8 NASCAR Drivers and Their Rock and Roll Counterparts

Rock and Roll Hall of Famers Lynyrd Skynyrd were invited to play this year in Atlanta at the Adovocare 500, the second-to-last regular-season NASCAR race.  From all accounts, they put on a good show, despite some inclement weather that forced the race to be run on a rare Tuesday.

The connection between rock stars and drivers should not be lost on NASCAR fans.  Drivers have become a new type of rock star, especially within the last 10 or 15 years.

Just as music fans follow their favorite rock musicians, so too do NASCAR fans follow their favorite drivers to and from the various racetracks around the country.

Certain drivers resemble traits of certain individual rock stars or bands.

The following is a list of these drivers who, over the years, have become identifiable with certain stars or bands.

Ryan Newman and Elton John

Both are short and stocky.  Ryan Newman's nickname is the "Rocket Man."  One of Elton John's most famous songs is entitled "Rocket Man."

Unfortunately for Newman, one of the lyrics in Elton John's famous song states "I think it's gonna be a long, long time."  Elton John was not writing this song about Newman, but the lyric runs true:  Newman has a long way to go before he will contend for a NASCAR Sprint Cup title.

Mark Martin and Keith Richards

Both men are the reigning grandfathers of their respective professions. 

They may indeed retire in the same year, because it is truly uncertain how long each man can continue to perform at a satisfactory level.

Like Richards' famous song, Mark Martin has not been able to garner much satisfaction with racing over the past few years, going winless. 

Matt Kenseth and James Taylor

Matt Kenseth is known for being quiet and introspective; he is certainly one of NASCAR's most reserved drivers.  It is ironic, almost contradictory, that one of his primary sponsors is the only hard liquor sponsor in the Sprint Cup, Crown Royal.

Much like Kenseth, solo artist James Taylor is often regarded as deep and introspective songwriter.  It has gained him many Grammy awards, just as Kenseth's demeanor has won him the respect of many drivers and fans, including the 2003 championship.

Kyle Busch and Axl Rose

Axl Rose, front man for Guns N' Roses, looks much more refined here attending a Formula One race than he did back in the '80s.  Actually, Kyle Busch was just born when Axl Rose was working his way up to the top of the charts.

Both are unpredictable.  They are immensely talented, but their personalities can be severely polarizing, both with fans and the police.  Axl has probably had more problems with the police to date, but he actually has a current and valid driver's license, unlike Kyle Busch.

Kyle Busch has not fared incredibly well in the 2011 Chase for the Sprint Cup.  If he does not have a successful October, then he may be stuck in the cold, November rain come season's end.

Kevin Harvick and Kenny Rogers

Kevin Harvick is known as "The Closer."  Kenny Rogers most famous song is "The Gambler." 

In the song, Rogers states that "you've gotta know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em" and that "you never count your money, when your sitting at the table."

Harvick's style seems synonymous with this philosophy.  He has the ability to not be over-aggressive until the timing is right; then, and only then, is when he pushes all of his chips into the pile.

This has certainly worked in 2011, as he, along with Kyle Busch, amassed the most victories of any driver in the Sprint Cup circuit.

Jeff Gordon and Rainbow

The names are too perfect.  Jeff "The Rainbow Warrior" Gordon could only be tied to a band so aptly named for him.

Rainbow was not the most famous of bands, but it did have some famous members.  It was a collaboration of heavy metal stars Ritchie Blackmore of Deep Purple and Ronnie James Dio.  The band was fairly short-lived as a cohesive unit, but Dio would go on to front Black Sabbath after Ozzy Osbourne's departure.

Jeff Gordon's theme music, such as is played during the driver introductions of races at Bristol Motor Speedway, should be this band's only minor hit, "Man on a Silver Mountain."

Jimmie Johnson and Eddie Van Halen

Both are the best at what they do.  Jimmie Johnson's hands on the wheel and Eddie Van Halen's fingers on the guitar are pure magic.

However, both have a strong support system that goes unnoticed by most fans of either NASCAR or Van Halen.

Johnson has Chad Knaus, a brilliant crew chief who has probably engineered a few victories that Johnson could not have manufactured solely at the hands of his own driving ability.

Van Halen has the support of his brother, drummer Alex Van Halen.  They are the only members of Van Halen that have been in the band for its entire 30-plus years of existence.

Carl Edwards and Danzig

Carl Edwards is well known for his commitment to physical fitness and a chiseled physique.  In the late '80s and early '90s, Danzig was a band with four members that looked committed to this very same thing.

Front man Glen Danzig gained popularity as a member of the Misfits in the early '80s, but his darker, scarier band named after himself is a more apt counterpart to Carl Edwards.  Edwards would have fit right in with the band, if only he were to grow his hair longer and change his name to something more intimidating.

Danzig consisted of four large, muscled heavy-metalers named Glenn Danzig, John Christ, Eerie Von and Chuck Biscuits.  Somehow, the name Carl Edwards does not really fit with those four.

On the other hand, none of these four could perform a flip off of a race car quite like Edwards can.