South Florida Football Standout to be Recognized at Race

HOMESTEAD, Fla. (Nov. 17, 2009) -- The hood of Ryan Newman's No. 39 U.S. Army/Haas Automation Chevrolet Impala SS for Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Homestead-Miami Speedway will showcase the U.S. Army All-American Bowl, an annual football game featuring the nation's top 90 high school seniors.

The 10th anniversary U.S. Army All-American Bowl is scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 9 at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas. The all-star classic -- East vs West match-up -- will be televised live on NBC, 1 p.m. ET.

The U.S. Army All-American Bowl alumni include many current NFL and college standouts including Adrian Peterson (Minnesota Vikings), Chad Henne and Ted Ginn Jr. (Miami Dolphins), Reggie Bush (New Orleans Saints), Vince Young (Tennessee Titans), Mark Sanchez (New York Jets), Tim Tebow (University of Florida Gators), Terrell Pryor (Ohio State Buckeyes), Demarco Murray (Oklahoma Sooners) and Jimmy Clausen (Notre Dame Fighting Irish).

Gerald Christian, a U.S. Army All-American Bowl selection from Dwyer High School in West Palm Beach, Fla., will attend Sunday's season finale race and will be recognized on stage during prerace ceremonies. A nationally-ranked tight end and linebacker, Christian has verbally committed to play at the University of Florida.

Other south Florida area high school stalwarts who have been selected to play in the upcoming U.S. Army All-American Bowl are: Brandon Linder and Michael Palardy, Saint Thomas Aquinas High School, Ft. Lauderdale; Ivan McCartney, Miramar High School, Miramar; Jaylen Watkins, Cape Coral High School, Cape Coral; and Matt Elam also of Dwyer High School in West Palm Beach.