Nashville Music City Center 2

BACK TO GALLERIES

A brief history of NASCAR, country music

By Staff Report | Published: December 2, 2019 11

Jake Matthews

BACK TO GALLERIES

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Nashville Music City Center 2

Jake Matthews

Nashville hosted Champion's Week from Dec. 3-5, culminating in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Awards on Dec. 5 at the Music City Center in downtown. NASCAR and Nashville have a long history together, as does NASCAR and country music. Scroll through to see the connections.

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1970s: NASCAR Cup drivers Marty Robbins and Bobby Allison pose at a race in the 1970s. (Photo by ISC Images & Archives via Getty Images)

ISC Images & Archives via Getty Images

1970s: NASCAR Cup drivers Marty Robbins and Bobby Allison pose together. Robbins, a country music singer, also competed in 35 Cup Series races from 1966-82.

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DARLINGTON, SC — September 6, 1971: Marty Robbins (L) joins Bobby Allison in victory lane at Darlington Raceway after Allison won the Southern 500 NASCAR Cup race. Country music entertainer Robbins, who dabbled in Cup racing off and on, had one of his best career finishes in the event, taking seventh place. (Photo by ISC Images & Archives via Getty Images)

ISC Images & Archives via Getty Images

1971: Marty Robbins joins Bobby Allison in Victory Lane at Darlington Raceway. Country music entertainer Robbins, who dabbled in Cup racing, had one of his best career finishes in the event, taking seventh.

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NASHVILLE, TN — August 27, 1972: Bobby Allison holds a victory guitar as he stands next to Junior Johnson after winning the Nashville 420 NASCAR Cup race at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway. Mechanic Herb Nab (L) joins the celebration. (Photo by ISC Images & Archives via Getty Images)

ISC Images & Archives via Getty Images

1972: Bobby Allison holds a victory guitar as he stands next to Junior Johnson after winning the Nashville 420 Cup Series race at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway. Mechanic Herb Nab (L) joins the celebration.

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UNKNOWN — 1974: Country & Western music legend Marty Robbins (R) performs at one of his many concerts. His musical accomplishments included a Grammy Award for his 1959 hit and signature song

ISC Images & Archives via Getty Images

1974: Marty Robbins (R) performs at one of his many concerts. His musical accomplishments included a Grammy Award for his 1959 hit and signature song "El Paso." In addition to his recordings and performances, Robbins was an avid driver.

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CHARLOTTE, NC - 1975: Charlotte Motor Speedway has always been known for bringing in top entertainment for the fans prior to races. Here country & western superstars Loretta Lynn and Conway Twitty perform for the crowd prior to a NASCAR event. (Photo by ISC Images & Archives via Getty Images)

ISC Images & Archives via Getty Images

1975: Charlotte Motor Speedway has always been known for bringing in top entertainment for the fans prior to races. Here country starts Loretta Lynn and Conway Twitty perform for the crowd prior to a race.

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NASHVILLE, TN — July 14, 1984: Geoff Bodine displays the guitar he won for taking the checkered flag first in the Pepsi 420 NASCAR Cup race at Nashville Speedway. Bodine, driving Rick Hendrick’s Northwestern Security Life Chevrolet, led 327 of the 420 laps on his way to the win. (Photo by ISC Images & Archives via Getty Images)

ISC Images & Archives via Getty Images

1984: Geoffrey Bodine displays the guitar he won for taking the checkered flag first at Nashville Speedway.

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NASVHVILLE, TN - JULY 14: Geoffrey Bodine #5 takes a picture in victory lane. This would be Bonine's second win of the year and he would take home $25,800 on July 14, 1984. (Photo by Racing Photo Archives/Getty Images)

Racing Photo Archives/Getty Images

1984: Geoffrey Bodine celebrates his second win of the year acoustic style.

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JOLIET, IL - JULY 14: American country singer/songwriter Taylor Swift , preforms in the Best Buy Fun Zone concert before practice for the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series USG Sheetrock 400 at Chicagoland Speedway on July 14, 2007 in Joliet, Illinois. (Photo by Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images for NASCAR) | Getty Images

Rusty Jarrett | Getty Images for NASCAR

2007: Back when she was country, Taylor Swift performs at Chicagoland.

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LEBANON, TN - JULY 22: Austin Dillon, driver of the #3 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet, celebrates in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Lucas Deep Clean 200 at Nashville Superspeedway on July 22, 2011 in Lebanon, Tennessee. (Photo by Jason Smith/Getty Images for NASCAR) | Getty Images

Jason Smith | Getty Images

2011: Austin Dillon celebrates in Victory Lane after winning the Gander Trucks race at Nashville.

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AVONDALE, AZ - MARCH 14: Danica Patrick, driver of the #10 GoDaddy.com Chevrolet (left) and country music artist Blake Shelton (right) talk in the garage area during practice for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series CampingWorld.com 500 at Phoenix International Raceway on March 14, 2015 in Avondale, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Christian Petersen | Getty Images

2015: Blake Shelton, whose hit "Bringing Back the Sunshine" was used to open NBC's NASCAR broadcasts for two years, chats with Danica Patrick.