact has continued to grow, allowing it to serve even more veterans.
Unfortunately, this is needed because veterans often lack the vital support they need to successfully transition back to civilian life because the military provides a unique sense of camaraderie and brotherhood that is simply impossible to find elsewhere. Without that, many feel isolated and lost.
Czech said, “I’ve buried more friends through suicide. I’ve seen more guys go to jail, drinking problems. I got sick of seeing it, and I felt like I needed to do something.” With almost 18 veterans taking their lives every single day, this is a crisis. Czech continues, “Simply ‘raising awareness’ is a cop-out. People need to solve the problem, and we’re out here doing the work to do exactly that.”
What began as a simple concept quickly became a reality, thanks to a group of dedicated volunteers and generous backing from companies within and outside the automotive industry, including Ronin, Rini, Markforged, and many more.
With its fleet of race cars, Battle Scarred Motorsports travels across the country, providing veterans with opportunities to drive its race cars, be a part of its pit crews, work on its vehicles behind the scenes, or prepare and serve meals. These experiences help to recreate the intense environments and camaraderie that exists solely within the military community.
Recently, Czech was approached by producers from the hit TV show, The Fixers, who offered to construct a facility for his organization that would enable them to assist even more veterans. And with donations from real estate developer and creator of the TV show, Funding Faceoff, Lori Greymont, Battle Scarred Motorsports is now able to secure additional construction materials and supplies, equipment, and resources to more effectively serve the veteran community. The new facility will accommodate vehicle builds, events and other activities to support veterans and their families, creating a familiar atmosphere for veterans.
Kirin Stone, Courtney Dober and Andi Blanco, hosts of the show, travel the world to locations where they leverage their abilities and the combined strength of the local community to complete life-changing projects and bring about radical change. From bringing electricity to an impoverished orphanage to providing a reliable source of fresh water for a community, to building a facility to help Battle Scarred Motorsports serve the veteran community, every project they do makes the world a better place, one build at a time.
Upon hearing about this, Lori Greymont, real estate developer and creator of the real estate-themed reality TV show, Funding Faceoff, joined in on the mission and has leveraged her connections in the industry to help secure both the construction materials needed to make this project a success and additional donations to support the organization.
Greymont explained, “I attribute my success to the people in my life who have been willing to help me along the way, so I always want to do the same for others whenever I can. When I heard about what Battle Scarred Motorsports was doing, I immediately said, ‘I’m in!’ and offered to leverage my connections to help the people involved create an even greater impact.”
Battle Scarred Motorsports currently has a fleet of seven cars and races on 14 tracks across the United States, including Virginia International Raceway, Carolina Motorsports Park, and Daytona International Speedway. Each car added to the fleet gets rehabbed for its second chance, just like the veterans and first responders who breathe new life into them.
The incredible work carried out by Battle Scarred Motorsports is truly commendable. Through the unwavering dedication and hard work of its founders and volunteers, Czech and the team are making a lasting impact in the lives of veterans across the nation. The organization gives veterans a renewed sense of hope by immersing them in a familiar environment and connecting them with essential resources.
Since its inception, Battle Scarred Motorsports has put over 300 active military, veterans, and first responders in the driver’s seat, helping them get back on track in life. Czech said, “The family environment that’s created here, a lot of times, it just gives me goosebumps. I don’t know what I would do without it. This is my therapy. And I know it is for so many others too.”
If you want to support the mission, you can donate directly through battlescarred.org, shop via their Amazon Wishlist or donate spare change via the RoundUp App.
And, if you’re interested in racing with Battle Scarred Motorsports, whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned driver, you can contact them through their website. Events are held throughout the year, at multiple locations around the country.
If you or someone you know is struggling, know you’re not alone and help is available. Please text or call 988 to speak to someone immediately who can help you.
