| The Tuscaloosa News
Brookwood High Singers to perform National Anthem for NASCAR
The Brookwood Singers will perform the National Anthem before the April 24th NASCAR Race at the Talladega Superspeedway.
Gary Cosby Jr., The Tuscaloosa News
Brookwood High senior Cole Broadhead practically quivered with excitement as he listened to the rumble of a NASCAR pace car. The big 5.0 liter engine in the Ford Mustang brayed loudly Friday outside Brookwood High School where it was on display for the Brookwood High choral students.
The Brookwood Singers, an eight-person ensemble, will perform the national anthem before the April 24 General Tire 200, an ARCA Minards Series race at the Talladega Super Speedway. Talladega dispatched the pace car to Brookwood as part of an effort to reach out to communities in Alabama, according to spokesman Nino Nuccio.
If the reaction from the Brookwood Singers is any indication, the effort is a success.
“It’s such a cool opportunity,” said senior student Madison Marlow. “This is the first time we’ve ever gotten to do something like this. Having all these opportunities and all these crazy things happen to us is so exciting. I’m very happy in my last year here I get some of these cool things that are going to happen to me.”
Her thoughts were echoed by Broadhead, also a senior, who said, “I’ve never been to Talladega before so it is going to be a very fun experience. I’m very excited to see all the very nice cars like the one we’ve got here. Oh my God, I got to rev it, it was so cool! It’s going to be very exciting. I can’t wait to sing and perform the national anthem for everybody.”
Both students said they are not overly nervous about performing before a crowd at Talladega, and their instructor, David Blackwell, said their experience in singing through the years has prepared them well for the opportunity.
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“The national anthem is a staple of the Brookwood Singers,” Blackwell said. “We do it every year. Typically, we would sing at UA ballgames and different things around the community, but this year is different. We were very happy to get this opportunity. I think the crowd will be exciting to be in front of, but it’s, to be honest, something we have done a good bit, so I feel comfortable they will be comfortable.”