Renowned singer-songwriter and musician Kid Rock will lend both his presence and his music to ESPN’s telecasts of the 10 races in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, which begins with this Sunday’s event at Chicagoland Speedway. ESPN’s coverage from Chicagoland begins at 1 p.m. ET with NASCAR Countdown.
Kid Rock, who has been a fan of NASCAR for more than a decade, will narrate and appear in the opening teases of the telecasts of the 10 races, with each tease tailored to the racetrack hosting that week’s event. Kid Rock’s music will be featured throughout the campaign, including sneak peeks at his yet-to-be-titled new album and hits from his catalogue.
“Kid Rock brings rock stardom to a sport that has its own rock stars,” said Rich Feinberg, ESPN vice president, motorsports, production. “His music appeals to a cross-section of America and is a perfect fit for our NASCAR coverage.”
The teases for the first five races were all filmed at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, Mich., a short drive from his Detroit-area home, last week. The next five will be filmed in the coming weeks.
Kid Rock’s past music has touched a wide variety of styles, including hard rock, rap and country, and he has sold more than 25 million albums worldwide. A five-time Grammy Award nominee, his past awards include the 1999 Billboard Music Awards “Best New Artist” and the 2001 and 2003 American Music Awards “Favorite Male Pop/Rock Artist.”
Kid Rock’s connection with NASCAR dates back to 2002, when the Michigan native narrated the documentary “Tony Stewart: Smoke.” He has been grand marshal for two NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Michigan International Speedway, including the Pure Michigan 400 this past August, and performed at last year’s NASCAR Sprint Cup awards ceremony in Las Vegas, where his friend Stewart was honored as champion.
He has also attended many other NASCAR events as a fan.
Also known for his philanthropy, Kid Rock is especially connected to the U.S. military and is a regular supporter of Operation Homefront, the USO and Operation Finally Home, all organizations to assist members of the armed forces and their families. He has visited and performed for troops in Iraq, Afghanistan, Kuwait, Qatar, Kyrgyzstan, Italy, Spain and Kosovo. In addition, he founded and supports several organizations that benefit his home state, including the Kid Rock Foundation and the Made in Detroit Endowed Scholarship through Wayne State University.
Nine of the 10 races in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup will air on ESPN, with the race on Saturday night, Oct. 13, at Charlotte Motor Speedway airing on ABC. The season ends at Florida’s Homestead-Miami Speedway on Sunday, Nov. 18.
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