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Hollywood megastar Dwayne Johnson, popularly known as "The Rock," is set to return as the NASCAR Grand Marshal at the 2024 Cup Series season opener, the Daytona 500.
As the off-season break comes to an end following an exciting 2023 year, NASCAR fans are eagerly awaiting the commencement of the 2024 season at the Daytona International Speedway. The NASCAR season will kick off on February 16 with the Truck Series and Xfinity Series openers — the Fresh From Florida 250 and the United Rentals 300 — set to go live at 7:30 pm ET and 5:00 pm ET on February 16 and 17 respectively.
These races will be followed by the Cup Series season-opener — the Daytona 500. American rapper Pitbull is set to perform in the pre-race concert. Adding to the excitement, it has been confirmed that WWE wrestler-turned-actor Dwayne Johnson, also known as "The Rock", will be serving as the Grand Marshal for the race.
A Grand Marshall is a person who acts as the public leader of racing events on the day. They are appointed by the track owners or the sponsors.
However, the announcement of Dwayne Johnson as the Grand Marshal has ignited mixed reactions among NASCAR enthusiasts. Taking to social media platforms, fans expressed their diverse sentiments. One user commented on X (formerly Twitter):
"No one has cared about The Rock since 2010."
Another fan commented:
"Bringing Hollywood into NASCAR will ruin the sport."
A third user wrote:
"this would’ve been so crazy in 1998."
Here are some more fan reactions to Dwayne Johnson's appointment as the Grand Marshal for the Daytona 500:
When was Dwayne Johnson previously involved with NASCAR?
With the discussions around Dwayne Johnson's involvement in NASCAR, there have also been questions about his previous connections with the sport.
It was way back in April 2004 when Johnson gave the command to start engines at the Cup Series Samsung/Radio Shock 500 race at Texas Motor Speedway. Elliott Sadler, driving for Robert Yates Racing, won the race.
In the past, multiple famous personalities, including former American president Donald Trump and NFL star Burt Reynolds, have served as the Grand Marshalls for the Daytona 500 race.
The recent weeks have been eventful for Johnson. On January 23, he assumed a significant role by joining the board of directors at TKO Group Holdings, becoming the head honcho of WWE. This move also granted him full ownership over his trademarked name, "The Rock."
