Busch Light Summer Music Series at Michigan International Speedway
Replaces previously announced performer Nate Smith as he goes on vocal rest
BROOKLYN, MICH. (June 6, 2025) – Michigan International Speedway announced today that award-winning country singer and songwriter Ashley Cooke is stepping in to headline the Busch Light Summer Music Series performance prior to Sunday’s FireKeepers Casino 400 NASCAR Cup Series race.
Cooke replaces Nate Smith during pre-race festivities after he announced Wednesday afternoon that he’s going on strict vocal rest through the rest of June, thereby canceling his performances for the month.
“It means a lot that Ashley is stepping up to the plate to perform for our passionate fans before our NASCAR Cup Series stars hit the track,” said Joe Fowler, Michigan International Speedway President. “Ashley is one of the most exciting rising stars in country music and her show will have everyone singing along before the race on Sunday. We also wish Nate the best in his recovery and hope to see him out at the track soon.”
Since her debut album shot in the dark earned her critical acclaim, Cooke has been recognized as MusicRow’s Discovery Artist of the Year and Next Big Thing, Billboard’s Rookie of the Month and iHeartCountry’s On The Verge Artist.
Cooke won her first CMT Award for Breakthrough Female Video of the Year at the 2024 CMT Awards before being nominated for ACM New Female Artist of the Year, and is currently up for Best New Country Artist at the 2025 iHeartRadio Music Awards.
In 2024, Cooke earned her first No.1 at Country radio with her single, “your place,” making her one of the only women to reach the top of the charts that year. With national TV appearances on NBC’s TODAY and ABC’s The Bachelorette, as well as tours with Luke Bryan, Cole Swindell and Jordan Davis under her belt, Cooke is ready to take 2025 by storm. Cooke started her year headlining her “your place Tour,” before hitting the road with Cody Johnson in Australia and Kane Brown throughout the US. She’ll be Performing at festivals all summer long, before heading out on the road with Parker McCollum and Lee Brice in the fall.”
“We enjoyed collaborating with Ashley Cooke last year to surprise our fans in Nashville through the ‘Busch on Broadway’ pop-up series, right after her big CMT award win,” said Krystyn Stowe, Head of Marketing, Busch Family & Natural Family at Anheuser-Busch. “With the second show of our Summer Music Series coming up this weekend, we know she will give our fans in Michigan a pre-race experience they won’t forget.”
Earlier this year, Cooke released a highly-anticipated collaboration with Joe Jonas, “all I forgot,” followed by her song “the f word,” building to her sophomore album due later this year.
The inaugural Busch Light Summer Music Series consists of five full-length concerts at NASCAR races throughout the country. The series is an exciting new fan experience born from the renewed partnership with NASCAR’S Official Beer Sponsor.
Since the 1990s, the Anheuser-Busch family of brands has created countless opportunities for 21+ NASCAR fans to get closer to the sport they love. The first performance in the series took place earlier this spring, with ERNEST taking the stage at Texas Motor Speedway. After Michigan, the series moves to Chicago Street Race (Zac Brown Band – July 5), Iowa Speedway (Corey Kent – Aug. 3) and will conclude in Busch Light’s hometown of St. Louis at World Wide Technology Raceway (Sept. 7). Artists and details on the final concert will be announced at a later date.
The June race weekend at Michigan International Speedway begins with the ARCA Menards Series Henry Ford Health 200 on Friday, June 6, followed by the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series DQS Solutions & Staffing 250 Powered by Precision Vehicle Logistics on Saturday, June 7. The NASCAR Cup Series will cap off the weekend’s action with the FireKeepers Casino 400 on Sunday, June 8.
Tickets are available for purchase via phone at 888-905-7223 or online at mispeedway.com.
Fans can view the full 2025 NASCAR Cup Series schedule and purchase tickets at nascar.com/tickets, and can stay connected to Michigan International Speedway on Facebook, Instagram and X.
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About Michigan International Speedway
Nestled in the lush Irish Hills of Southeastern Michigan, Michigan International Speedway (MIS) is one of the fastest tracks in NASCAR. The two-mile track – with 18 degrees of banking and 73-feet wide sweeping turns – has hosted the NASCAR Cup Series for more than 50 years. Beyond the on-track action, MIS offers a wide variety of family-friendly entertainment options for fans of all ages. MIS is the largest registered campground in the state of Michigan with nearly 9,000 campsites across 1,400-plus acres. In addition to the annual NASCAR weekend, MIS hosts non-racing events including Faster Horses Festival and Nite Lites. For more information, visit mispeedway.com.
About NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) is the sanctioning body for the No. 1 form of motorsports in the United States and owner of 14 of the nation’s major motorsports entertainment facilities. NASCAR sanctions races in three national series (NASCAR Cup Series™, NASCAR Xfinity Series™, and NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series™), four international series (NASCAR Brasil Series, NASCAR Canada Series, NASCAR Euro Series, NASCAR Mexico Series), four regional series (ARCA Menards Series, ARCA Menards Series East & West and the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour) and a local grassroots series (NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series). The International Motor Sports Association™ (IMSA®) governs the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship™, the premier U.S. sports car series. NASCAR also owns Motor Racing Network, Racing Electronics, and ONE DAYTONA. Based in Daytona Beach, Florida, with offices in five cities across North America, NASCAR sanctions more than 1,200 races annually in 11 countries and more than 30 U.S. states.
For more information visit www.NASCAR.com and www.IMSA.com, and follow NASCAR on Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, X and Facebook.
About Busch Light
Busch Light is made with exceptional ingredients and has a crisp, refreshing taste that is as cold and smooth as a mountain stream. The beer brewed for the great outdoors takes cracking a cold one and heading for the mountains seriously, with passion points rooted in fishing, hunting, farming, NASCAR and country music. With focus and investment on meeting fans where they already are with a Busch Light in hand, the brand has experienced consistent growth since 2019. The Busch brand name represents a family of products including Busch Beer, Busch Light, Busch Ice and Busch NA. For more information, visit www.busch.com and follow Busch Light on X, Facebook and Instagram.
About Anheuser-Busch
At Anheuser-Busch, our purpose is to create a future with more cheers. For more than 165 years, we have delivered a legacy of brewing great-tasting, high-quality beers that have satisfied beer drinkers for generations. As a leading American manufacturer and the nation’s top brewer, we drive economic prosperity nationwide through investments in our people, facilities, and communities.
We are home to the nation’s most iconic beer and beyond beer brands, including Michelob ULTRA, Busch Light, Budweiser, Bud Light, Stella Artois, and Cutwater, as well as industry-leading regional craft brands. From our longstanding efforts to support American farmers, military, veterans, and first responders, to emergency drinking water donations and responsible drinking programs, we are guided by our commitment to the communities we call home and the 65,000 hardworking Americans who bring our beer to life. That’s who we are. For more information, visit www.anheuser-busch.com or follow Anheuser-Busch on LinkedIn, X, Facebook, and Instagram.
