Talladega Superspeedway announced today that country music star and Army Reserve soldier Craig Morgan will perform the National Anthem alongside the 313th U.S. Army Band prior to the start of the NASCAR Cup Series YellaWood 500 Playoff race on Sunday, Oct. 6. The patriotic collaboration between Morgan and the 313th U.S. Army Band will be an incredibly powerful performance and inspiration to all.
Prior to becoming a country music star, Morgan spent seventeen years serving our country in the Army and Army Reserve and enlisted again in 2023, continuing his military career as a Warrant Officer in the Army Reserve with the 313th U.S. Army Band.
“It’s an honor to have Craig Morgan perform the National Anthem with the 313th U.S. Army Band for the NASCAR Cup Series YellaWood 500,” said Talladega Superspeedway President Brian Crichton. “Craig defines what it means to be a patriot for our country, and we thank him for his service. His extraordinary musical talent is sure to deliver a powerful National Anthem that will be a special moment for all our fans.”
Morgan remains an avid supporter of America’s military personnel and has made more than sixteen overseas trips to perform for our troops. He is a member of the U.S. Field Artillery Hall of Fame and recipient of the USO Merit Award. In 2018, he was awarded the Army’s Outstanding Civilian Service Medal, one of the highest awards the Department of the Army can bestow upon a civilian, in recognition of his significant dedication to our military men and women around the world. He remains committed to supporting active duty and veteran members of our military through work with Operation Finally Home, the USO and more.
“It’s an honor to represent my country and perform with my fellow soldiers in the 313th U.S. Army Band – and there’s no place better to do it than in front of thousands of NASCAR fans at the start of Sunday’s Cup Series race at Talladega Superspeedway,” said Morgan.
A multi-faceted entertainer, Morgan is one of country music’s best-loved artists, having amassed nearly 2.5 billion career streams and charted over 25 songs on Billboard, thrilling massive crowds with signature hits including “Bonfire,” “Almost Home,” “Redneck Yacht Club,” “International Harvester,” “This Ole Boy,” “Soldier,” and the multi-week No. 1, “That’s What I Love About Sunday.” In late 2023, Craig released his newest project Enlisted, a six-song collection of reimagined hits and brand-new songs featuring collaborations with Trace Adkins, Luke Combs, Jelly Roll, Gary LeVox, Blake Shelton, and Lainey Wilson.
There is plenty of exciting NASCAR Playoff action at Talladega Superspeedway, kicking off Friday, Oct. 4, with the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Love’s RV Stop 225 during the Round of 8, followed by the NASCAR Xfinity Series United Rentals 250 on Saturday, Oct. 5, in the Round of 12.
The excitement continues into Sunday, Oct. 6, with the return of the YellaWood 500 during the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs Round of 12 at Talladega Superspeedway, as drivers prepare to tackle the iconic 33-degree banking.
— Talladega Superspeedway —