The last time Caroline Burns (Hollis, N.H.) was at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, she was 13 years old, having won the opportunity to sing the national anthem before a Sprint Cup Series race thanks to her efforts in the Speedway Star singing competition. On July 17, Burns will return to sing "The Star Spangled Banner" before the New Hampshire 301 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race following an amazing run on NBC's popular singing contest "The Voice."
"Singing in front of a huge crowd like I did here at New Hampshire Motor Speedway really helped me manage my nerves and gain confidence," said the 16-year-old Burns. "The audience reaction was amazing and I'm so excited to be able to have the opportunity to do it again."
Burns last sang the national anthem at the speedway before the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race in September of 2013. She won the opportunity after taking part in the annual Speedway Star competition, where she finished second in a group of 15 local singers.
Burns followed up her national anthem appearance at the speedway by attending the blind auditions for "The Voice" in 2015. Unfortunately, none of the four judges - Adam Levine, Gwen Stefani, Pharrell Williams and Blake Shelton - turned their chairs around. It was both heartbreaking and a learning experience for Burns, who returned this season determined to get on the show.
The hard work paid off, with Levine and Shelton both turning their chairs to vie as Burns's coach for the show. The decision, however, was an easy one, as Burns picked Levine to be her coach, guiding her all the way to Live Playoffs portion of the show.
Burns is now home in Hollis and is focusing on finishing school and beginning projects to write and compose her own music as she eyes a singing career.
"I've got some things coming up this summer, but I'm definitely excited to come back to New Hampshire Motor Speedway and perform," Burns said. "It's going to be awesome."
To see Burns and be a part of the New Hampshire 301 race weekend at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, please stop by our Ticket Office, visit the speedway website at www.nhms.com, or call our Ticket Hotline at (603) 783-4931. New Hampshire Motor Speedway recently launched its Ticket Tuesday program for the 2016 season, which will run through June 7.
The speedway will select a winner for one of six once-in-a-lifetime experiences for the New Hampshire 301 on July 17, 2016. Winners will be selected from current New Hampshire 301 ticket holders at the time of the drawing, so the sooner you buy, the more chances you'll have to win. Anyone that has already purchased tickets will be automatically entered each week.
