BROOKLYN, Mich. – From growing up in the heart of Bayou Country to winning the 17th season of “American Idol” in 2019, Laine Hardy’s road to a career in music was always clear-cut. Now he will get to put his talents on display before a national television audience as he performs the virtual National Anthem prior to the running of the NASCAR Cup Series Consumers Energy 400 at Michigan International Speedway on Sunday, August 9. The race will start at 4:30 pm and will be televised nationally on NBCSN.
“I can’t believe I’m getting to sing the National anthem before a NASCAR race,” Hardy said. “Although I can’t be there in person during this time, I’m definitely looking forward to future races and watching the Consumers Energy 400 at Michigan International Speedway. It’s going to be a great race!”
“We are excited to have Laine Hardy perform the National Anthem as part of our historic Cup Series doubleheader weekend,” said Michigan International Speedway President Rick Brenner. “Laine’s distinct sound is sure to resonate both with our fans and music enthusiasts.”
A native of Livingston, Louisiana (pop. 2,000 – 30 miles east of Baton Rouge), Laine Hardy was six when he picked up his first guitar and later joined his brother playing at local clubs and bars for upwards of six hours a night, inspired by artists ranging from Morgan Wallen to Luke Combs and Elvis Presley to Mark Broussard. After winning American Idol in 2019, Laine focused on songwriting and touring, headlining shows in Denver, Indianapolis, Sacramento, Minneapolis, Lexington and more. His 2020 “Ground I Grew Up On” virtual tour garnered over 2 million views in April and May.
While Louisiana is home, Nashville is where he was destined to be. There he met producer Michael Knox (Jason Aldean, Thomas Rhett) and the pair went to work on several new sides releasing in 2020. His latest, “Tiny Town” (Michael Tyler) was released on July 10, and tracks “Ground I Grew Up On” (Brandon Kinney, Josh Thompson, Brett Beavers) and “Let There Be Country” (Jason Afable, Steve Moakler, Tim Nichols) were released April 10 on Hollywood Records/Industrial Media’s 19 Recordings – tell the stories of Laine’s childhood on the bayou where on an average day you would find him fishing, riding his four-wheeler, spending time with his family and dogs, and feasting on jambalaya or his Korean grandmother’s homemade kimichi. For more information about Laine Hardy, visit LaineHardyMusic.com and join his journey @TheLaineHardy Instagram/Twitter/YouTube/
The schedule for the NASCAR weekend at MIS will consist of the following:
Fri., Aug. 7: NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series, 6:00 pm (FS1), Henry Ford Health System 200 (200 miles)
Sat., Aug. 8: NASCAR Cup Series FireKeepers Casino 400 (312 miles), 4:00 pm (NBCSN)
Sun., Aug. 9: ARCA Menards Series VizCom 200 (200 miles), 1:00 pm (MAVTV)
Sun., Aug. 9: NASCAR Cup Series Consumers Energy 400 (312 miles), 4:30 pm (NBCSN)
Times are ET