FORT WORTH (CBS 11 NEWS) - At Texas Motor Speedway the wind blew softly and on this warm September day everything came to a halt.

For a moment, the bagpipes in the distance were all you could hear around the race track.

It was a moment meant to honor fifty first responders on September 11th.

All first responders were nominated by family or friends.

Some came from as far away as West and Tyler just to be part of the day's tribute.

Among the group, was Granbury police officer Chad Davis.

The 12-year veteran was wounded in June in a deadly shootout outside Granbury's City Hall.

"I'm moving on slowly, but surely," says Davis. "I still have a paralyzed arm and still have a few surgeries ahead of me, but got the good Lord on my side."

Davis was shot in the upper right arm during the gun battle.

That day, as his fellow officers took down a heavily armed gunman, the group lost a good friend.

Hood County Sheriff's Sgt. Lance McLean was shot and later died.

"That was probably the hardest part.  I can get over my injures but…" says Davis as he pauses for a moment getting emotional.

Davis visibly struggles emotionally, and at times, physically.

He suits up with the other first responders, and on this day for a moment, he is a NASCAR driver.

Each first responder got to drive in a team Texas NASCAR style stock car on the speedway's 1.5 mile oval.

"He loves NASCAR - excited he can be honored - overwhelmed and glad he is able to be here," says his wife Cari Davis, standing by his side every step of the way. "We are excited to be here."

Davis says he is grateful to be alive and part of such a special day.

He says his faith has helped him get through some of the toughest moments.

"It's a chance of a lifetime to come out here and do this with all my other fellow responders police and firefighters," says Davis. "It's just an honor to be here."

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