(LEBANON, Missouri) Officials at Lebanon I-44 Speedway announced that Nashville recording artist and Springfield, Missouri resident Candy Coburn will be featured in a special post-race concert for race fans during the track’s 2012 season opening race on Saturday night, April 28. Slated to cap off the facility’s inaugural ASA-sanctioned ‘Kickin’ Asphalt’ stock car racing show of the year, Coburn and her touring band will perform live during the ‘Budweiser Party in the Pits’ following the final feature race of the evening at the 3/8-mile high-banked asphalt oval.
“On behalf of our fans and racers, we are tremendously excited that we can present one of the most talented and energetic female vocalists in country music to highlight our ‘Monster Energy Season Opener’,” Craig Armstrong, Lebanon I-44 Speedway promoter, said. “Candy Coburn is simply an amazing performer, and we are so fortunate that we can offer her brand of rockin’ country music to our patrons. The great thing about it for the fans is that a ticket to the race is also a ticket to a great concert!”
Born in Kentucky then raised in southern Missouri while spending summers in Texas with her father, Candy Coburn’s introduction to music came from her grandmother’s old record player and 8-track player. While Candy was growing up, gospel music played along with the sounds of the Glenn Miller Orchestra, Loretta Lynn and George Jones. She would listen as her grandmother sang along, encouraging Candy to do the same.
While she grew up on gospel, and loved it as well as country music, it was country music that stole Candy’s heart. As a child, she remembers watching her first CMA Awards show and getting a certain feeling in her stomach, one that said, “Man, I want to do that!” But it would be years before she was able to do her own music her own way. As all life journeys go, there were a few bumps along the way, a few detours, and several wrong turns; but all of these are necessary to make the outcome so much richer.
Her latest single, “Don’t Walk Away (Radio Version),” was released to radio beginning January 2012. Written by Candy, her guitarist Josh Carroll, and friend Josh Long, the ballad was chosen for release due to its popularity with audiences across the country since its introduction to the set list of the live show soon after it was written. The single is available at iTunes, Amazon and other download stores.
Lebanon I-44 Speedway’s ‘Kickin’ Asphalt’ racing program features five classes of ASA-sanctioned stock cars, Late Models, open-wheel Modifieds, Sportsman, steel-bodied Road Warriors and subcompact Chargers, all competing over the venue’s fast, wide asphalt oval on Saturday nights. With 20 events on the track’s racing schedule, the 2012 season will continue through Saturday, September 29 and will include appearances by the ASA Midwest Tour super late model series, the United States Super Trucks, and the Pro National Baby Grand series in addition to the track’s stock car racing classes.
Located just four miles east of the Lebanon city limit on Historic Route 66, the 3/8-mile, high-banked oval at Lebanon I-44 Speedway is the only operating asphalt oval track in the state of Missouri. Additional information about the facility may be found of the track’s official website, www.i44speedway.net, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Lebanon-I-44-Speedway, and on Twitter (@i44Speedway).