The NASCAR Cup Series season continues on Sunday with the Pennzoil 400. A special guest from Nashville will show off her vocal talents prior to the green flag waving. Jessie James Decker will sing the national anthem and help set the stage for 267 laps of action.
“Hey, y’all, it’s Jessie James Decker, and I’m so excited to announce I’ll be singing the national anthem for NASCAR’s Pennzoil 400 Presented by Jiffy Lube on March 7. I’ll see you there,” James said in her announcement video. She will join Sarah Stiles, star of Netflix’s The Crew, as prominent figures to sing the “Star Spangled Banner” before NASCAR drivers head out for an afternoon of competition.
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.@JessieJDecker will be singing the national anthem before Sunday’s race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway! pic.twitter.com/RCVw6A47qh
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) March 2, 2021
“Hell Ya,” one Twitter user wrote after seeing Decker’s announcement. A few others weighed in and echoed this sentiment. They expressed excitement about the country star showing off her vocal talents. Though others took time to joke about former NFL wide receiver Eric Decker and the final portions of his NFL career.
Decker will not be the only special guest on hand for Sunday’s trip to Sin City. Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Derek Carr will welcome the Cup Series to the city where he plays football, and he will serve as grand marshal. Carr will utter the most famous words in motorsports while telling drivers to start their engines.
The last time the NASCAR series headed to Vegas, the drivers dealt with weather-related issues. They didn’t take part in any qualifying sessions due to the rainfall. NASCAR responded by setting the starting lineup based on the rulebook, a trend that would continue throughout the 2020 season due to COVID-19.
Kyle Busch secured the pole position but had to move to the rear of the field after he and Denny Hamlin received penalties. Busch and Hamlin ultimately finished 15th and 17th, respectively, while Joey Logano secured his first win of the season.
The Pennzoil 400 Presented by Jiffy Lube takes place at 3:30 p.m. ET on Sunday afternoon at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Fox will provide coverage for all 267 laps with Mike Joy, Jeff Gordon, and Clint Bowyer in the booth. Regan Smith and Jamie Little will serve as pit reporters and provide important updates during the afternoon of racing.
