Hometown High
American Idol singer doesn't think he'd make a good NASCAR driver.

Kent Jennings Brockwell/Richmond.com

Shouldn't that be a Richmond Braves hat, Elliott? Caine O'Rear
Richmond.com
Sunday, May 06, 2007
Former American Idol finalist Elliott Yamin performed for his largest crowd ever this weekend when he sang "God Bless America" before Saturday night's postponed race.

More than 112,000 heard Yamin belt out the classic Irving Berlin tune. And before Friday's Busch race, the singer delivered the National Anthem in front of an estimated 50,000 race fans. Prior to this weekend, his largest live audience had been 24,00 at last year's NBA finals.

But the mammoth crowd wasn't a concern for this modern-day Horatio Alger character. "It's going to be awesome," Yamin said coolly during a press conference at the track on Friday. "I love just to perform in front of people. Crowds don't really get me too nervous anyway; they don't shake me like they used to."

As NASCAR has grown in popularity in recent years the culture of the sport has changed, which is evidenced by NASCAR's choice of pre-race performers. Last year Bon Jovi headlined a show before a race in Daytona. And, last season in Richmond, Barenaked Ladies, a goofball pop-rock band from Canada, played a concert before the Chevy Rock and Roll 400.

But unlike the above-mentioned performers, the former Idol singer has an actual connection to the sport, having grown up not far from the track in Richmond. In the late '80s, shortly after his family had moved to the River City from Los Angeles, Yamin took in a race with his family, though he acknowledged that his memories of the event weren't exactly "vivid." He also caught an Indy race at RIR last year.

Though he has no plans to get into racing himself, Yamin does have history of running-and-gunning on the highway. "I've always had a pretty heavy foot actually," he said with a laugh. "I've gotten plenty of speeding tickets in my day. But I learned very quickly that was not cool….It's been a very long time since I've had any driving issues. But I probably wouldn't do pretty well in NASCAR."

Asked if he had a favorite driver, the singer said unsurprisingly that it was his namesake Elliott Sadler, an Emporia native. "It's always great to see hometown guys really making it and do something good with their lives and making people proud."

In March, the former McDonald's employee released his eponymous debut album, a slickly-produced project that at times showcases his talent as a soulful R & B crooner. On May 18, Yamin will perform with his band in support of the album at Snagajob.com Pavilion for Innsbrook After Hours. The show had originally been scheduled for May 16 but got postponed due to the singer's recent decision to perform on American Idol that night.

As for his take on this year's Idol, Yamin said he'd missed the last several episodes but did sing the praises of Melinda Doolittle, a current finalist. "I love her voice. It's real soothing and she's got perfect pitch."

And he tipped his hat, of course, to Chris Richardson, a finalist from Chesapeake.