Ozzy’s Truck tells an all-too-common theme of our heroes taking their lives by suicide after serving our country
SALISBURY, N.C. — Thad Moffitt, Customers Bank, and Faction46 will partner together this Memorial Day weekend to bring attention to veteran suicide through the story of Jeffrey T. “Ozzy” Otzwirk, the inspiration behind Ozzy’s Truck. Ozzy’s Truck tells an all-too-common theme of our heroes taking their lives by suicide after serving our country. However, it also provides education and a place for race fans to contribute donations to help prevent further tragedies.
Moffitt, Customers Bank, and Faction46 will feature the Ozzy’s Truck logo on the No. 46 Chevrolet Silverado during Friday night’s running of the North Carolina Education Lottery 200 at the Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway as Moffitt and the team bring awareness to the truck and its purpose.
Ozzy’s truck is a 1983 Chevrolet Scottsdale that the Otzwirk family donated to country artist and Ozzy’s best friend while serving in the Navy, Jared Ashley. Ashley then partnered with Petty’s Garage and Moffitt to restore and bring awareness to veteran suicide. Moffitt, today, continues to work on the restoration himself and is proud to support the effort.
“Memorial Day and Memorial Day weekend is about remembering and honoring those who served,” said Moffitt. “Ozzy’s truck and his story have really become special to me, and I am proud to help restore his truck. It was shocking to learn that veterans who served have such a higher rate of suicide. We need to raise awareness and money to help prevent that and get more education and awareness. That is what Customers Bank and Faction46 are trying to do this week.”
Moffitt, Faction46, and their robust social media and digital platforms will promote ozzystruck.com
“This is special for all of us involved,” said Ashley. “This project is powered by Operation Positive Vibes, OPV, created by me and Richard Reyes. Reyes supported the transport of Ozzy’s truck from Montana to Level Cross where it is currently being restored to bring awareness to the cause. Richard and I are very proud to be a part of this project with Thad, Petty’s Garage, and now Faction46 and Customers Bank. We are looking forward to seeing this project on the track.”
Customers Bank, a cornerstone partner of Faction46 and Moffitt in his rookie year in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck, is aligned with this week’s mission as they, too, are proud supporters of our American heroes.
“Veteran suicide is a national tragedy,” declared Customers Bank Executive Chair Jay Sidhu. “By some estimates, 22 US veterans take their own lives each day; more than 30,000 individuals in the last 20 years — more than four times as many as those killed in action during that span. In each case, a family is damaged forever by the loss; a full community is impacted. Customers Bank is proud to join Faction46, Thad Moffitt, Petty’s Garage, and 16 Creative to support the Ozzy’s Truck project, raising awareness of this critical issue.”
Fans can follow the story of Ozzy’s truck online at ozzystruck.com and through social media on Twitter (@pettysgarage), Instagram (@pettysgarage), and Facebook.
Moffitt will race Friday night at 8:30 p.m. ET live on FS1.
