GRAMMY®-Nominated Top-Selling Singer-Songwriter ERNEST to Take the Stage at Texas Motor Speedway on May 4
Multi-Platinum Award Winning Vocal Powerhouse Nate Smith to Perform at Michigan International Speedway on June 8
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (March 12, 2025) – Calling all country music lovers: NASCAR, Speedway Motorsports and Anheuser-Busch announced today that two of the biggest artists of the genre – GRAMMY-nominated top-selling singer-songwriter ERNEST and award-winning vocal powerhouse Nate Smith – will headline the first two Busch Light Summer Music Series events of the year at Texas Motor Speedway and Michigan International Speedway, respectively. The announcement comes on the heels of the news that multi-platinum southern rock group Zac Brown Band will perform as part of festivities at the Chicago Street Race on Saturday, July 5, the third event of the five-concert Summer Music Series.
“As part of our renewed partnership with Busch Light, they’re putting a premium on finding fresh new ways to drive deeper fan engagement and enhance the entertainment and experience at the track, and the Summer Music Series does just that,” said Michelle Byron, NASCAR Executive Vice President and Chief Partnership and Licensing Officer. “It will be NASCAR, Busch Light and some of the biggest names in country music throughout the weekend in Texas, Michigan and Chicago. I can’t think of a better combination for the best fans in all of sports.”
To kick off the Busch Light Summer Music Series, top-selling Nashville artist ERNEST, “a writer of hit songs and an emerging star in his own right” (The New York Times), has earned 13 No. 1 hits as a songwriter, and several No. 1 hits on country radio. ERNEST will be performing hits from his critically acclaimed albums “Flower Shops (The Album)” and “Nashville, Tennessee,” which feature collaborations with Morgan Wallen, Lainey Wilson, Lukas Nelson, Jelly Roll, HARDY and much more leading up to the green flag of the Sunday, May 4 WÜRTH 400 NASCAR Cup Series race at Texas Motor Speedway. ERNEST also recently co-penned the Hot 100 record-breaking single, “I Had Some Help” by Post Malone featuring Morgan Wallen that earned him a 2025 GRAMMY nomination.
Country vocal powerhouse Nate Smith will perform his biggest hits for fans prior to the NASCAR Cup Series Firekeepers Casino 400 on Sunday, June 8 at Michigan International Speedway, including multi-week no. 1 records “Whiskey on You,” “World on Fire” and “Bulletproof.” Smith has accumulated over 2 billion career streams, garnered multiple gold and platinum records, sold-out shows across the U.S. and received numerous nominations for best new artist from the CMA Awards, ACM Awards, CMT Awards, and iHeart Radio Awards. Most recently, Smith received the award for ACM New Male Artist of the Year, Billboard’s Rookie of the Year and Amazon’s Breakthrough Country Artist for 2024. Smith’s sophomore album, California Gold, debuted Top 15 on Billboard’s Country Albums Chart. His current release, “Nobody Likes Your Girlfriend” featuring Hardy is out now.
“Busch Light knows our Texas and Michigan fans also share a deep passion for racing, so bringing unforgettable experiences to these iconic tracks is a no-brainer.” said Kyrstyn Stowe, Head of Marketing, Busch Family & Natural Family at Anheuser-Busch. “With NASCAR, we’re shifting fan engagement into high gear, uniting two of race fans’ greatest passions: country music and cold, smooth Busch Light.”
The performances at Texas Motor Speedway, Michigan International Speedway and the Chicago Street Race will be the first three of five full-length concerts at NASCAR races throughout the country, as a part of the first-ever Busch Light Summer Music Series – an exciting new fan experience born from the renewal of the long-time partnership with the “Official Beer Sponsor of NASCAR.” Since the 1990s, the Anheuser-Busch family of brands has created countless opportunities for 21+ NASCAR fans to get closer to the sport they love. This summer, the final two electrifying pre-race performances will take place at Iowa Speedway (Aug. 3), and Busch Light’s hometown of St. Louis at World Wide Technology Raceway (Sept. 7). Artists and details on these concerts will be announced at a later date.
The 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season continues with the Pennzoil 400 presented by Jiffy Lube at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Sunday, March 16, airing live on FS1 at 3:30 p.m. ET.
About NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) is the sanctioning body for the No. 1 form of motorsports in the United States and owner of 14 of the nation’s major motorsports entertainment facilities. NASCAR sanctions races in three national series (NASCAR Cup Series™, NASCAR Xfinity Series™, and NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series™), four international series (NASCAR Brasil Series, NASCAR Canada Series, NASCAR Euro Series, NASCAR Mexico Series), four regional series (ARCA Menards Series, ARCA Menards Series East & West and the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour) and a local grassroots series (NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series). The International Motor Sports Association™ (IMSA®) governs the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship™, the premier U.S. sports car series. NASCAR also owns Motor Racing Network, Racing Electronics, and ONE DAYTONA. Based in Daytona Beach, Florida, with offices in five cities across North America, NASCAR sanctions more than 1,200 races annually in 11 countries and more than 30 U.S. states.
For more information visit www.NASCAR.com and www.IMSA.com, and follow NASCAR on Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, X and Facebook.
About Busch Light
Busch Light is made with exceptional ingredients and has a crisp, refreshing taste that is as cold and smooth as a mountain stream. The beer brewed for the great outdoors takes cracking a cold one and heading for the mountains seriously, with passion points rooted in fishing, hunting, farming, NASCAR and country music. With focus and investment on meeting fans where they already are with a Busch Light in hand, the brand has experienced consistent growth since 2019. The Busch brand name represents a family of products including Busch Beer, Busch Light, Busch Ice and Busch NA. For more information, visit www.busch.com and follow Busch Light on X, Facebook and Instagram.
About Anheuser-Busch
At Anheuser-Busch, our purpose is to create a future with more cheers. For more than 165 years, we have delivered a legacy of brewing great-tasting, high-quality beers that have satisfied beer drinkers for generations. As a leading American manufacturer and the nation’s top brewer, we drive economic prosperity nationwide through investments in our people, facilities, and communities. We are the only brewer that invests in the U.S. at this scale.
We are home to the nation’s most iconic beer and beyond beer brands, including Michelob ULTRA, Busch Light, Budweiser, Bud Light, Stella Artois, and Cutwater, as well as industry-leading regional craft brands. From our longstanding efforts to support American farmers, military, veterans, and first responders, to emergency drinking water donations and responsible drinking programs, we are guided by our commitment to the communities we call home and the 65,000 hardworking Americans who bring our beer to life. That’s who we are. For more information, visit www.anheuser-busch.com or follow Anheuser-Busch on LinkedIn, X, Facebook, and Instagram.
