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Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson Saves Face for NASCAR as Rain Washed Away Daytona 500 Festivities

Published 02/18/2024, 6:01 PM EST

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The Daytona 500 Monday race will be far from the blockbuster promise it was supposed to deliver. The rain gods have been cruel to NASCAR ever since the Coliseum race, and now, the 66th edition of the Daytona 500 race has suffered a similar fate. If the race did run according to the original schedule, fans would be able to witness Pitbull performing live, DJ Khaled flagging off the race, and Miss America Madison Marsh driving the pace car. Unfortunately, neither of the three will be able to feature in the rescheduled Daytona 500 race.

The only star who has chosen to stick by his duty despite the schedule change is Dwayne Johnson. The Rock will honor his role as the grand marshal for the 66th running of the Daytona 500. Interestingly, Pitbull, Khaled, Marsh, and Johnson were in attendance at the Daytona International Speedway today, but only The Rock will extend his stay till tomorrow.

The Rock to NASCAR’s Rescue

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NASCAR is up against the odds. The 66th running of the Daytona 500 was supposed to be a grand show for the fans to witness. However, thanks to the treacherous weather conditions, all the planning, events, and fan engagement initiatives have now been put to bed. The saving grace amidst all the chaos is that Dwayne Johnson will be present to honor his commitment to his role as grand marshal.

NASCAR Could Profit More in Terms of Ratings by Moving the Daytona 500 to Monday

The 51-year-old actor was seen entering the media center and greeting Frank Kheller ahead of taking up his role as the grand master. During the press conference, he said, “I would say the most exciting thing that I have going right now is being the grand marshal for the Daytona 500. It is awesome. My plan for the iconic words of drivers: start your engine. It’s just not to screw it up, that’s all.

It may sound halfway cool when we do it but also I really want to make sure that, my words and my energy is a reflection and respectful reflection of what the drivers need from me, and also what the fans need.” NASCAR must have taken a sigh of relief after knowing that at least Dwayne Johnson will be staying true to his commitment after the massive overhaul to the Daytona 500 schedule.

It’s not just the race event and the live performances that have taken a hit. The ticketing fiasco is another problem that the fans will have to deal with for tomorrow’s race.

What’s the seating arrangement for the doubleheader Daytona race day?

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It was back in November last year that NASCAR officials announced that the race and camping areas were sold out at Daytona International Speedway. Fast forward three months to the actual race day, and the rain has pushed NASCAR to postpone its mega race on Monday, Feb 19. This now has led to a whole lot of confusion for the fans who have purchased the tickets for the two races, Xfinity and Cup Series.

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According to NASCAR and Daytona International Speedway, tickets purchased for the United Rentals 300 race will retain their value. Ticket holders will get priority seating until the completion of the race. After the Xfinity race, fans who do not have a ticket to the Daytona 500 will have to exit the grandstands. So essentially, fans will have to make haste for another group of ticket holders who were not supposed to be there in the first place.

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Although, there has been an update by Daytona International Speedway. Xfinity Series ticket holders can occupy the empty seats that are not taken up by Daytona 500 ticket holders, But there’s a catch, as the tickets for the Daytona 500 are still live, and this can lead to confusion going into tomorrow’s race.

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Written by:

Chintan Devgania

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Chintan Mahesh Devgania is a NASCAR Writer at EssentiallySports. As someone who likes to dive deep into the sport, he often takes up less explored topics to eventually see them make their way into top stories. His report on Toyota’s young recruit, Jade Avedisian, sharing her thoughts on Late Model Racing, was an example of that.
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