The Army Team drove away with the overall Top Dog title at the Rally4Vets/DVEN 6th Annual Top Dog Championship on Sept. 12, finishing with 66 points in the event’s first visit to Dominion Raceway. The Marine Corps team, which won last year’s championship, kept the pressure on with 45 points. The Air Force took third as drivers from seven service teams competed for bragging rights and rallied behind a shared mission: raising awareness of veterans’ issues and funding service dogs for disabled veterans.

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Drivers competed in classes matched to their vehicles and driving experience, earning points for their service teams while chasing individual Top Dog honors. The competition had real stakes and plenty of room for good-natured ribbing. In the paddock, a driver could be a rival on the clock and an ally a moment later.

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Army’s 66 points put it atop the team standings. The defending Marine Corps team followed at 45, and the Air Force finished third with 19. Navy followed with 18, and Space Force finished fourth with 13. Coast Guard and National Guard each earned four points.

 

Across 16 contested classes, Army drivers earned six individual Top Dog championships. Marine Corps drivers took four; Navy secured three; Space Force claimed two and Air Force one.

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Dominion Raceway proved an excellent new home for the championship. Its two-mile road course offered a lively challenge, and its paved paddock and clubhouse gave drivers, families, volunteers, and supporters places to gather between runs. For Rally4Vets/DVEN, this first visit was a chance to bring the Top Dog spirit to a new venue while keeping the event welcoming to people who had never competed on a track. The venue delivered a memorable debut. Drivers took that shared energy into the awards ceremony.

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The funds generated by Top Dog support the Rally4Vets/DVEN service dog program. A trained service dog can help a disabled veteran build greater independence and daily stability, and the veteran receives that partner at no cost. Training and placing a dog can take nearly two years and cost more than $40,000.

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Rally4Vets is a program of the Disabled Veteran Empowerment Network, a charitable organization that supports veterans and their families through service-dog efforts, community events, and practical connections. 

 

The championship will return to Dominion Raceway in 2027. Businesses interested in sponsorship can start planning now, whether they want to support a service team, help underwrite the event, or connect employees with its mission. To discuss opportunities, contact partner@rally4vets.com.

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See the event image gallery below . . .