MARTINSVILLE, Va. (September 17, 2013) – With a little help from NASCAR Sprint Cup driver Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Martinsville Speedway announced Tuesday that the North Carolina State University Marching Band will perform the National Anthem prior to the Goody’s™ Headache Relief Shot™ 500 Powered by Kroger on October 27.
The band, which has over 335 members, is known for its Saturday afternoon performances in Carter-Finley Stadium for Wolfpack football games, but “The Power Sound of the South” has played for United States presidents, performed in the Rose Bowl and marched through the streets of Dublin, Ireland for the annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade. They will be playing in Spain in 2014.
“We are excited and honored to have the North Carolina State Marching Band here for the Goody’s™ Headache Relief Shot™ 500 Powered by Kroger. It’s become a tradition here at Martinsville to have a college marching band perform the anthem for our fall event and I don’t think we could have done any better than North Carolina State,” said Martinsville Speedway President Clay Campbell.
“We are big believers here that the National Anthem should be played in its traditional form, the way it was meant to be played. We know we will get that type of performance from North Carolina State.”
“Going to such a great venue to play the Anthem in front of the entire NASCAR nation around the world is an honor to us,” said Dr. Paul Garcia, the N.C. State band director. “Just to get to walk on the track where so many great people have raced is an honor.
“And the National Anthem is very important to us, to honor all of those who have served and are serving.”
Stenhouse will be busy on race day at Martinsville, but just in case he has time to help with the anthem, Dr. Garcia and some band members worked with him Tuesday, trying to teach him the finer points of conducting the band, along with playing the bass drum and other instruments.
“These guys are really good,” Stenhouse said of the N.C. State band after his brief performance with them. “That’s why they are coming out to Martinsville to play the National Anthem. I think it’s really neat to tie it into North Carolina State. It’s not too far from the race track. It’s a good event and they will enjoy it.”
Tickets for the Goody’s™ Headache Relief Shot™ 500 Powered by Kroger start at just $37.
Advance tickets for the Kroger 200 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race on Saturday, Oct. 26 are just $30 and tickets for Pole Day, Friday, October 25 are $15. Youth 12 and under are admitted free on both October 25 and 26. To purchase tickets for the Goody’s™ Headache Relief Shot™ 500 Powered by Kroger weekend, call 877.RACE.TIX or visit www.martinsvillespeedway.com.
