Griffey Jr. named honorary starter for Daytona 500
Some baseball royalty will be on hand for NASCAR's most prestigious race on Sunday, Feb. 21, as Ken Griffey Jr. was named the honorary starter for this year's Daytona 500.
"We're honored to welcome baseball great Ken Griffey Jr. as the honorary starter for the Daytona 500," Daytona International Speedway president Joie Chitwood III said in a release. "We're looking forward to having such a legendary athlete wave the green flag on the first 'Great American Race' in the world's first motorsports stadium."
Griffey Jr., who, along with catcher Mike Piazza, was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame last month, will be in Cooperstown for induction ceremonies on July 24. He will be the first player to ever represent the Seattle Mariners in the Hall.
The outfielder played enjoyed a lengthy 22-year career in the majors, earning 13 All-Star nods and 10 Gold Gloves while playing for the Mariners, Cincinnati Reds, and Chicago White Sox. His 630 home runs rank sixth on the all-time list.
Previous celebrities who have received the honor of waving the green flag include NASCAR Hall of Famers Bobby Allison and Richard Petty, actor Gary Sinise, and members of the U.S. women's national soccer team.