A funny thing happened to NASCAR’s best and brightest last week as the drivers made their way to the huge AAA 300 race in Delaware, so on Sunday it was with more than a casual eye that I wanted to see what happened, most especially how Ryan Newman would drive the No. 39 car.

Somebody with a wonderful sense of timing got the biggest drivers, those battling for the points in the down-to-the-wire Sprint Chase, to stop over in Washington. There the NASCAR stars went to the sprawling Walter Reed medical complex to spend the afternoon with badly wounded soldiers and have dinner with them before going on to Sunday’s race at Dover International Speedway. They even had the classic rock band Foreigner in concert.

Newman is among the NASCAR drivers who now will never again be the same. But you’ve got to know his car is sponsored by the U.S. Army and before yesterday’s start he told AOL Fanhouse writer Holly Cain, "You can't put into words how grateful we are and how thankful we should be.''

“Some people we met didn't have a clue there was an Army race car out there. Some just wanted us to beat the National Guard car, and others had been Ryan Newman fans for a long time.''

For the record, Newman started third in yesterday’s grid, and actually led the race for 29 laps before having to settle for a 10th-place finish. But he drove the Chevrolet hard because what he’d seen at Walter Reed hit him with more force than a wall at Bristol. "The age of the people we visited is mind-boggling,'' Newman gushed.”The average age of the soldier is way younger than you'd imagine.''

"Every time I walked into a room, the first thing I said was 'Thank you, thanks for giving us the opportunity to do what we love,'' Newman said. "I'm representing people, people fighting for our freedom,'' Newman said in a very emotional voice that reportedly rose in conviction with each word.

"That's different than a corporation or a product or a service you're trying to sell. It's an absolute honor to represent and get the chance to connect to these people.''

Tony Stewart, who is Newman’s teammate and actually owns the Army car, told USA Today, "That is the strongest group of people I have ever met.

"If everybody in the nation could spend 30 minutes with one of those soldiers, whether they like the war or dislike the war, agreed with or disagreed with, whatever the case, they would at least be supportive of the soldiers that are in this war. Maybe it would change at least some of the things they say about it," said Stewart.

Tony finished ninth in yesterday’s race, which was won by Jimmy Johnson with Mark Martin and Matt Kenseth two-three, but in no small way the drivers’ reaction to the Walter Reed visit, where they signed autographs and posed for pictures long after the event officially ended, was thrilling.

David Ragan, the 23-year-old who drives the No. 6 Ford, was deeply moved. "I was expecting to see injured soldiers that may not want to talk about things and may not have the greatest of attitudes, but I quickly learned that every soldier in the hospital by far had the best attitude you could imagine.

“Every incident from the war, they wanted to talk about. These kids are my age and they've been through a lot in their young lives. So it was special to talk to them," he added.

As is not uncommon for visitors at Walter Reed, the race drivers each marveled at the spirit and grit the soldiers displayed. "Sometimes you'd walk in and be totally shocked that here was someone who just went through hell and they're talking about when they can get back (to the war). You'd walk into the next room and they're cheering you up.'' Newman told writer Holly Cain. “It was unbelievable.”

It was also wonderful with the NASCAR drivers, so intense as the Chase moves to Kansas this week, to slow down and acknowledge America’s true heroes. One patient that Newman met is called “Quad” by his ward buddies because he lost both arms and both legs in combat. Using four “bionic” prosthetic limbs, he proudly told the driver he’s already walking after just four and a half months.

“Just to see his fight and his drive … it was such an eye-opening experience,” Ryan said. Is it any wonder he drove the No. 39 car hard yesterday?

royexum@aol.com