In just under a month from now the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season will be officially underway with the Daytona 500. Since 1959, several celebrities have served as the Grand Marshals and pace car drivers of this celebrated event. Heading into the 2024 season who will carry the honor?
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The speedway announced a few days back that the USAF Thunderbirds will return for the 14th consecutive season to perform in the skies above a sold-out crowd. As far as the Grand Marshal and pace car driver go, NASCAR or the track is yet to make revelations. Last year, nine drivers with at least one Daytona 500 win and a Cup Series championship had served as the Grand Marshals. The list included the likes of Richard Petty, Jeff Gordon, and Jimmie Johnson.
It’s the #DAYTONA500. Legends were born. Stars were made. That’s why this year we’re having a few DAYTONA 500 champions get The Great American Race started!@NASCAR | @NASCARONFOX pic.twitter.com/wHv9ZjxTuc
— Daytona International Speedway (@DAYTONA) February 15, 2023
In 2022, former NFL star Charles Woodson was given the honor while WWE star Big E served as the honorary pace car driver. In 2021, the singer Pitbull was named as the marshal with Kip Childress in the pace car. In 2020, then-American President Donald Trump served the role becoming only the second U.S. President to be named the Grand Marshal of a Daytona 500 race. Irish wrestler Sheamus had been the pace car driver that year.
In 2019, J.J. Watt became the first NFL player to ever be the Grand Marshal of the Daytona 500, and Dale Earnhardt Jr. became the first to use a truck to pace the track. Giving the command to start the engines for what will go on to be an entire season of racing is one of the top honors in NASCAR. Further updates regarding the 2024 race can be expected soon.
Arca Menards to Cup Series: The 2024 Daytona Speedweeks schedule
The week will begin with single-car qualifying laps on February 14 with the promotion using a random draw to pick the order of cars. The next day will feature further qualifying races, practice laps, and duels. Friday, February 16, will witness the first Truck Series race of the year. The grid will race 250 miles over 100 laps.
On Saturday, the garages will open at 6 AM, and see two mainstream races: The ARCA Menards opener and the Xfinity Series race. The Xfinity event will be raced for 300 miles over 120 laps. The final day of the week, Sunday, is when the Great American Race will go down. The defending winner Ricky Stenhouse Jr. will hope to retain his glory over the 500 miles and 200 laps. Fox Sports, Motor Racing Network, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio will cover the events.
