Richmond International Raceway Countdown: Who Are Matthew And Daniel Hansen?

Twin brothers Matthew and Daniel Hansen will be feted Saturday night at Richmond International Raceway, showered with praise for their courageous military service and treated like celebrities by Crown Royal, which has given up its Sprint Cup Series race name to the two Marines.

The “Matthew and Daniel Hansen 400” will shine the spotlight directly on the twins – and rightfully so. But only one of them will be in attendance on Saturday night.

Daniel Hansen, 24, was killed while serving in Afghanistan more than two years ago.

Among those left behind after Daniel’s death were a fiancé and a family full of military members, which included his best friend and twin brother Matthew.

Despite his brother’s death, Matthew was determined to remain a Marine – even after three tours of duty in Iraq. He said he never considered quitting, “not for a minute.”

That courage and commitment to serving his country in the face of personal loss is what helped Hansen win a Crown Royal fan vote for the Richmond race name, which he gladly shares with his brother.

“We both loved the Marine Corps and what we do,” Matthew said. “I really can’t imagine doing anything else. It’s hard to describe. I’d tell you the kind of things we do and you’d think we were nuts, but to us, it just makes sense.”

The Hansen family carries a proud military tradition. The twins’ grandfathers both served, as did their father and younger sister. Matthew’s wife, Stefanie, has also served overseas tours of duty.

Motivated by the 9/11 attacks, their family lineage and what Matthew jokingly describes as a “hero complex,” the twins signed up for the Marines together during their senior year in high school. Graduation and boot camp followed.

“And that’s been life ever since,” said Matthew, who pairs a close-cropped haircut with a polite smile and carries himself with the quiet dignity of a Marine.

The brothers served together briefly – they once worked in the same building at Camp Pendleton – but had mostly different paths. Daniel was in the security detail for President George W. Bush and later for two generals; Matthew was in logistics, which required him to make repeated visits to Iraq.

(Below: Matthew Hansen, right, poses with wife Stefanie and driver Matt Kenseth)

On several occasions, the twins were able to see each other while in the Middle East. Matthew was in a small Iraqi town called Al Waleed, and various generals would pass through. He knew which general Daniel was guarding at the time, so when he received word of a visit, there was a chance Daniel would be coming.

And though the possibility of dying wasn’t the focus, it occasionally came up in their conversations. They both knew the risks involved in serving, Matthew said.

“My brother and I discussed things,” he said. “You speak about your death when you’re in the military.”

Matthew, asked to describe military life in Iraq for someone who had never been, said there were no words for the intensity of combat.

“It’s terrifying, but you’re not scared,” he said. “You’re trained to overcome it. A lot of what gets you through it is not only your family, but your brothers-in-arms. They help keep you sane and get you through anything.”

That helped him understand Daniel’s mindset on Valentine’s Day of 2009. It was that day when Daniel, who had shifted to the EOD unit (bomb disposal), was killed by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan’s Farah province.

Matthew learned of the news while stationed in Quantico, Virginia. But the loss of his brother, Matthew said, never made him question his military commitment.

“We were both very motivated to do it while he was here,” Matthew said. “It hasn’t changed. I know he wouldn’t change. The thought never (of quitting) really crossed my mind. I just don’t see why I would.

“It’s a hard feeling to describe. A lot of things I do in the Marine Corps and the way I conduct myself, I associate it with him and the way we’ve always done things. It’s part of life.”