FORT WORTH, Texas – The superstars of the IndyCar Series hit the track at Texas Motor Speedway Saturday night for the Firestone 550.
But those stars have nothing on the trio of guests the track hosted this weekend in Sam Canaday, Jennifer Simonds and C.J. Gillaspie.
Canaday and Simonds, were the co-grand marshals for the race, used their bodies as shields for kindergarteners at Plaza Towers Elementary School last month when the EF5 tornado devastated Moore, Okla. Gillaspie, who waved the green flag for the race, is the captain of the West Volunteer Fire Department and was one of the first responders when the April 17 explosion rocked the Texas town.
Canaday and Simonds don't feel like they did anything out of the ordinary last month. Their actions prove otherwise.
"I've never been through a tornado at all so I had no idea what was about to happen," said Simonds. "I think that it was just instinct that I grabbed the backpacks that were above our heads and threw them on the kids. I just laid on them. I've lived the majority of my life. They're 5 and 6. I just wanted to protect them."
That was the same instinct Canaday had and the duo laid on the 8-10 kindergarteners and shielded them as the school was destroy and they were covered with debris that included automobiles. The tornado killed seven students at the school and 23 in all.
Canaday received another blow on May 31 when the tornados that ripped through the state destroyed her house. Both of her family cars were destroyed in the Moore tornado.
Getting the invite to TMS provided Canaday with a little relief that plenty of people take for granted.
"I was glad to have a hot shower," said Canaday, who got a ride to Fort Worth from family members. "Living in a camper there's not much there. Getting the invitation down here to let us get away from things for a day or so, I just can't thank them enough."
The trio received autographed flags from the drivers, met Indy legend Mario Andretti and reigning Indy 500 champion Tony Kanaan and watched the race from a suite.
The Moore teachers said the outpouring of support they've received since the tornado has been amazing. They've had a chance to see their students and the parents of the students, although they don't know what their future holds because the school was destroyed.
For Gillaspie, his immediate future is helping to rebuild West. In addition to working with the fire department, he is also the public works director in West and the focus now is rebuilding the infrastructure of the city.
None of the three had been to TMS before Saturday and Simonds had never seen a race.
Gillaspie was happy to get a break from work in West. Waving the green flag also means a lot to him because one of the firefighters killed in the explosion – Cody Dragoo – was a friend a big racing fan.
"One of my real good friends that died in the fire was one of the best fans in NACSAR and racing," Gillaspie said. "They were here every year. Right now I'm out there for him. Not just waving it (the green flag) for me, waving it for him and all the other victims of West."
