Red Hot Chili Peppers to Perform Mid-Race Concert at NASCAR Nextel Cup Series All-Star Challenge

Press release
Source: Rogers and Cowan

NASCAR fans in attendance or tuning in to watch the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series All-Star Challenge on Saturday, May 20 (7 pm EST on FX) will see something unprecedented in NASCAR history - a mid-race concert featuring a performance by the world famous Red Hot Chili Peppers. NASCAR has never previously had a scheduled performance during a race, and it is only due to the All-Star challenge's unique flow - consisting of three segments of 40, 30 and 20 laps - that it is even possible. Following in NASCAR's growing tradition of having top-name acts perform at races, the Red Hot Chili Peppers will take center stage between the first and second segments to perform songs from their recently released album, "Stadium Arcadium." The performance will mark a first for the Red Hot Chili Peppers – the heavily-touring band has never performed at a sporting event. Footage from the concert will also be used for the band's upcoming “How Bad Have You Got It” NASCAR commercial, which will begin airing nationally this coming summer.

Widely celebrated as one of Rock's best known groups, the Red Hot Chili Peppers new album, "Stadium Arcadium" will arrive on May 9. The first single, "Dani California," is already receiving rave reviews and steady radio airplay. The Red Hot Chili Peppers' performance at the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series All-Star Challenge will be their last U.S. appearance before starting their world tour, which begins in Barcelona, Spain, on May 30. For more information on the new album, visit www.redhotchilipeppers.com.

The Red Hot Chili Peppers will also appear in a NASCAR Image television commercial this summer, becoming the latest in a long line of musicians and celebrities appearing in NASCAR ads. Past NASCAR Image spots have featured major names in the music industry including: Jewel, Lisa Marie Presley, Lenny Kravitz, LeAnn Rimes and Sheryl Crow. These popular entertainers help showcase the contemporary, cool and hip aspects of NASCAR, while generating exposure for the artist to NASCAR’s fan base of 75 million Americans.

The Red Hot Chili Peppers formed in 1983 and quickly became known in local Los Angeles circles for their high-energy, risqué live performances. The band achieved initial success with the release of "Mother's Milk" in 1989, but it was the 1991 release of "BloodSugarSexMagik" that cemented their immortal rock status, fueled by the hit "Give it Away" and their first Top Ten single, "Under the Bridge." In 1999, the band released the acclaimed "Californication," continuing their success with "By the Way" in 2002. The band has garnered seven multi-platinum albums and sold more than 50 million albums worldwide.

Each year NASCAR brings out its brightest stars to race in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series All-Star Challenge. The 2006 event will be the 21st straight All-Star challenge held at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Concorde, North Carolina. The non-points race features a 25-car field and a purse of $3,195,000, with approximately $1 million going to the winner.

Purchase your tickets today by calling the Ticket Hotline at 1-800-455-FANS.