Just like last year, Darlington Raceway is making sure the throwback weekend surrounding the Southern 500 has the proper soundtrack.
As a follow-up to Grand Funk Railroad’s pre-race concert last year, Darlington has announced that Kansas, the band responsible for the songs “Carry on Wayward Son” and “Dust in the Wind,” will perform before the Sept. 4 race.
Among Kansas’ achievements are eight gold albums and three sextuple-Platinum albums. Their first album, the self-titled “Kansas,” was released in 1974. That year, the Southern 500 was won by Cale Yarborough as he lapped the entire field.
“Kansas was an iconic band in that era whose hit songs you can still hear on classic rock stations to this day,” said track president Chip Wile in a press release. “We’re excited for them to perform for our fans and give the Bojangles’ Southern 500 pre-race ceremonies a nostalgic feel as we celebrate the history and heritage of NASCAR on Labor Day weekend.”
The band will perform on a stage on the frontstretch. In addition to a general race ticket, a pre-race access pass may be purchased for an additional $45. This pass will not only give fans stage front access for the concert, but will also include an up close view of the Sprint Cup Series stars as they are introduced to the crowd. Supplies are limited.
The Southern 500 can be seen on Sept. 4 on NBC.