NASCAR’s been cranking up the star power lately, pulling in big names from music and Hollywood to give race days that extra spark. It’s not just about the cars screaming around the track anymore, it’s a full-on entertainment extravaganza. Look at the 2024 Daytona 500: Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson took the mic as grand marshal, hyping the crowd, while Pitbull and DJ Khaled brought their Miami flair to the pre-race party, even with rain trying to steal the show. That South Florida vibe showed NASCAR’s ready to lean into celebrity crossover to grab eyes beyond the diehards.
Then there’s Phoenix, where the 2024 Championship Race got a jolt from Grammy-winning rapper Nelly. His high-energy performance, broadcast live on NBC, turned the finale into a concert-meets-race spectacle, proving NASCAR’