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During the Cup series race weekend at Dover International Speedway, there was an encore performance for Bret Michaels in the NASCAR world. The Poison lead singer was back at another NASCAR event, just a month after he performed a prerace concert at Texas Motor Speedway. So far this year, NASCAR races have seen the likes of Uncle Kracker, Bush and the Spin Doctors as well as A Thousand Horses, Chris Hanson, the Gin Blossoms, Cole Swindell and Eli Young Band. Rascal Flatts performed at the Daytona 500, while future races this year have Survivor, Randy Houser, Josh Turner, Loverboy and Ted Nugent scheduled at the tracks. While some events have an artist whose star is rising (such as country singer Swindell doing the All-Star Race), it seems that NASCAR is a place for a bit of nostalgia when it comes to musical acts. Track operators, primarily speaking on background, want to add something to the ticket for fans. But they also don't want to pay too much for what is considered by many as an opening (or middle) act prior to the main event. As one person noted, Dover has had its share of up-and-coming acts such as the X Ambassadors, The Struts and Young Rising Sons.  Tracks typically work with a booking agency. They give the agency a budget and then are told which artists could do a show based on where they currently are on tour. Some tracks base decisions on who has performed previously in order to give their fans some variety. So how much does a band cost? According to an artist search on Degy Entertainment, Uncle Kracker commands $25,000 to $30,000 for a concert. Bret Michaels is $50,000 to $75,000. The Gin Blossoms? About $30,000 to $50,000. The X Ambassadors are going for $60,000 to $100,000. Now how about major acts that are in their primes? Bruno Mars or Blake Shelton would cost $350,000 to $750,000, while James Taylor could cost $1 million. So the next time you're quick to rip on a track for its prerace entertainment, know that booking a band might not be as easy as it seems. Of course, it would be cool for Eric Church to be at Talladega for a race to sing "Talladega," but that's probably not going to happen for at least another, oh, 10 years.  Famous musicians I'd like to see...Bob Pockrass, ESPN.com: Sammy Hagar, who of course can sing "I Can't Drive 55," as he has done at prerace shows at Sonoma and Texas in the past five years. Def Leppard last played a NASCAR race in 2002. It's about time for a return. AC/DC allowed TNT to use its "T.N.T." for its NASCAR promo back in the day. Shania Twain. She is starring in a dirt-track movie with John Travolta, so she needs to sing for the people. Rednex. Because you can never have enough "Cotton Eye Joe" in your life.
Ryan McGee, ESPN.com: Skynyrd. C'mon. Is this even debatable? They played Charlotte just last year, but also just kicked off their farewell tour, so some track is gotta get in on that. Springsteen. It'll never happen. But one can still dream of "Darlington County" and "Junior Johnson running through the woods of Caroline" actually being played at Darlington, in one of the Carolines. Molly Hatchet. Because "Flirtin' With Disaster" is the greatest racing song ever recorded. Honestly, I'm a little offended they haven't already played on Darlington throwback weekend. Metallica. Let them play "Fuel" live on pit road as the green flag flies. Smashmouth. Don't laugh. Back in the late '90s when I was first on the road, doing 25-plus races per year, it felt like they played every prerace show. I'm nostalgic like that.
Marty Smith, ESPN: Eric Church. NASCAR fans have been waiting for this one. So have the racetracks. Trust me. I've gotten the calls. Eric would put 100,000-plus in the joint. Seriously. He would. Yes, I'm biased. But he's the most authentic thing going, a guy with an edge that good ol' boys relate to, a guy who demands an energy exchange with the crowd. He flew the bird at the establishment. NASCAR fans appreciate that. Can you imagine a Friday night Chief show in East Tennessee at Bristol Motor Speedway? Good Lord, son. The pirates would be out. Chris Stapleton. Maybe the most talented artist alive. In any genre. Brooks & Dunn. Because Dale said so. Travis Tritt. Because Dale said so. Bruno Mars. Because I'd like to see his face when he looked out on Talladega Blvd. He'd think he was ON Mars.
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