Given the sport’s enormous popularity around the world, it’s rarely a surprise to learn that someone is an avid NASCAR fan.
But Denny Hamlin’s announcement after his win at the Chicagoland Speedway that he made a bet about the race with basketball legend Michael Jordan has certainly raised a few eyebrows.
Jordan has long been known to have a keen interest in motorsports. He has been spotted at NASCAR races in the past, notably when he consoled Hamlin at the final race of the season in Homestead, Florida, back in 2013.
But it was nevertheless something of a ‘mic drop’ moment when Hamlin told reporters that Jordan had made a bet with him ahead of the Chicagoland race to publicly admit that Hamlin is the better driver of the two men if he won the race.
Of course, Hamlin did win the race, and called out his buddy to fulfil his side of the bet!
Jordan is by no means alone in his love for a wager, and thousands of racing fans flock to sites like Paddy Power motor sports betting to get the latest odds on forthcoming NASCAR races.
Nor is Jordan the only major celebrity with a love for the sport. Here are a few other famous faces regularly spotted down at the track, cheering on their favourite drivers.
Ludacris
He might be one of the world’s top 20 highest paid hip-hop artists, with a net worth of around $25 million, but when it comes to hobbies Ludacris is just like you or me.
The rapper, who has won Grammy awards and charted time and time again over the course of his nine-album music career, is a known fan of Dale Earnhardt Junior and has been spotted catching the race from Dale’s pit box over the years.
Kid Rock
by familymwr
The low-slung, no-punches-pulled style of Kid Rock’s music has made him a long-standing fixture at many a pre-race NASCAR event.
But the five-time Grammy-winning singer-songwriter, who has sold more than 26 million albums worldwide, doesn’t turn up at NASCAR events just to perform. He’s also a massive fan of the sport.
His knowledge of the sport is so detailed that ESPN snapped him up to assist with their coverage of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Chase Series in 2012. He worked as a narrator on the opening teases of the race telecasts – which even featured his music!
Will Ferrell
Will Ferrell’s connection with the world of NASCAR has been well known ever since he starred in the hit comedy Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby.
Whilst Ferrell himself admits the film was a playful poke at the sport, he did undergo some semi-serious research when preparing for the part.
In fact, he took part in a ride-along at the Richard Petty Driving Experience for a 170mph lap with a professional driver.
However, when he was asked to get behind the wheel himself, he admitted he was too scared!
Britney Spears
by ImAprilE
Britney Spears is a real Louisiana girl and she loves her NASCAR – so much so that she was in talks to make a movie about it!
A screenplay was said to be being written around 2002, with a budget of $40-50 million, but sadly a distributor for the picture was never secured, and it didn’t come to fruition.
from Motorlogy http://www.motorlogy.com/nascars-most-famous-followers-4007/
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