KANSAS CITY, KAN. – Wichita, Kansas native Chris Mann will have a homecoming of sorts this weekend. The multi-talented musical artist who performed with Christina Aguilera on the second season of The Voice in 2012, will now sing the virtual national anthem prior to Saturday’s running of the Kansas Lottery 250 NASCAR Xfinity Series race, which starts at 4:00 pm, CT (NBCSN).
“It’s always an honor to have someone from our area go on to a successful career, and it’s even better when they have the opportunity to show off their talents at a Kansas Speedway event,” said Kansas Speedway President Pat Warren. “We are honored to have Chris perform the virtual national anthem during our race weekend.”
Mann is an actor, chart-topping recording artist, writer and director. Most recently, his hysterical musical parody videos have dominated the internet, garnering over 60 million views across platforms. Chris’ parodies have been featured on news outlets all over the world including CNN, NPR, Today Show, BBC News, Vice, Funny or Die, The LA Times, The New Yorker and more.
His debut album Roads (Universal/Republic Records) hit #1 on Billboard’s Heatseekers Chart and appeared on the Billboard Top 200 and iTunes charts. His sophomore release, Constellation, followed suit, also topping the Billboard and iTunes charts. Additionally, Mann was cast by Sir Cameron Mackintosh and Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber as The Phantom in The Phantom of the Opera’s 25th Anniversary Tour. Mann donned the iconic mask for over 700 performances with critics hailing him as “the best Phantom since Michael Crawford.”
Racing continues with doubleheaders on both Friday and Saturday at Kansas Speedway, consisting of the following:
| DATE | EVENT | RACE TIME |
|---|---|---|
| Friday, July 24 | NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series Blue-Emu Maximum Pain Relief 200 (200 miles) | 6:00 pm (FS1) |
| Friday, July 24 | ARCA Menards Series Dawn 150 (150 miles) | 9:00 pm (FS1) |
| Saturday, July 25 | NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series e.p.t™ 200 (200 miles) | 12:30 pm (FS1) |
| Saturday, July 25 | NASCAR Xfinity Series Kansas Lottery 250 (250 miles) | 4:00 pm (NBCSN) |
Times are CT
For the latest news, including ticket information, please visit www.kansasspeedway.com.
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About Kansas Speedway
Kansas Speedway is a premier motorsports facility in the Midwest. The track, which opened in 2001, hosts two NASCAR Cup Series weekends each year, along with approximately 200 other event days each year. The Hollywood Casino at Kansas Speedway, which opened in 2012, overlooks Turn 2 of the track.