AUTO CLUB SPEEDWAY ANNOUNCES 2^nd STRAIGHT SELLOUT FOR AUTO CLUB 400 

For the second straight year, Auto Club Speedway President Dave Allen announced that grandstand tickets for Sunday’s Auto Club 400 have been sold out.

Those wishing to purchase standing room only tickets can still join the Auto Club 400 festivities by calling 1-800-944-RACE (7223).

“All I can say to our great fans is Thank You,” said Speedway President Dave Allen.  “Our fans have once again shown their passion for Auto Club Speedway and NASCAR.  I’m sure the Auto Club 400 will once again be a great race.”

Kyle Busch (No. 18 Interstate Batteries Toyota) took last year’s Auto Club 400 checkered flag, while Kyle Larson (No. 42 Target Chevrolet), who was named the 2014 Rookie of the Year, won the TreatMyClot.com 300 NASCAR Xfinity race.

Sunday’s Auto Club 400 is set to air on FOX at Noon local time as well as your local MRN affiliate.

“AMERICAN IDOL XIV” TOP 11 TO SING NATIONAL ANTHEM AND GRAND MARSHALS FOR AUTO CLUB 400

The Top 11 finalists from AMERICAN IDOL XIV will sing the National Anthem and serve as Grand Marshals prior to the start of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Auto Club 400 race at the Auto Club Speedway on Sunday, March 22. The race will be broadcast at Noon (PT) on FOX

The Top 11 Finalists include: Quentin Alexander, Clark Beckham, Joey Cook, Adanna Duru, Nick Fradiani, Jax, Tyanna Jones, Qaasim Middleton, Rayvon Owen, Daniel Seavey and Maddie Walker. 

Nashville’s music powerhouse and IDOL’s in-house mentor Scott Borchetta will join the Top 11 contestants to call the command as Grand Marshals. Borchetta is President and CEO of the Big Machine Label Group and one of the most successful forces in the music industry today.  The AMERICAN IDOL XIV winner will join Borchetta’s record label roster of superstar talent, including global pop star Taylor Swift, whom he discovered at the age of 14, as well as Tim McGraw, Reba, Rascal Flatts, Florida Georgia Line and The Band Perry.

AMERICAN IDOL, the original music show that creates superstars, is hosted by Ryan Seacrest and features  judges Jennifer Lopez, Keith Urban and Harry Connick, Jr., AMERICAN IDOL XIV continues to bring generations together to champion and vote for their favorite contestants and ultimately choose America’s next IDOL.

IDOL is the gold standard and the only TV singing competition show to produce true superstars, including Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, Phillip Phillips, Chris Daughtry, Adam Lambert and many more. A bona fide cultural phenomenon, IDOL’s alumni have sold more than 60 million albums, have garnered more 250 million downloads and have been certified with 20 Platinum and 13 Gold records; and more than 70 IDOL contestants have been on the Billboard charts with 440 songs attaining No.1 Billboard hit status. IDOL contestants have conquered Broadway, television and film, and have won numerous awards and accolades, including American Country Music Awards, Country Music Awards, Grammy Awards and an Academy Award.

MULTIPLE GRAMMY AWARD-WINNING COUNTRY MUSIC ICON, DWIGHT YOAKAM, NAMED HONORARY STARTER FOR AUTO CLUB 400

Global country music legend and superstar of the screen, Dwight Yoakam, will serve as Honorary Starter for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series’ Auto Club 400 at Auto Club Speedway on Sunday, March 22. With more than 25 million albums sold worldwide, and major motion picture roles alongside some of the world’s top thespians including Jodie Foster, Tommy Lee Jones, Forest Whitaker, and Nicolas Cage, Yoakam is amongst an elite cadre of global superstars.

Photo – ACS

As Honorary Starter, Yoakam will wave the green flag to start the Auto Club 400, and watch the stock cars take their first lap on the circuit’s final stop on the West Coast Swing.

As an Honorary Race Official, Yoakam will be involved with pre-race ceremony activities including driver introductions and special NASCAR awards. He will be joined by Miss Sprint Cup, Eric Stonestreet from “Modern Family,” Latin GRAMMY-nominated musical artist, El Dasa, and other dignitaries.

For over three decades, Yoakam has entertained fans across 12 gold and 9 platinum or multi-platinum albums, 5 of which have topped Billboard’s Country Albums chart, with another 14 landing in the Top 10. He is a 21-time nominated, multiple GRAMMY Award-winner, and in 2013 was named the Americana Music Association’s Artist of the Year, the most prestigious honor offered by the organization. In addition to his unparalleled music career, Yoakam has commanded the spotlight in both television and film, including the Academy Award-winning “Sling Blade,” David Fincher’s box office smash “Panic Room,” and “Wedding Crashers” alongside Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson. On April 14, 2015, Yoakam will release his latest album, ‘Second Hand Heart,’ on Warner/Reprise records. The album is available for pre-order here, and you can listen to the title track here

BRIAN MCKNIGHT TO PERFORM NATIONAL ANTHEM AT NASCAR XFINITY DRIVE4CLOTS.COM 300 RACE

As an Honorary Race Official, McKnight will be on the main stage for pre-race ceremony activities including Xfinity driver introductions and special NASCAR awards.

McKnight has been honored with multiple awards including Billboard Songwriter of the Year, American Music Awards, Soul Train Awards, and 16 Grammy nominations.

To date, McKnight has released 15 albums and has sold over 20 million albums which include top hits “Back at One,” “Anytime,” and “Only One For Me.”

The male vocalist also plays nine instruments including piano, guitar, bass, drums, percussions, trombone, tuba, flugelhorn and trumpet.  He has collaborated with performers across every genre including: Quincy Jones, Justin Timberlake, Mariah Carey, Diddy, Christina Aguilera, Rascal Flatts, Nelly, Vanessa Williams, Willie Nelson and Kenny G.