NASCAR's Waltrip rescues swindled soldier

NASHVILLE, July 2 (UPI) -- NASCAR legend Darrel Waltrip says his gift of a Honda Accord to a Tennessee military veteran scammed on the Internet was a "no-brainer."

" I thought, 'That's a no-brainer -- let's help the kid out," Waltrip told The Tennessean,a Nashville newspaper.

The "kid" is Jay Strobino, a 24-year-old U.S. Army vet from Franklin, Tenn., who was awarded the Silver Star for courage during a 2004 firefight in Iraq.

Strobino lost $5,400 recently when he wired the money to a person who claimed on an Internet site that he was himself shipping out with the military and needed to sell his used Accord fast.

Waltrip, who owns a car dealership, read about Strobino's plight Tuesday in The Tennessean and immediately arranged to have a 2004 Accord turned over to the soldier.

"It's beyond awesome," Strobino, who described himself as being "broke," told The Tennessean.