Did I hear wrong, but was the national anthem sang Sat. night @ the Rumble wrong? It seems to me 1 verse was exchanged with a different one.

I'm sorry, but stuff like this bothers me.

There was a line outta place, but he recovered flawlessly and went right back to the lines that he skipped and finished it properly.

Personally, I was there to see a race so I wasn't all that bothered by a simple mistake...

Oh man... Though this may be a bit off topic... But this reminds me of a good story.

A good friend of mine that attends the Chili Bowl with me each year that is from California, takes the National Anthem VERY serious as I am to, but he is VERY, VERY serious. To the point of telling someone to shut up or take off their hat if needed.

Well, he is, er was a HUGE fan of the 2005 Chili Bowl winner and always wore a hat of his celebrating a USAC Championship (except for the anthem of course!!!). And as most of you know who have attended the Chili Bowl know, the previous winner of the Chili Bowl rides in the back of the pace truck with the Hooters girls carrying the flag while the anthem is being played. Well, that particular year, his favorite driver was riding around the track while the anthem was playing, just living it up and BSing with the Hooters girls... problem was, he was on camera and on the jumbotron while it was happening. My buddy FREAKED! He proclaimed that he would NEVER cheer for that driver again for his disrespectful behavior and would not wear the hat again. Matter of fact, that hat is laying on I-40 somewhere between Tulsa and California!!! LMAO!!!

I still kid him to this day every time that driver hits the track, asking him if that's his pick for that race. LMAO!!!!

OK - we are all dying to know who that driver was!! LOL

I'm guessing... tONY?

2005 winner was Tracy Hines

Was there both nights and the renditrion on Friday was the best that I have heard in a long time. That gal deserves a big thank you for singing it the way it is meant to be sung - no added words or changes to suite the persons mood.

I hear ya there. Excellent job!
I guess that's why the 2nd night stuck out in my mind so bad...because she did it so well.


To the poster that 1st answered my post...we must be from a different generation. I was also there for the races, but it's the people fightin for our country (and that song) that gives us races to go to. JMO

For a full picture of the opening ceremomies on Saturday...they looked like this;

Drivers from every state represented at Fort Wayne paraded around the track in a spotlight with their state flag representing them as a God Bless America recording was played in tribute. Then the Anthem was sung by a prominent Fort Wayne radio DJ who has a band. He did get a line wrong, but surely no disrespect was intended.

It was a patriotic opening that let drivers from all classes fly their flag.

The lady that sang the Anthem on Saturday is Shannon Saylor-Wagner, a former kart driver, current music teacher, and daughter of kart engine builder R. J. Saylor from Churubusco, Indiana.


Posted By Tony Barhorst