Track Happenings
J.D. Shelburne to perform as the Speedway’s headliner
The Lima Lima Air Show will put on a show
during Saturday’s pre-race events
SPARTA, Ky. (July 2019) – There’s more than racing going on at the Kentucky Speedway leading up to the July 13 running of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series “Quaker State 400 presented by Wal-Mart.” Below is a list of attractions to enjoy before the weekend is over.
Country music artist and University of Kentucky alum J.D. Shelburne will perform. He came from humble beginnings, having been raised in the small tobacco farm town of Taylorsville, Ky., just outside of Louisville. He will headline this year’s Trackside Live Stage with a full concert beginning at 5:30 p.m. Saturday.
Although he is currently based in Nashville, Tenn., Shelburne said he savors any chance he has to get back to his roots and put on shows for his followers in the Bluegrass State.
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Photo provided J.D. Shelburne of Taylorsville, Ky., will perform Saturday before the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race. |
“I am so thrilled to perform at the Quaker State 400 race this summer,” said Shelburne. “It has been a dream of mine to perform back in my home state and headline this event. I am looking forward to performing for all my Kentucky fans.”
Shelburne’s new music video for his 2018 single, “She Keeps Me up Nights,” was recently featured on CMT Music and CMT.com. The track follows the successful debut of his first single, “One Less Girl,” which CMT Music also premiered, and recently cracked the Top 40 on the Music Row Chart. Both songs were featured on his newest album, “Two Lane Town,” which was released July 28, 2018.
“I think I’ve got some great songs on this record, and I think so many fans will relate and be drawn to this new album,” said Shelburne. “I still have a lot of ground to cover and I don’t plan on slowing down anytime soon.”
Bluegrass band Moonshine Drive will perform at 2 p.m. Saturday on the Trackside Live Stage. Formed in 2017 in Cincinnati by Louis Mazzocca and brothers Greg and Marc Mecoli, they have been pickin’ and grinnin’ in and around Cincinnati ever since.
Cincinnati’s Naked Karate Girls will also perform at 3:30 p.m. Saturday on the Infield Fan Zone Stage.
The Lima Lima Air Show, considered “The World’s Original Six Ship Civilian Formation Aerobatic Team,” will perform Saturday during the pre-race activities. The Lima Lima Flight Team is based in Naperville, Ill. Their performance will be a demonstration featuring six T-34 aircrafts. It includes several formation configurations, from the six ship wedge and double arrowhead, to the basic finger four and diamond formations. The team has developed a series of formation aerobatics maneuvers that demonstrate the full range of the T-34.
Lima Lima has performed in air shows from coast to coast and border to border, thrilling more than 100 million spectators with the beauty and grace of their precision performances.
Jimmy Houston, “America’s Favorite Fisherman,” also will appear at the track on race weekend. The professional angler and television host will be back this year with fishing clinics in Lakeside on the Kentucky Speedway property.
Houston, who is in his 54th year fishing professional bass tournaments and his 43rd year on National Television with “Jimmy Houston Outdoors,” began fishing professional bass tournaments in 1968.
This won’t be Houston’s first trip to Kentucky Speedway. He drove the pace car for the Quaker State 400 in 2015 and was the Grand Marshal last year. Houston spent 21 years on ESPN before switching to the Outdoor Life Network and NBC Sports.
Fireball Alley is the official College Tailgate Area for the Quaker State 400 with packages selling for $30. Fireball Whisky will sponsor the area that used to be known as “Action Alley” this year. A college student area (ages 18-25) located trackside on Turn 1, Fireball Alley features free tailgating (cornhole, giant jenga, etc.), tent camping, music with a DJ and great value concession offerings.
You must be 18 or over to enter this area. A student ID will allow you to receive free giveaways while supplies last.
Fireball Alley opens at 2 p.m. Saturday, with tailgating and tent camping opening at 10 a.m. and the race beginning at 7:30 p.m.
The prominent Budweiser Clydesdales owned by Anheuser-Busch will be in attendance at Kentucky Speedway this year. They will perform a parade lap Saturday during pre-race festivities.
The Budweiser Clydesdales made their first-ever appearance on April 7, 1933. A gift from August A. Busch Jr. and Adolphus Busch to their father in celebration of the repeal of Prohibition, the presentation of the original two six-horse hitches of champion Clydesdales moved father, sons and drivers to tears.
In 1950, the Budweiser Clydesdales received their very own mascot: the Dalmatian. Traditionally used to guide horse-drawn fire carts, the spotted dog serves as friend and companion to the team, sitting aside the driver.
Trackside Live is NASCAR’s pre-race show that will also be streamed on NASCAR.com.