Race Day Tailgate Party

Sometimes we all feel the need for speed, but when you’re rocking down the road to a racecar rave-up, don’t forget some tunes to get your tailgate party pumping. Sammy Hagar’s hard-rocking, speed-demon salute “I Can’t Drive 55” provides the perfect race-day battle cry. Got a taste for the high-octane life? You’re bound to shout along as the Eagles rip out some fast-paced, country-rockin’ riffs on “Life In the Fast Lane.” And Molly Hatchet’s triple-guitar assault on the Southern rock explosion “Flirtin’ With Disaster” is an anthem for every death-defying driver who’s ever danced with danger.

In Next Steps, turn up the tailgate-party power with alt-rock road warriors and hard-driving classics.

Nothing revs up the action at a race-day party like some raw, rocking hits. The edgy alt-rock attack of Cake’s “The Distance” flies the flag of fearless speed-seekers, with barbed-wire guitars guaranteed to push the party forward and ratchet up the raceway madness. The Rolling Stones wave the checkered flag for all party animals with the gear-grinding grooves and fuel-injected riffs of their immortal smash “Start Me Up.” Getting down to the very core of classic rock, Steppenwolf’s original road-dog anthem, “Born to Be Wild,” is the rebel yell that raises the temperature at any tailgate party worth its barbecue grill.

In Deep Cuts, get stoked for the squeal of rubber with songs that spin some roadworthy tales.

If you’re tearing into burgers and beers while your racing heroes are ripping up the road, you’ve got to rock some tunes that tell the story of that need for speed. Burning like an engine on the verge of overheating, Deep Purple’s “Highway Star” is a hard-rockin’ ride with a road-chompin’ racer, gears and guitars grinding to the jackhammer beat. Country-rockers Little Texas tear off a tip for tomorrow’s champions with their go-for-the-gusto stomper “You Gotta Wanna Win.” And country cutup Cledus T. Judd lets laughter take the lead when he turns Toby Keith’s “I Love This Bar” into the gut-busting automotive anthem “I Love Nascar.”

Remember, you’ll need more than a cooler and a barbecue grill to get truly stoked for that race-day rampage. From hard-driving heavy metal monsters to tried-and-true classic rock companions and down-home country hollers, these are the musical friends you need to invite along for a full-throttle tailgate bash. Fact is, it’s not on until you and your pals are playing air guitar along with ZZ Top and Lynyrd Skynyrd. Even if you’re getting pumped up for the race while watching from home, you’ll still need Metallica’s “Fuel” and Gretchen Wilson’s “All Jacked Up” backing up your rally. After you make this musical pit stop, the squeal of the tires and the roar of the engines are sure to sound better than ever before.