Earlier in the week, National Guard Indy driver Oriol Servia and John Barnes, CEO of Panther Racing, visited at the 179th Airlift Wing. Then on Saturday Ohio Adjutant General, Maj. Gen. Deborah Ashenhurst met Girl Scouts at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course for a mother-daughter picnic at the Panther Racing hospitality center.
Jayne Barnes greeted the Girl Scouts and welcomed them to Panther racing. She also introduced Mag. Gen. Ashenhurst, pointing out that she is the only female adjutant general currently serving in the U.S.
Ashenhurst said the Panther car was a “really cool advertisement for us.”
“And it reaches a certain group of individuals we’re looking for and gives them knowledge of what we are and it helps us with our recruiting. But that’s just a sideline, practically, for what Panther Racing does for our service members. When you think about race car drivers and they get in accidents and may have some issues with brain injuries,” she said.
She explained that Barnes team is involved in some research of Traumatic Brain Injury. They are sharing all that and all the money that they put into it with the military with concern for the brain injuries soldiers incur in the line of duty.
But more than that her message was for the young girls and the experiences they have as Girl Scouts and their future leadership as women. She highlighted the courage, confidence and leadership the girls learn that will serve them in the future.
Ashenhurst also introduced female Guard members, pointing out the inspiration they provide for Girl Scouts as future leaders.
Maj. Angela Bailey, for example, commanded troops at Kandahar directing 240 soldiers delivering supplies across the battlefield.
“Part of the reason we were so successful,” Bailey said, “is because some of our backgrounds were as Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts.”
Air Guard Tech. Sgt. Jeannette Frashier is with the 121st Medical Group based in Columbus. She was once a Brownie Scout and she noted that the fundamentals she learned to treat people fairly and live up to her full potential started with Scouting.
Public Affairs officer Nicole Ashcroft also served served in Afghanistan and noted that while there she worked with women training to be police officers.
The Girl Scouts also met female drivers, toured the Panther garage and crew areas, and saw the Panther’s pink camouflage car up close.
And then there’s that pink camouflaged car, the “Pink Camo,” competing in the Indy 200 this weekend.
“Every year for three years we have a pink camo car at the race to build awareness for military women of all branches,” said Brad Stout, director of client services for Panther. “What Panther racing and John Barnes does for the Guard is more than just a car,” he added.
Client services’ Mike Kitchell explained that Barnes got into motorsports because the best man at his dad’s best friend’s wedding was a member of the National Guard. That man introduced him to racing. Barnes went on to first be a gofer and 40 years later, he’s an owner. Originally his team was sponsored by Penzoil but in 2008, he got connected with the National Guard.
“He’s absolutely gone above and beyond helping the National Guard,” Kitchell said of Barnes. He also has addressed unemployment issues for Guard members returning from service by hosting employment outreach programs.
Kitchell also noted that Panther Racing is served by Anna Chatten. “She is currently the only woman female Indy mechanic. She is in and over the wall with the pit crew.” Chatten was formerly a racer herself.
The Panther Racing team is set to race the Honda Indy 200 at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course on Sunday. The National Guard car is driven by Oriol Servia, of Spain. This year, Firestone joined the team in honoring females serving in the military and created a pink sidewall tire that will replace the traditional black primary Firehawk tires.
“Every year for three years we have a pink camo car at the race to build awareness for military women of all branches,” said Brad Stout, director of client services for Panther. “What Panther racing and John Barnes does for the Guard is more than just a car,” he added.
