Country music star Brian Kelley performed in front of a raucous NASCAR crowd ahead of Saturday’s Bass Pro Shops Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway. It is not the first time the member of Florida Georgia Line has been on the stage for a NASCAR event.
Over 10 years ago, Kelley and Florida Georgia Line performed a pre-race concert for the 2016 Daytona 500. It was a moment the now 41-year-old never could have imagined and one that sticks with him today.
Kelley on Daytona 500 performance: ‘Dream come true’
During pre-race media availability, Kelley noted he had previously performed at Daytona and Talladega. The 2016 Daytona 500 pre-race concert stands out to Kelley as it felt like a hometown performance.
Kelley, a native of Ormond Beach, Florida, had never considered the possibility of performing at a NASCAR race. Getting that opportunity in 2016, Kelley said, was beyond his wildest dreams.
“It was kind of a hometown show for me. Being there watching the race, being a fan, being a worker in the merch trailers. … It was a dream come true. A dream maybe never even dreamt that was beyond what I think we were dreaming at the time. It was very, very special,” Kelley said.
Kelley recalls his entire family being in attendance for the special performance, along with a number of family friends. Not only was performing at Daytona a dream that Kelley got to experience but one that those closest to him got to witness.
“Anytime you got family and friends anywhere, whatever you’re doing, it always makes it that much better,” Kelley said.
Seeing his family and the NASCAR fans having a blast at the concert was something that stuck with Kelley.
“There was a warmth there that made it really true to being a hometown show,” Kelley said.
Kelley was one of many celebrities who was in attendance for Saturday’s Bass Pro Shops Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway.
WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair was a special VIP guest as his vodka brand, Flair Vodka, was the primary sponsor for Josh Bilicki’s No. 66 Garage 66 Ford.
Lee Greenwood took to the stage prior to the race to perform “God Bless the USA” as a bald eagle flew through the Tennessee sky above.
Well-renowned actor Brad Pitt was the grand marshal for the race, while IndyCar Series star Josef Newgarden served as the honorary pace car driver.
Bristol serves as a critical Chase race for the NASCAR Cup Series
Bristol Motor Speedway plays host to the third race of the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series Chase. After Mother Nature washed out qualifying on Friday evening, Kyle Larson earned the pole based on the metric.
Larson snapped a 51-race winless streak last Sunday at Gateway for his first win of the 2026 season. The driver of the No. 5 gained 40 points on leader Denny Hamlin, who enters Bristol with a nine-point edge.
Third place is Christopher Bell, the defending Bristol night race winner, as he trails Hamlin by 18 points.
Hamlin is seeking his first Cup Series championship in his 21st full-time season. The driver of the No. 11 rolls off fifth in Saturday’s race.
NASCAR: Country Music Star Reflects on Daytona 500 Experience