Getty Kurt Busch walks out during driver intros.
The NASCAR Cup Series drivers arrived at Bristol Motor Speedway on Saturday, Sept. 18, for the final Round of 16 playoff race. They took part in driver intros, walking across the stage while specially selected songs played over the loudspeakers. According to the list distributed by track officials, the drivers have fascinating tastes in music.
Multiple media members posted the official list of walkout songs after driver introductions, revealing a wide array of music choices. Ryan Newman opted for John Denver’s “Thank God I’m a Country Boy” while Daniel Suarez selected “I Feel Good” by Pitbull, a reference to the co-owner of Trackhouse Racing. Aric Almirola also showed support for Suarez’s boss, walking out to “Give Me the Green Light” by Pitbull. Meanwhile, Kurt Busch showed off his party side with “It’s Getting Hot in Here” by Nelly.
Here is the list of driver intro songs, according to the track:
Two of the Joe Gibbs Racing drivers had some self-referential fun with their walkout songs. Denny Hamlin crossed the stage to a mix of boos and cheers while “Motley Crew” by Post Malone played. The video for this song features both him and Bubba Wallace, as well as several other special guests. Kyle Busch, on the other hand, walked out to a remix of “Ride It” by Regard that featured references to his “Rowdy” nickname.
Bubba Wallace Teased His Choice With a Twitter Poll
GettyBubba Wallace prepares for the first of two Pocono races.
While many of the driver choices caught some fans by surprise, one simply capped off a week of polls. 23XI Racing’s Bubba Wallace had his Twitter followers decide which song would serve as his soundtrack for the race at Bristol Motor Speedway.
Wallace provided three options for his followers to vote on. The first was “Bleeding Sun” by Salt Lake City deathcore band Chelsea Grin. The second was “Silent Planet” by metal band Panopticon. Finally, Wallace selected “Bloodletter” by August Burns Red, a metalcore band that he previously joined for a holiday concert.
The fans provided their opinions early in the week, selecting “Silent Planet” and “Bloodletter” as the top two options. Wallace set up a second poll, which “Bloodletter” won with 68.6% of the votes.
The driver of the No. 23 Toyota was not the only Cup Series figure to show his love of heavy music during driver intros. Richard Childress Racing’s Tyler Reddick did so, walking out to “Wild Eyes” by Australian metalcore band Parkway Drive.
3 Hendrick Drivers Embraced a Little Rock & Roll
The driver intros featured a healthy mix of rap, country, and even some metal. However, three members of the Hendrick Motorsports stable showed off some love of rock and roll/punk music.
William Byron went old-school with his selection, walking across the stage to “For Those About to Rock” by AC/DC. He was the second driver to showcase the Australian band, joining JTG Daugherty’s Ryan Preece. The man behind the No. 37 selected “Hells Bells.”
Two of Byron’s teammates, on the other hand, dove into the world of punk rock. Alex Bowman went with “I’m Shipping Up to Boston” by the Dropkick Murphys, a song that has provided the soundtrack to countless events, as well as “The Departed,” since its release in 2005.
Finally, Kyle Larson showcased an Australian band that blends punk and rockabilly together. He walked across the stage while “West End Riot” by The Living End played on the loudspeakers. He then climbed into the bed of a Chevrolet pickup and waved to the crowd while taking laps around the short track.
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NASCAR Drivers Have Fascinating Taste in Music