CONCORD, N.C. – Even in retirement, Dale Earnhardt Jr. won’t be staying away from Daytona International Speedway this February.
The two-time Daytona 500 champion has been named Grand Marshal for the 60th annual “Great American Race.”
“I was humbled when asked to be the Grand Marshal of next season’s Daytona 500,” Earnhardt said. “The race has so much history and being a two-time winner of the event is something I am extremely proud of. The list of names who have Grand Marshaled the race is one I’m honored to add my name to. Speedweeks is an exciting time for our sport, and this assures me an opportunity to witness the thrills of it all.”
So, on Feb. 18, 2018, Earnhardt will deliver the famous phrase, “Drivers, start your engines!”
“Talk about a perfect fit – on the historic 60th running of the Daytona 500, we will have a man responsible for so much of our history serving as the Grand Marshal,” said Chip Wile, president of Daytona International Speedway. “He has meant so much to our facility, to NASCAR and all race fans through the years. It’s an honor to have him back in this capacity for the 2018 Daytona 500.”