Slayer’s Tom Araya Bringing Metal Mayhem to Texas Motor Speedway NASCAR Race

If you ever needed proof that Texas knows how to throw a weekend, here it is. Tom Araya, yes, that Tom Araya from Slayer, is officially the Grand Marshal for this Sunday’s WÜRTH 400 NASCAR Cup Series race at Texas Motor Speedway.

That means the man behind “Angel of Death” and “Raining Blood” is about to deliver the most metal command in motorsports:

“Drivers… start your engines.” And honestly? That might be the most badass sentence spoken all weekend. Wonder if he’ll scream it?

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“Pedal to the Thrash Metal”

Araya himself summed it up perfectly: “Slayer, NASCAR reign in speed!”

I mean… come on. That’s basically a T-shirt already.

For over four decades, Araya has helped define heavy music, with Slayer selling over 20 million albums and dropping one of the most important metal records ever, Reign in Blood, which is turning 40 this year.

Let that sink in.

This Whole Lineup is Wild

This isn’t just a one-man show either:

• Cooper Flagg (NBA Rookie of the Year) will drive the pace car, a 2026 Chevrolet Corvette
• 101-year-old WWII veteran Don Graves is singing the National Anthem (absolute legend status)

You’ve got metal, motorsports, basketball, and American history all colliding in one pre-race lineup.

That’s not an event… that’s a moment.

Oh… And Slayer Isn’t Done Yet

If you thought this was a one-off, nope. Slayer is also coming back to Texas Motor Speedway later this year for the Sick New World Texas festival,  and they’re celebrating 40 years of Reign in Blood by playing it live in full at select shows.

So yeah… Slayer + Texas + loud engines = EPIC!

This Is Peak Texas Energy

You’ve got roaring engines, screaming guitars, and a legend on the mic. It’s loud. It’s fast. It’s a little chaotic. It’s exactly what you’d expect when NASCAR meets thrash metal in Texas. And honestly… if they don’t blast Slayer over the speakers when the green flag drops, we riot. lol