Craig Morgan To Perform National Anthem At NASCAR Dover Race

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Craig Morgan. Photo: Nate Griffin.

Country singer and U.S. Army veteran Craig Morgan is set to perform the national anthem virtually prior to the Drydene 400 NASCAR Cup Series race at Dover International Speedway on Sunday, May 16.

The 2008 Grand Ole Opry Inductee has charted 25 songs on Billboard and is best known for his hits “Bonfire,” Almost Home,” “Redneck Yacht Club,” and “International Harvester.” Prior to becoming a country recording artist and TV sensation, Morgan spent seventeen years serving our country in the Army and Army Reserves. He remains an avid supporter of America’s military personnel and has made 16 overseas trips to perform for our troops.

In addition to his performance, Morgan will talk with NASCAR driver and U.S. Navy veteran Jesse Iwuji before the race to honor United States Armed Forces heroes and their families through Military Appreciation Month.

Fans can catch Morgan’s performance prior to the race on Fox Sports 1 at 1 p.m. CST.

Country Music Hall Of Fame Partners With Music City Grand Prix

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The Big Machine Music City Grand Prix is partnering with the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum to offer a discount for racing fans.

Big Machine Music City Grand Prix fans will receive $3 off the purchase of any combination of museum general admission, Historic RCA Studio B tour, and/or Hatch Show Print tour valid through August 3, 2021. Fans can buy discount tickets using the promo code MCGP21 at the online checkout window.

The country music community is already very involved in the inaugural event between country label Big Machine sponsoring the event to Country Music Hall of Famer Alan Jackson headlining. Through this effort, the Grand Prix hopes to encourage racing fans to experience the history and tradition of Nashville and country music.

The grand prix weekend will be from August 6-8. The track which is designed around Nissan Stadium is less than a mile from the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.

John Rich Joins Folds Of Honor At Indy 500 Practice Day

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Country singer John Rich is joining the Indy 500 practice day in support of Folds of Honor on May 20 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Rich, alongside his companies Redneck Riviera and Red Gold, will also be partnering with the Folds of Honor Practice Day leading up to Memorial Day and the race.

“What an honor to be on hand to recognize my friends at the Folds of Honor Practice Day presented by my partners, Red Gold,” says Rich. “Folds is one of the most prolific organizations in assisting fallen heroes’ families through their scholarship program. Since the Redneck Riviera launch, we have donated a portion of all sales to Folds of Honor and I have had the opportunity to meet many of those recipients that we have helped send to college. Now, with my friends and partners at Red Gold, we can bring more attention to the foundation with our recently launched 1776 BBQ. Red Gold is a full on ‘made in America’ company, just like Redneck and we have just revved our engines and hitting the store shelves just in time for the All-American cookout season.”

Fans will have the opportunity to join the cause by attending the May 20 practice day, donating directly to Folds of Honor Indiana through a virtual race, and joining in a fundraising auction effort online.

The 105 Indy 500 will be on Sunday, My 30 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Big Machine Music City Grand Prix Announces Hotel Partners

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The Big Machine Music City Grand Prix has named its official hotel partners for the inaugural race weekend running August 6-8.

“This announcement is another key step in our overall recovery efforts and is a great reminder that the inaugural Big Machine Music City Grand Prix is getting close, and will have a huge impact on our industry this summer,” says Butch Spyridon, president and CEO of the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corporation.

The Grand Hyatt Hotel on Broadway has been named the official hotel of the Grand Prix while the Hilton Nashville Downtown has been named the host hotel. Seven other hotels were named as preferred hotels for the weekend. The LaQuinta Inns and Suites and Quality Inn both on Interstate Drive will be offering “at track hotel” packages.

“An event of our size and scope would not be possible without Nashville’s incredible hospitality industry and more specifically our hotel partners who are able to offer a range of accommodations for our guests from Four-star amenities to kid friendly hotels,” says Chris Parker, president of the Big Machine Music City Grand Prix. “We encourage all fans, traveling from afar or those who live just down the road, to take advantage of the great rates and convenience of staying downtown to fully experience the Big Machine Music City Grand Prix.

Here is a look at the partnered hotels that fans can book through.

Big Machine Racing To Honor Racing Legends Dan Gurney And Bobby Unser At Darlington Raceway

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Jade Buford with the No. 48 Big Machine Chevrolet car. Photo: by HHP Photo

Big Machine Racing and driver Jade Buford will honor NASCAR, IndyCar and Formula 1 legend Dan Gurney and late IndyCar icon Bobby Unser with a throwback car at Saturday’s Steakhouse Elite 200 at Darlington Raceway.

“Darlington race week is finally here! Everybody is going to be blown away when they see our Dan Gurney Throwback scheme on the track,” says Buford. “It’s absolutely beautiful and I couldn’t be more honored to get to drive it. This will be my first time at Darlington and I know it’s a tough track to learn, but we’ve been to other tracks that have also been challenging and we’ve done pretty well. I’m full of optimism and ready to see what we can accomplish this weekend.”

Buford will drive in the No. 48 Chevrolet car sporting Gurney’s classic dark blue, orange, and yellow V-stripes on the hood. The car will even sport the classic Hot Wheels logo above the rear tires. Unser, who passed away on May 2, will also be honored as he also drove the No. 48.

“We go into this weekend not only honoring the famous Gurney No. 48 but also remembering another amazing driver who took the No. 48 to many great victories, one Mr. Bobby Unser,” says Big Machine Racing owner Scott Borchetta. “Dan and Bobby were two of the GOATs and this paint scheme has even more importance to me and race fans across the world as we remember two true legends.”

