Martin Ramey to Perform National Anthem at Gillette Fusion ProGlide Prelude to the Dream at Eldora
Ohio Native Brad Martin and John Ramey Comprise CURB Recording Duo
ROSSBURG, Ohio (May 31, 2010) – Brad Martin and John Ramey, who make up the CURB recording duo Martin Ramey, will perform the national anthem at the Gillette Fusion ProGlide Prelude to the Dream June 9 at the legendary Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio.
Martin, who hails from Greenfield, Ohio (120 miles southeast of Eldora), and Ramey, a native of Cape Girardeau, Mo., will perform the Star Spangled Banner prior to the all-star dirt Late Model race featuring more than 25 world renowned drivers as they battle for dirt supremacy on Eldora’s half-mile clay oval. It’s all presented live to the entire nation on HBO Pay-Per-View®, with proceeds from the telecast supporting four of the nation’s top children’s hospitals:
• Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis: www.RileyChildrensHospital.com
• Cincinnati Children’s: www.CincinnatiChildrens.org
• Levine Children’s Hospital in Charlotte, N.C.: www.LevineChildrensHospital.org
• St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tenn.: www.StJude.org
“John and I are honored to have been asked to perform the national anthem at the Gillette Fusion ProGlide Prelude to the Dream,” Martin said. “Being an Ohio native, it’s something I’m looking forward to.”
“It going to be a great experience for us to be a part of this event,” Ramey added. “The fact that we’re going to be a part of something that raises money for children’s hospitals makes it even more special for Brad and I. We’re very humbled by the invitation and we look forward to the opportunity to perform at Eldora.”
Martin Ramey was formed in 2007 and they recently completed work on their first album, which includes the single “Twisted.”
“We’re excited to have Martin Ramey perform at the Gillette Fusion ProGlide Prelude to the Dream,” said Tony Stewart, owner of Eldora Speedway. “They’ve got a great sound, and with Brad being from Ohio, it’s fitting they’ll help kick off one of the biggest events in the Buckeye State.”
The Gillette Fusion ProGlide Prelude to the Dream is headlined by the Gillette Young Guns: Clint Bowyer, Kasey Kahne, Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin, Carl Edwards and Joey Logano. All will join two-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Stewart and many others, including fellow Sprint Cup champions Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon, Matt Kenseth, Bobby Labonte and Bill Elliott. All will pilot 2,300-pound dirt Late Model stock cars capable of putting out more than 800 horsepower.
Beyond the charity element, this year’s Gillette Fusion ProGlide Prelude to the Dream is a team event. There will still be an individual race winner, but there will now be a race within the race, with the field broken up into four teams, each representing a children’s hospital:
• Team Riley: Bowyer (captain), Ryan Newman, J. Gordon, A.J. Allmendinger, Kenny Wallace and Ron Capps.
• Team Cincinnati: Kahne (captain), Logano, Stewart, Labonte, Elliott and Cruz Pedregon.
• Team Levine: Busch (captain), Johnson, Kenseth, David Reutimann, Dave Blaney and Marcos Ambrose.
• Team St. Jude: Hamlin (captain), Edwards, Ken Schrader, Aric Almirola, Ricky Carmichael and Ray Evernham.
Each hospital will receive a donation, with the payout breakdown as follows:
• Winning team receives 45 percent of net money raised.
• Second-place team receives 25 percent of net money raised.
• Third- and fourth-place teams each receive 15 percent of net money raised.
The lowest team score wins, and only the top-five drivers from each team will be scored. For example, if Team Riley has finishes of first, fourth, seventh, 11th and 18th, respectively, from its top-five drivers, its score will be 41. In the event of a tie, the sixth driver will be scored.
Drivers from all types of disciplines, some with lots of dirt track experience and others with hardly any, will participate in hot laps, qualifying, heat races and a 30-lap feature, all of which will be televised live on HBO Pay-Per-View.
With no points and no pressure, the Gillette Fusion ProGlide Prelude to the Dream is a throwback race, allowing drivers to step back in time and compete for the reasons they all went racing in the first place – pride and a trophy. And they’ll do it on the same surface that racing legends A.J. Foyt and Mario Andretti competed on throughout the last 56 years.
The live, commercial-free broadcast will begin at 7 p.m. EDT (4 p.m. PDT) with an immediate replay. HBO Pay-Per-View’s racing telecast has a suggested retail price of $24.95 and is available to more than 71 million pay-per-view homes. HBO Pay-Per-View is the leading supplier of event programming in the pay-per-view industry. Ordering information and up-to-the minute racing information is available at either www.PreludeToTheDream.org or www.HBO.com.
For those who want to see the Gillette Fusion ProGlide Prelude to the Dream in person, tickets are available online at www.EldoraSpeedway.com or by calling the track office (937) 338-3815. Act fast – the race has sold out in each of its five previous years.
Complete event information can be found in the Gillette Fusion ProGlide Prelude to the Dream online media kit at www.TrueSpeedMedia.com.
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For More Information, Contact:
Mike Arning Patrick Byrne
True Speed Communication HBO Pay-Per-View
704.875.3388 or Mike.Arning@TrueSpeedCommunication.com 212.512.1361 or Patrick.Byrne@hbo.com
Martin Ramey to Perform National Anthem at Gillette Fusion ProGlide Prelude to the Dream at Eldora
