 Live television coverage of the race on NBC began at 7 : 04 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time in the United States . Around the start of the race , weather conditions were sunny with an air temperature of 64 ° F ( 18 ° C ) which was forecast to drop as the race progressed . Dr. William K. Thierfelder , president of Belmont Abbey College in Belmont , North Carolina , began pre @-@ race ceremonies with an invocation . American Idol contestant and country music singer Kellie Pickler performed the national anthem , and Mickey Jackson , the winner of a sponsored Grand Marshal contest , along with his five @-@ year @-@ old son <unk> , commanded the drivers to start their engines . During the pace laps , Newman moved to the rear of the field because he switched to his back @-@ up car . 
