Peyton Manning gets honorary driving role at Daytona 500
The Daytona 500 is considered the Super Bowl of NASCAR.
So perhaps it’s only fitting a two-time Super Bowl champion will drive the pace car for this year’s race.
Peyton Manning will lead the field off pit road for this year’s event, which takes place Sunday at Daytona International Speedway in Florida.
“Serving as the honorary pace-car driver will be a truly unique and exciting experience,” Manning said in a press release. “I want to thank NASCAR, Daytona International Speedway and Nationwide for making this possible. I’m really looking forward to race day.”
Manning will drive a Toyota Camry XSE to pace the field of 40 cars prior to the green flag.
JUST ANNOUNCED! Peyton Manning will be the Honorary Pace Car driver for the 2018 #DAYTONA500!
📰 https://t.co/5Q4LRC9XKj pic.twitter.com/Qli9BEXfq5— Daytona International Speedway (@DAYTONA) February 13, 2018
This will be the 60th version of the Daytona 500.
Before Manning leads the field around the track, Dale Earnhardt Jr. will give the command for drivers to start their engines. Earnhardt is the grand marshal for the race.
After the pace laps are concluded, actress Charlize Theron will waive the green flag to start the race.
Manning and Earnhardt, who retired from NASCAR Cup racing after last season, became friends through their endorsement deals with Nationwide Insurance.
“We’re talking true star power with this announcement, as Peyton Manning is one of the legends of both college football and the NFL,” said Chip Wile, president of Daytona International Speedway. “He also has the persona and popularity to match his achievements. He’ll be an awesome Honorary Pace Car Driver and a great addition to our lineup of high-profile guests for the 60th Daytona 500.”
Manning retired from the NFL following the 2015 season, which he capped by leading the Denver Broncos to a Super Bowl victory over the Carolina Panthers.
He also led the Indianapolis Colts to the 2006 Super Bowl title, beating the Chicago Bears.
In an 18-year NFL career, Manning passed for 71,940 yards and 539 touchdowns, both all-time records. He was named the NFL’s Most Valuable Player five times and was Super Bowl MVP in the Colts’ victory.
Even though Earnhardt — a two-time champion of the race — won’t be racing Sunday, another member of his family will be on the track.
Jeffrey Earnhardt, the grandson of Dale Earnhardt and nephew of Dale Earnhardt Jr., will drive this season for StarCom Racing, meaning this will be the 40th consecutive year an Earnhardt will drive in the Daytona 500.
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