DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Country music singer Jake Owen will perform a pre-race concert at the Daytona 500.
Owen will take the stage ahead of the 61st running of the “Great American Race” at Daytona International Speedway on Feb. 17.
A native Floridian, Owen featured Daytona Beach in his 2013 hit “Beachin.’”
Owen follows a long list of famed singers to perform before NASCAR’s season opener and most prestigious race. The pre-race concert began with Mariah Carey in 2003 and has since featured Brian Wilson, Bon Jovi, Keith Urban, Tim McGraw, Brad Paisley, Lenny Kravitz, Luke Bryan and Kid Rock. Rascal Flatts performed last year.
Daytona already announced retired NASCAR star Dale Earnhardt Jr. as the honorary pace truck driver for the 500. Earnhardt will drive a 2019 Chevrolet Silverado, marking the first time a truck has paced the field.
Other pre-race celebrities yet to be announced include the national anthem singer, the grand marshal and the honorary starter.
___
More AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/apf-AutoRacing and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
