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Florida Georgia Line to play at 2016 Daytona 500

Florida Georgia Line 2

When it came time to find a superstar music act to perform a pre-race concert before the 2016 Daytona 500, Joie Chitwood III didn’t have to look far.

The president of Daytona International Speedway just had to go a few miles up the road to snare Ormond Beach, Fla., native Brian Kelley – who along with Tyler Hubbard make up the very popular and multiplatinum country music duo Florida Georgia Line.

“We are thrilled to secure Florida Georgia Line as the performers for the Daytona 500 Pre-Race Show,” Chitwood said. “Florida Georgia Line is country music’s premier duo and will provide race fans with an energetic performance prior to the start of the Daytona 500.”

Florida Georgia Line’s appearance will help christen the opening of the racetrack’s $400 million, nearly two-year Daytona Rising frontstretch revitalization and reconstruction program.

Kelley’s roots in the Daytona area run deep. He attended Seabreeze High School and Daytona State College before his music career took off.

Kelley’s father, Ed, was elected mayor of Ormond Beach in 2010, a post he still holds today.

“It’s a dream come true to play in the city where I was born, went to high school in and now have the honor of being a part of one of my family’s favorite sporting events, the Daytona 500,“ Kelley said. “Performing at the 500 feels full circle to me as I grew up working the 500 as a fundraiser for our baseball team and was in awe then and still am.”

Follow @JerryBonkowski