For Chris Carroll, racing runs in the family. His father served in the Navy, and Melanie Carroll’s grandfather also served in the Navy. Chris has spent more than three decades around race cars. Yet the work that matters most to him today is not measured in laps or trophies. It happens when a veteran joins a team and discovers a renewed sense of purpose.
That is the idea behind CWR Warriors, a Spring Branch nonprofit that welcomes military veterans into motorsports through hands-on work, race-day roles and time spent alongside others. Veterans can help prepare cars, work with the pit crew or lend their talents to the organization’s everyday activities. Their families are welcome to be part of the experience, too.
A new reason to race
Chris started racing 32 years ago, building on a love of the sport that began when he was young. After winning a championship at I-37 Speedway, he decided during a 2020 trip to Cozumel that it was time to retire. The decision did not last. He still loved racing, but wanted the time and effort it demanded to mean something different.
With fellow CWR Warriors founder Jonathan Knox, a military veteran, Chris began developing a way to put the race team to work for people who had served. Chris and Melanie care deeply about the people who join the organization, but they would rather the spotlight stay on the veterans and the community supporting them.
“Racing is the focal point and reason to get them here,” Chris says. Once someone arrives, there is a car to work on, a job to do and a group of people to work beside. His hope is to see veterans become part of every race team, with opportunities for spouses and children to share in the experience as well.
Help that reaches beyond the track
The relationships built through CWR Warriors do not end when the race is over. Chris recalls a veteran whose truck broke down while he was in rehabilitation. Members of the organization arranged for the repairs so he would have reliable transportation when he completed the program. A working truck may seem far removed from a race car. To this team, it was another way to help a neighbor take the next step.
Another veteran CWR Warriors helped went on to start the SA Outlaws sled hockey team. The team held its first event last month, and CWR Warriors is now a sponsor. The two stories are distinct, but both show how support can take different forms: meeting an immediate need, then helping new opportunities grow within the community.
That practical care depends on a larger circle of veterans, volunteers, local businesses and donors. In the shop and at the track, people can contribute their skills, learn something new and become part of a group with a shared goal.
A Thanksgiving invitation
This season of gratitude, CWR Warriors is inviting neighbors to spend a day together in support of local veterans. Its November 21 Veterans Celebration and Car and Bike Show in Spring Branch will bring classic vehicles, music, food and community supporters together. A raffle for a 1972 Chevrolet K15 pickup will raise funds for the organization’s work.
Chris puts his outlook simply: “Life is what you go get. Not what you’re waiting for.” For a veteran who finds a team, a new skill or a friend through CWR Warriors, that opportunity can begin with an invitation to the shop. For the rest of us, it can begin by giving our time, sharing a skill or helping make the next invitation possible.
Celebrate Our Veterans
This November, the community is invited to come together for a day of classic cars, live music and family fun, all in support of the veterans who have served our country.
CWR Warriors Veterans Celebration and Car and Bike Show
Saturday, November 21, 2026 | 10 a.m.–3 p.m. | Gates open at 9 a.m.
Jumbo Evans Sports Complex | Spring Branch, Texas
Classic cars and motorcycles, live music, food, vendors and a community gathering supporting veterans.
Win a 1972 Chevy K15
Raffle tickets: $50 each | Buy four, get one free
Drawing: November 21, 2026 | Winner need not be present
Scan to purchase raffle tickets and support CWR Warriors.
“I like this more than I like racing.”
— Chris Carroll, on CWR Warriors