Garrisonville, Virginia, 23 May 2013 –Armed Forces Motorsports (AFM) announces that Tom Muffler will represent AFM in the Sport Car Club of America U.S. Majors Tour. Although details are still being worked, Tom has pledged his support to the AFM mission.
 
Tom Muffler entered the world of motorsports early in the 1990's while simultaneously working on his Degree in Marketing at St. Louis University. He began competing in go-karts locally with the St. Louis Karting Association. Tom quickly realized Karting success and earned the class championship in his first year of participation. Karting's solid foundation eased the transition into racing a Formula Ford in the Skip Barber Racing Series.
 
Tom retired from auto racing in the late 1990's to pursue family life, his entrepreneurial ambitions and a career as a professional fire fighter. He went from fast cars, to fast trucks! Racing has always been a passion and he kept his dream alive to someday return to the sport.
 
During Tom's racing retirement he developed a successful Health & Safety Training business and during 2013 he was able to realize his racing dream ... again. He purchased an SCCA Enterprises Spec Racer Ford and returned to the exciting world of auto racing. After more than 15 years
away, it was as if he never left the sport. Tom's driving skills quickly came back and once again he was competitive on the track.
 
“As a firefighter, I was on duty at the firehouse, the day our country was attacked on September 11, 2001. I watched in fright as 2,996 people lost their lives, 343 of which were my firefighter brothers. From that day on, I knew that life would never be the same,” he said.
 
He continues to express concern for the brave military men and women called into action to protect our great Nation and to avenge the deaths of our citizens and his fellow firefighter brothers. He has a deep gratitude for these heroic military men and women who through their unselfish sacrifices, help keep our Country, family and friends safe and free. He's
always happy to learn when our soldiers return home and often believed their battle was done. Little did he realize, some soldiers carry invisible wounds and continue to struggle to adapt to life after war.
 
"I learned that every day, 22 veterans are taking their own lives due to PTSD,” said Muffler. "This is unacceptable. They need and deserve our help,” he added. "These veterans served us, now it is our turn to serve them in any way we can,” he concluded.
 
Tom's history of giving back to the community is as great a passion as his need for speed.  Timing seemed all too coincidental with his return to racing and the loss of his relative, Marine Corporal Adam Charles Muffler, who suffered from PTSD. "I knew what I needed to do…I needed to use my race car and team to reach out to our Veterans, to raise awareness of PTSD…to show them that we appreciate them, and care for them” said Muffler.
 
Almost overnight Tom used his racing exposure and promotional background as a way to raise awareness about the disease. Tom's journey to promote PTSD has just begun.
 
"We are so honored to have Tom as a team member,” said Brittany Ecker, Co-founder and Vice President for AFM. "He cares about our veterans and first responders and is willing to put 100% of himself into making a difference,” she added.
 
According to the SCCA website: "The U.S. Majors Tour is the pinnacle of championship racing in North America. It isn't Easy Street…it is where some of America's best drivers race. It means start-to-finish, wheel-to-wheel action.  It's where drivers not only put their cars on the track, they put their pride on the line. Make no mistake, this is not country club driving. The kindred spirit found
here is mixed with fuel and emotion. Adrenaline pumps a little harder here.  It is the top level of SCCA's strong amateur racing program.”
 
According to Brittany, AFM was created to attract and engageU.S. veterans and auto racing communities at the national and grassroots levels. "Our mission is to connect veterans and their families with the world of motorsports racing and valuable transition assistance, and we feel
that Tom is a perfect match for this grass-roots program,” she added.
 
While veterans have their particular loyalty to the branch of the armed services in which they served, according to Brittany there is still a strong "One Team” bond between all who have served this nation in uniform, and AFM is working to unite those veterans with a single morale
boosting program.
 
"AFM works to bring awareness and valuable resources directly to the veteran community.  Through our racing and Outreach Program, we help educate the American people on issues affecting our veterans, and provide active duty service members assistance in transitioning back into their civilian communities,” said Brittany.
 
Brittany started AFM with her dad, Rick Ecker, a retired Marine with more than 22-years of service.  "We are building a program never before seen in the racing industry,” said Brittany. "We are building a racing program that spans all motorsports...a program for veterans - by veterans,” said added.
 
According to Brittany, AFM provides an entertainment venue for veterans and gives them something they can rally around. "Through networking on and off the track, we support our veterans by helping them find and get the help they need, as well as raise awareness about veterans' issues,” she concluded.
 
Unlike traditional motorsports organizations who focus on one type of racing, AFM is building teams all across the racing spectrum, to include NASCAR, NHRA, Hydroplane Boat Racing, Motocross, the Grand Am Racing series, and others. The platform on which AFM is built serves as an invaluable marketing tool that can help disseminate important information to veterans and
their families. Moreover, AFM is working to reunite communities with their veterans through their National Show Car Program, and their Connect a Vet Town Halls. To learn more about AFM visit http://www.armedforcesmotorsports.com/ or send a note to info@armedforcesmotorsports.com.  To follow Tom’s racing, like his facebook page at www.facebook.com/TurbotomRacing

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