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| Prerace interviews for Trent Harmon [Zach Catanzareti] |
Even before he won the 15th and final season of the popular
vocal talent show American Idol in
early April, Trent Harmon and a number of other top Idol contestants spent time
at the race track.
Like years’ prior, Idol sent the top half-dozen contestants
to Auto Club Speedway for the NASCAR weekend out in southern California to sing
God Bless America before the race. This year was the very same as Harmon got a
taste of the 2.5-mile speedway for the first time.
While there, the 25-year-old met with Adam Devine and Blake
Anderson from the Comedy Central hit show Workaholics
before spending time with Ryan Blaney, driver of the No. 21 Wood Brothers Ford.
This past weekend, Harmon returns to the race track -- this
time, with an Idol victory under his belt. And, as opposed to the massive
Fontana track, it was the short track of Richmond International Raceway that
met Harmon in Virginia.
"The crowd is the same," Harmon said of the similarities
between the two tracks. "I feel like anywhere you go, NASCAR has such a
good fanbase. And it's so hands-on. There is no other sport where you can walk
down into the pit and you can hang out with your drivers."
Singing the National Anthem, the Mississippi native says he
had never been to Virginia before the weekend at the track.
"As far as comparing to [Fontana], I don't really know
yet," he said. "I’ve never been to Virginia but I’m enjoying myself.
This is going to be a short track so unfortunately you can expect a lot of
action which just means wrecks. In that aspect, they’re different."
Another major difference from Week No. 1 to Week No. 2 at
the track is having the title as the final American
Idol winner. For Harmon, however, it has yet to make a significant impact
on his stature.
"It hasn’t changed a whole lot other than I’m just
busier than I was," he concluded. "I try not to change even though
things are changing around me. I’ve tried to stay true to myself."
