NASCAR Set To Rock

We live about an hour away from Daytona, but we know when to stay the hell away from that town. If it isn't Bike Week or Biketoberfest, it's some NASCAR race - and the (God love 'em) shirtless, shoeless, toothless masses from across America's NASCAR Belt make the city impossible to drive through and the beaches a teeming throng of lobster-red touri. (Please don't comment on that obviously exaggerated oversimplification of the NASCAR set. I am fully aware that many "normal" people enjoy racing sports.) NASCAR brings in the big bucks, no question, and the fans are beyond die-hard.

According to Steven Tyler's blog, (yes - everyone's favorite Mary Tyler Moore lookalike) Aerosmith's "Back in the Saddle" has been selected as NASCAR's theme song for the 2007 season. Tyler says he spent two hours with a partner rewriting the lyrics to fit the race theme before recording the song during a shoot at a Vegas concert. (Sample lyrics: "I'm ridin'... I'm ridin' in a fast car....I'm drivin'!...I'm drivin' in my NASCAR!!" ...Genius, Steven.)

This marks a departure for NASCAR, who've spent most of their marketing dollars trying to appeal to their country, Red State base. Aerosmith's appeal has always crossed boundaries, and they've been known to shill for the Gap, Dodge, Sony, the NFL and Disney, among others. Will the geriatric bad boys be able to bring a broader audience to ESPN to watch cars go real fast around a track?

Hmmmm....I dunno....Did Zeppelin sell any Cadillacs?