Car Stunt, Concert and Unique Driver
A death-defying automobile stunt, a concert by three of country music’s fastest rising stars and a more fan-friendly format for driver introductions will be among the highlights of pre-race festivities for the Bank of America 500 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series race Saturday night, Oct. 13, at Lowe’s Motor Speedway.
While towing a camper trailer behind a 1979 Buick, veteran stuntman Chris “Crash” Morena will launch from a 40-foot steel ramp and attempt to sail 150 feet through the air before crashing into a collection of parked cars.
Coordinated by legendary stuntman Brian Carson, a Hollywood pyrotechnic team plans to detonate an explosive blast in the recreational vehicle while Morena is in mid-flight. A series of pyrotechnic blasts will also go off around the landing area.
“We’ve jumped a motorhome, a school bus and even a garbage truck, but this will be the first time we have attempted a jump involving a trailer,” said H.A. “Humpy” Wheeler, the president and general manager of Lowe’s Motor Speedway. “We always try to give the fans something to make them say ‘I can’t believe they did that,’ and this stunt will do just that.”
The pre-race concert, produced by CMT, will include performances by Brent Keith, Carter’s Chord and Flynnville Train. It will take place on two stages positioned near the start/finish line.
Keith first garnered national attention on “Nashville Star,” a television talent competition, and was then selected to perform the title track for “Dale,” the feature film documenting the life of NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt.
Carter’s Chord and Flynnville Train are up-and-coming groups that have been signed by Show Dog Nashville, the independent record label established by recording star Toby Keith. Carter’s Chord features the singing and songwriting sisters Becky, Emily and Joanna Roberts who perform a unique brand of country blues infused with sibling harmonies. Flynnville Train is a five-piece band, led by vocalist Brian Flynn, which draws on country, hard rock and blues inspirations.
For the first time, driver introductions for the Bank of America 500 will be brought closer to the fans. Each of the 43 race cars will be paraded onto the speedway’s frontstretch and the drivers will be introduced while standing beside their cars. After each driver is introduced, he will be paraded around the 1.5-mile track in the back of a Toyota Tundra pickup truck.
The Bank of America 500 pre-race show, which starts at 5:40 p.m., will also include a Toyota Tundra Monster Truck, the fire-breathing antics of Robosaurus and the Oregon Aero SkyDancer skywriting team.
Whiskey Falls, another up-and-coming country music act whose self-titled debut album was released in September, will perform “The Star-Spangled Banner.”
The grand marshal for the Bank of America 500 will be selected Tuesday, Oct. 9, during the inaugural Bank of America 500 Fan Fest in uptown Charlotte.