HAMPTON, Ga. (Feb. 19, 2015) – Grammy Award nominee and multi-platinum recording artist Gavin DeGraw will serve as the honorary pace car driver at the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Sunday, March 1. The 38-year-old singer/songwriter will be behind the wheel for the initial pace laps prior to the green flag as NASCAR’s top drivers speed into the second race of the 2015 season.
“I always enjoy coming to the track and seeing a lot of familiar faces and meeting new ones,” said DeGraw. “I can’t wait to get to Atlanta and inside of the pace car. I’m going to try and set a new speedway record for the fastest pace in track history!”
Best known for his singles “I Don’t Want to Be” and “Not Over You,” DeGraw got his musical start at just 8 years old and later released his debut album, “Chariot,” in 2003. “Chariot” went on to earn platinum certification, selling over a million copies after “I Don’t Want to Be” became the theme song for teen TV drama “One Tree Hill.” DeGraw has since released five additional albums, and his music has been featured in several popular movies and TV shows. In 2013, DeGraw earned a Grammy nomination for Best Song Written for Visual Media for “We Both Know,” written for the film “Safe Haven.”
The Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 will begin with three pace laps, driven by DeGraw, before the field takes the green flag to start the 325-lap event.
For more information about Atlanta Motor Speedway’s NASCAR weekend or to purchase tickets today, call the AMS ticket office at (770) 946-4211, (877) 9-AMS-TIX or visit http://www.atlantamotorspeedway.com.
About Gavin DeGraw:
Gavin DeGraw is not a stranger to the top of the charts. The Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter first broke through with the 2003 release of his debut album, Chariot, which sold over a million copies, earned platinum certification, and yielded three hit singles: “I Don’t Want to Be,” “Follow Through,” and the title-track, “Chariot.” Gavin’s self-titled second album debuted at No. 1 on the digital sales chart and at No. 7 on Billboard’s Top 200 album chart in 2008, earning Gavin his first top-10 album. It spawned the hit singles “In Love With A Girl,” which Billboard dubbed “a rocking homerun,” and the gold-certified “We Belong Together.” In 2009, Gavin released “Free” as a gift to his die-hard fans clamoring for recorded versions of Gavin’s live favorites. DeGraw released his third studio album, Sweeter, in September 2011. The album’s first single, “Not Over You,” co-written with OneRepublic’s Ryan Tedder, reached No. 1 on the Hot AC charts, was a top-10 hit on Top 40, and was certified double-platinum. DeGraw’s acclaimed, fourth studio album, “Make A Move,” was released in October 2013 to rave reviews. Shortly thereafter, he was nominated for his first Grammy for “We Both Know,” a song he co-wrote with Colbie Calliat for the 2013 film “Safe Haven.” “Finest Hour: The Best of Gavin Degraw” was released Oct. 21, 2014 via RCA Records. The album features two new songs, including the current single “Fire,” as well as his most renowned and notable hits to date, including “Not Over You,” “We Belong Together,” and “I Don’t Want to Be.” For more information, visit www.gavindegraw.com-facebook.com/gavindegraw. On Twitter: @gavindegraw.
