Jared Leto’s “Mars Across America” journey makes pit stop at Texas Motor Speedway

by Mike Haag | Posted on Wednesday, April 4th, 2018

Jared Leto of Thirty Seconds to Mars and NASCAR Xfinity Series driver Tyler Reddick of JR Motorsports visit Texas Motor Speedway on Leto’s “Mars Across America” journey on April 4, 2018 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

Courtesy of Texas Motor Speedway Media Relations

FORT WORTH, Texas – Thirty Seconds To Mars lead singer Jared Leto continued his cross-country journey known as “Mars Across America” with a pit stop at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas. Leto is visiting unique destinations that showcase the title subject of the band’s upcoming album, AMERICA, and Wednesday’s slice of Americana featured NASCAR and “The Great American Speedway.”

Leto hitched a ride from a 7-Eleven in neighboring Northlake on Highway 114 to the speedway with visiting NASCAR Xfinity Series driver Tyler Reddick of JR Motorsports. Reddick picked up Leto in the Texas Motor Speedway O’Reilly Auto Parts 500 Chevrolet Camaro pace car, where he created a dust storm by doing several doughnuts around the star in a vacant dirt lot before allowing him to get in.

Reddick and Leto followed a police escort by the Northlake and Roanoke Police Departments to pit lane at Texas Motor Speedway, where Leto had a few surprises for him. The duo pulled the cover off a Team Texas stock car that revealed a special car wrap featuring the pink AMERICA album cover. They took the car for spin around Texas Motor Speedway and then a round of media interviews.

Leto and Reddick closed out with some photographs and social media in front of the world’s largest TV known as Big Hoss before Leto pleaded for another round of doughnuts. Reddick gladly obliged, this time giving him a smoke show on asphalt a la NASCAR style and then Leto was off to a waiting Greyhound Bus in the infield.

Leto departed from Fort Worth to spend the rest of the day in Austin as this week-long journey, which began Monday in New York City, will race the clock to culminate Friday in the band’s hometown of Los Angeles for a series of events on album release day. It will be the band’s highly anticipated fifth studio album via Interscope Records that contains feature tracks with superstars Halsey and A$AP Rocky plus a Zedd-produced track.

Meanwhile, Reddick will remain in town to prepare for this weekend’s O’Reilly Auto Parts 500 NASCAR doubleheader at Texas Motor Speedway. He will compete in Saturday’s My Bariatric Solutions 300 Xfinity Series race, beginning at 2 p.m. CT. The weekend culminates with Sunday’s O’Reilly Auto Parts 500 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series races, beginning at 1 p.m. CT.

The Highlight

The day would not have been complete without Leto actually experiencing a high-speed stock car ride on Texas Motor Speedway’s 1.5-mile oval with a NASCAR driver behind the wheel. In preparation for his ride, Leto received a specially designed O’Reilly Auto Parts 500 Simpson Racing helmet from Vice President of Media Relations Mike Zizzo on behalf of the speedway as a memento of his journey stop.

Reddick, the 22-year-old Californian who currently is second in the Xfinity Series standings, took Leto in the AMERICA-wrapped Team Texas stock car for a few high-speed laps and both the passenger and driver came away impressed with the experience.

“Wow. That was amazing,” Leto said after emerging from the car. “This guy (Reddick), he knows what he’s doing out there. That was a thrill for me to be able to do that. I didn’t know whether I was screaming from excitement or from being scared – but I was screaming.”

As for Reddick, it wasn’t as much the ride as it was the passenger, who happens to be the front man for an immensely popular rock band and an Academy Award-winning actor.

“This was a bucket list item for me and I’m sure it was for him, too,” Reddick said. “I sometimes forget how cool my job is, so when I see someone like Jared – he’s a big-time music and movie star – so when I see how excited he was and the smile he had on his face getting out of the car. That was just awesome.”

What They Are Saying

“It’s always fun to be in Texas. This whole tour is about celebrating America. It’s about meeting people and having real conversations. So to be here today, here at the speedway, it’s incredible. This is what America is all about. This is the highlight of the trip.” – Leto about visiting the Lone Star State on his “Mars Across America” journey.

“You don’t have to twist my arm to do some donuts. When Jared asked to do that, I was like ‘let’s do it.’ I got a little nervous going around him, but he was into it and was having fun with it so I kept it going.” – Reddick on doing doughnuts around a standing Leto in Texas Motor Speedway’s O’Reilly Auto Parts 500 Chevrolet Camaro pace car.

Jared Leto of Thirty Seconds to Mars visits Texas Motor Speedway on his “Mars Across America” journey on April 4, 2018 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

“This ride was great. But now let’s talk about the car. I want it. What can we do to make this happen? I think it would look pretty good in my living room, what do you think?” – Leto checking out the Team Texas stock car with the pink “America” album wrap.

“I definitely don’t have one of these. This is amazing. … I want (Tyler) to sign this. Maybe I’ll put it on eBay. (Media laugh) What? That’s what everyone does with my stuff.” – Leto on receiving a specially designed O’Reilly Auto Parts 500 racing helmet from Texas Motor Speedway.

“One moment I’m in New York and the next I’m singing with a gospel choir and then I’m having a conversation with a trucker and now I’m here. This is exactly what I envisioned for this experience.” – Leto on his “Mars Across America” journey.

Fast Fact

How prominent is Leto and Thirty Seconds To Mars on the ever-popular social media landscape? It’s staggering to say the least.

Leto and Thirty Seconds To Mars have in excess of 33 MILLION combined followers over the three major social media platforms – Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Leto has 20.35 million followers with 9.8m on Instagram (@jaredleto), 5.8m on Facebook (facebook.com/jaredleto) and 4.75m on Twitter (@JaredLeto).

Thirty Seconds To Mars checks in with 12.89 million followers with a breakdown of 9.5m on Facebook (facebook.com/thirtysecondstomars), 2.09m on Twitter (@30SECONDSTOMARS) and 1.3m on Instagram (@30secondstomars).

Visit today’s adventure as well as the rest of Jared’s “Mars Across America” journey across these social channels.

Jared Leto of Thirty Seconds to Mars visits Texas Motor Speedway on his “Mars Across America” journey on April 4, 2018 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

Jared Leto of Thirty Seconds to Mars visits Texas Motor Speedway on his “Mars Across America” journey on April 4, 2018 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

About the Author Mike Haag

Mike Haag has covered motorsports in San Antonio and South Texas for more than 35 years. In addition to covering motorsports for the San Antonio Express-News for nearly 28 years, Mike also has co-hosted TrackSmack with Dawn Murphy for 18 race seasons. In addition to being a writer, Mike taught high school English and Journalism for 30 years before retiring in May, 2020.