Bristol Will Be Rocking with NASCAR Drivers' Favorite Theme Songs

Where have all the good times gone?

I mean, have they actually left, or have they just been restructured in time to join the 21st century?

Just like anything else in life that becomes outdated, NASCAR also felt that father time was slowly forgetting about our sport and that it was time for change.

We have seen some pretty dramatic changes in the past decade, and none of them have gone unnoticed.

Mark Martin summed up the changes in three easy words during his weekly press conference this past week. “There’s so much,” he said.

Looking back at just a couple of them that have probably had the biggest impact, the C.O.T. and the chase for the Sprint cup championship by far have taken center stage.

And then, of course ,there are the subtle changes which didn’t have such a big impact, but nonetheless still slowly but surely crept their way into the sport.

One of these subtle changes that is still being refined to this day is the drivers' introductions.

NASCAR has really gone out of its way to make sure that our sport is keeping up with today’s high demands, as far as the entertainment aspect is concerned.

Back in the day, drivers had a great deal of fun during pre-race festivities, as they introduced themselves to the fans in attendance, showing some of their own individuality into the way they addressed the crowd.

What was once a simple way of introducing the drivers, along with a short prayer and the singing of the Star Spangled Banner has now turned into a full-fledged production complete with fireworks, a pre-race concert, and, of course, a stage from where the drivers come walking out and are introduced.

NASCAR is continuing to let the sporting world know that it too can bring that same type of excitement that other sports bring before the green flag is ever waved. When you take in all the hype and excitement that the NFL brings to its fans before the Super Bowl, why should NASCAR be any different?

After all, this is one the most high-energy, breathtaking, colorful, and exciting sports that is out there today.

We already know how colorful and exciting some of the drivers can be just by watching the pre-race shows while they are being interviewed. And with the different personalities that each driver posseses, I’m sure that it also shows in the music that they listen to.

Whether it is country or hard rock, their musical tastes are just as diverse as the paint schemes on their cars.

So, don’t be too surprised for this Saturday night’s Sharpie 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway when the music you hear sounds more like a battle of the bands is taking place during driver introductions.

Bristol Motor Speedway will be turning back the hands of time by not only asking the drivers to introduce themselves, but by having them walk out to the song of their choice.

When you look at the diversity in music that our drivers enjoy, it’s easy to see why NASCAR racing has become so popular during the 21st century.

Lineup so far

Tony Stewart: “Bawitdaba” by Kid Rock

Mark Martin: “For Those About to Rock” by AC/DC

Dale Earnhardt, Jr. and Jimmie Johnson: “Thunderstruck” by AC/DC

Matt Kenseth: “The Enemy” by Godsmack

Kurt Busch: “Going the Distance” by Cake

Kyle Busch: “Amazing” by Kanye West

Carl Edwards: “Jump Around” by House Of Pain

Jeff Gordon: “Start Me Up” by The Rolling Stones

Jeff Burton: “Welcome to the Jungle” by Guns And Roses

Kasey Kahne: “Life on the Run” by Dierks Bentley’s

Michael Waltrip: “As Good as I Once Was” by Toby Keith

Ryan Newman: “Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy” by Big & Rich

Clint Bowyer: “Enter the Building” by Elvis Presley

Reed Sorenson: “Billy Jean” by Michael Jackson

As we get ready to take the green flag on what should be another exciting evening of racing under the lights, the battles that will be taking place should fall nothing short, especially by looking at the list of songs that our favorite drivers have chosen to represent themselves.

If there was one song that could best portray what our drivers mean to not only us fans, but also the sport as well, the one that comes to mind is AC/DC’s, “For Those About To Rock (We Salute You).”