I Can’t Drive 55

Zoo Freaks, get ready to crank it up with Sammy Hagar’s "I Can’t Drive 55" from the VOA album, a track that’s pure rebel energy! The song was born out of a real-life moment when Hagar, exhausted after a 24-hour trip back from an African vacation, got pulled over for driving 62 mph in a 55 mph zone in New York. Frustrated, he told the cop, “This is ludicrous. I can’t drive 55,” and boom, the song was written as soon as he got home. Hagar shared this story with ABC Audio, noting how relatable the song became, comparing it to universal experiences like COVID: “Every person in America over 16 years of age had to deal with that.” The track, released in 1984, hit the top 40, fueled by a wild music video shot at Saugus Speedway in Santa Clarita, California, where Hagar’s black Ferrari 512 BBi, which he still owns, stole the show. In a 2021 post on X, Hagar mourned the loss of his mechanic Claudio Zampolli, who played the crew chief in the video and introduced him to Van Halen. The video, costing a hefty $400,000, came out of Hagar’s royalties, as he revealed on his website, and featured a yellow jumpsuit now displayed at the New Orleans Hard Rock Cafe.

Another cool tidbit comes from Hagar’s X posts, where he celebrated the song’s 36th anniversary in 2020, calling VOA a record with “hidden treasures” like “Dick In The Dirt” and noting how “I Can’t Drive 55” shot the album to gold and platinum status. The song’s legacy lives on, with Hagar performing it live at the 2021 NASCAR All-Star Race and even recording a version called “I Can’t Drive 65” for NBC Sports in 2001 to reflect updated speed limits. Hagar’s sense of humor shines through in a 2023 X post, where he admitted to racking up 34 speeding tickets before the song, costing him $135,000 a year in insurance in 1984, but claimed it somehow reduced his tickets to just two since. The song’s cultural impact even reached Back to the Future Part II, as Hagar noted in a 2019 X post, with the track featured in an alternate 1985 scene.

Sammy Hagar, aka the Red Rocker, kicked off his career in the early 1970s as the lead vocalist for the hard rock band Montrose. Born on October 13, 1947, in Salinas, California, Hagar grew up in a working-class family, named after his maternal grandfather, Sam Roy Baio. His raw energy and powerful voice caught attention with Montrose, where he sang on their debut album, a classic in hard rock circles. After leaving the band in the mid-1970s, Hagar launched his solo career with his 1976 debut album Nine on a Ten Scale. He built a loyal following through albums like Standing Hampton, which went platinum, before “I Can’t Drive 55” from VOA became his biggest solo hit in 1984. Hagar’s career skyrocketed when he joined Van Halen in 1985, replacing David Lee Roth and leading the band to four #1 albums. Beyond music, Hagar’s an entrepreneur, founding Cabo Wabo Tequila and 13 restaurants, and a philanthropist through the Hagar Family Foundation, started with his wife, Kari, in 2008.

Zoo Freaks can stay connected with Sammy Hagar through his official website, where he shares tour dates, blogs, and merch. Follow him on Facebook for live performance clips and fan interactions, or check out his Instagram for behind-the-scenes photos from his Best of All Worlds Tour. His X account is packed with personal anecdotes and music updates. Fans can also join the Official Sammy Hagar Redheads Facebook group, a vibrant community for sharing concert memories and news. For more fan-driven content, visit RedRocker.com, a dedicated site with forums, tour info, and Hagar’s latest projects. Keep rocking, Zoo Freaks, and let’s keep the spirit of “I Can’t Drive 55” alive!