“Dan would be very happy and honored to see a younger version of himself drive a younger version of the old No. 48,” says the late Gurney’s wife, Evi Gurney. “The car in its colorful livery with its provocatively outsized number looks bold and modern just like it did fifty years ago on the 1970 Trans Am circuit. It was cool then and it is cool again now. Congratulations on this marvelous ‘vintage’ racing effort and best of luck to Jade and the team.”

Darlington Raceway will be another first-time track for Buford as he continues his first full season in the NASCAR Xfinity Series competition. The seasoned road racer has been impressive on ovals this year, putting together four top-20 finishes in six career starts on those tracks. He’s coming off his best finish of the season so far, earning an 18th-place finish at Talladega Superspeedway.

The Steakhouse Elite 200 will air on Fox Sports 1 at 12 p.m. CST this Saturday, May 8.

TN Lottery Named Title Sponsor For Superspeedway’s Xfinity Series Race

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The Tennessee Education Lottery Corporation has officially been named the title sponsor of Nashville Superspeedway’s NASCAR Xfinity Series race which will be held on Saturday, June 19.

The race, now named the “Tennessee Lottery 250,” will be the second of the weekend prior to the highly anticipated Ally 500 Sprint Cup Series race at 2:30 p.m. on the following Sunday.

“We are thrilled to sponsor this fantastic Father’s Day Weekend event at the Nashville Superspeedway and engage with drivers and fans in a whole new way,” says Tennessee Lottery President and CEO Rebecca Paul Hargrove. “We want to thank NASCAR and the Superspeedway for this great opportunity. The excitement of this race and our Lottery games make this a perfect combination for fans and drivers – and dads – alike.”

The Tennessee Lottery has raised nearly $6 billion to fund education programs in the Volunteer State since its inception in 2004 with more than 1.5 million scholarships and grants awarded. Tennessee Lottery players win on average more than $3 million every day.

The “Tennessee Lottery 250” is the 22nd NASCAR Xfinity Series race in Nashville Superspeedway’s history, which dates back to 2001. The 1.3-mile concrete track hosted two NASCAR Xfinity Series races per year from 2002-2011 with winners including current NASCAR Cup Series stars Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick, Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano.

“The Xfinity Series is an essential part of our track’s history and that tradition continues on Father’s Day Weekend with the Tennessee Lottery 250,” says Erik Moses, Nashville Superspeedway’s president. “The Tennessee Lottery is a difference maker to thousands of students and Tennessee families through the funding it generates for education, and we’re fortunate to have them as a race sponsor and partner this June and into the future.”

The “Tennessee Lottery 250” which starts at 2 p.m. CAT on NBCSN will be the 15th race of the 2021 NASCAR Xfinity Series season and the second race of Nashville Superspeedway’s Father’s Day Weekend triple-header. The first will be the “Rackley Roofing 200” NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at 7 p.m. on Friday.

Alan Jackson To Perform At Big Machine Music City Grand Prix

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Alan Jackson. Photo: by Russ Harrington

The Big Machine Music City Grand Prix continues to grow as they announce a partnership with the Grand Ole Opry to present performances by Alan Jackson and more.

The Opry performance is set for the evening of Sunday, August 8 in downtown Nashville, closing out the inaugural weekend of racing and music.

“When we first began to conceptualize the Big Machine Music City Grand Prix we knew music had to be just as big a part of this event as the racing itself, and there is no better partner for this than the Grand Ole Opry – the show that made country music famous,” says Matt Crews, CEO of Big Machine Music City Grand Prix. “We are looking forward to closing out what is sure to be an unforgettable weekend in the best way possible with the Grand Ole Opry.”

The Opry, based in Nashville, has rarely taken its show outside its home venue, on those occasions visiting prestigious locales such as New York City’s Carnegie Hall and Washington, D.C.’s Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts as well as staging headlining shows at Bonnaroo, the iconic Manchester, Tennessee all-genre music festival.

“The Big Machine Music City Grand Prix has brought together a course like no other, an artist like no other and a show like no other to create an experience that could only take place here in Nashville,” says Scott Bailey, president of Opry Entertainment Group. “We are pleased to have the opportunity to connect artists and fans in such a unique setting.”

The three-day festival will be the weekend of August 6-8. The race will be staged on a temporary 2.17-mile grand prix circuit in Nashville and around the Nissan Stadium campus.

Richard Petty Signs With Newly Launched Sandbox Succession

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Richard Petty. Photo: Courtesy of Richard Petty Motorsports

NASCAR legend Richard Petty (Richard Petty IP LLC) has signed with the newly launched Sandbox Succession who will manage his estate and his likeness.

Petty is considered to be the greatest NASCAR driver of all time, being nicknamed “The King” winning seven cup series and seven Daytona 500 races.

Sandbox Succession is the newly formed division of Sandbox Entertainment that provides comprehensive estate management services in all exploitations focusing on name and likeness.

“I’m thrilled to announce the creation of Sandbox Succession which is a natural extension of our businesses,” says Sandbox Entertainment President/CEO Jason Owen. “It’s an honor and a privilege to work with the Estates of these icons. We look forward to preserving and furthering their enduring legacies.”

The division’s full list of services includes brand development and partnerships; merchandising and licensing; hospitality; exhibitions; live performances; and entertainment development across film, television, music, content, gaming and books.

Petty, a member of the National Motorsports Press Association Hall of Fame, International Motorsports Hall of Fame and the NASCAR Hall of Fame, currently oversees Richard Petty Motorsports NASCAR team who’s driver, Erik Jones, competes in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

Along with Petty, the Sandbox division will manage and market the estates of Johnny Cash, June Carter and The Carter Family.