Pictured is Plaquemines Parish resident Debbie Mertz and CJ McLaughlin, driver of the #74 car for Mike Harmon Racing. Mertz is a pit crew member for McLaughlin.
Mertz presented a piece of the car with the PPSO Young Marines decal on it to the group at their Oct. 23 weekend drill. Back row, from left: Harmon Racing Crew Member Debbie Mertz, PVT Jayden Diaz, PFC Denayla Henry, LCPL Garione Dyson, PFC Amaree Ether, PFC Kayden Anderson and Young Marines Unit Commander Norman Phillips. Front row, from left: PFC Carlin Sylve, PFC Gage Scarabin, PVT Zoey Zulli, PVT Julia Scarabin, PFC Vincent Barthelemy and PVT Tavaris Williams.
Pictured is Plaquemines Parish Fire Dept. Captain Kevin Coleman (right) with the #74 car's driver, CJ McLaughlin, just before the national anthem at the NASCAR Xfinity Series race on Oct. 2 at the Talladega Super Speedway.
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Mertz holds the pit number sign for the driver to know where to come into his pit stall and where to stop. Mertz then drops the sign and grabs the tires that are changed and carries them over the pit wall. It a critical part because if she is off of her marker, then the whole crew and driver is off pace.
Young Marine Private Zoey Zulli's name was also honored on the race car. Zoey is Mertz's granddaughter.
Plaquemines Parish Fire Dept. Captain Kevin Coleman shows a Young Marine how to work the fire hose at the Young Marine weekend drill held on Oct. 23.
Pictured, from left: Retired Gunny James Labelle, Plaquemines Parish Young Marines Unit Commander Norman Phillips, Debbie Mertz with Mike Harmon Racing, Adjutant Dianna Seiffer and PPSO Captain Mark Sauer.
Mike Harmon, team owner of Mike Harmon Racing, has always believed in dedicating and sponsoring his cars with all branches of military services including Veterans and Wounded Warriors. And for the first time ever, he is now honoring a Young Marines program – the Plaquemines Parish Sheriff's Office (PPSO) Young Marines Program.
If it wasn't for Harmon seeing a photo of Debbie Mertz?...
