(NEXSTAR) – Prepare for a supercharged start to the Daytona 500, with help from Marvel.
‘Capitan America’ star Anthony Mackie will be grand marshal for this Sunday’s race, according to the Associated Press. That means the ‘Captain America: Brave New World’ star will give the command for drivers to start their engines as NASCAR’s top showcase gets rolling at 2:30 ET.
Mackie is known for his appearance in several Marvel films as Sam Wilson, who went by the hero name The Falcon, but he was memorably handed Captain America’s shield by Chris Evan’s character at the end of “Avengers: Endgame,” marking the end of Evans’ time playing the character.
On Sunday, Mackie will step into another legendary role, Daytona 500 grand marshal.
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Donald and Melania Trump at Daytona 500: Photos show his visits to NASCAR race in Florida
President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump may have a need for speed − again!
News reports suggest the couple will return to the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida, on Feb. 16, 2025, courtesy of a tweet by reporter Ed O’Keefe of CBS News. Their previous visits include the signature NASCAR races in February 1998, 1999, 2000 and 2001 when they were dating and later engaged. (Donald and Melania Trump married Jan. 22, 2005.) In February 2020, during his first presidential term, Donald Trump was the Grand Marshal for the 62nd annual Daytona 500. It was months before the 2020 presidential election, in which he lost to President Joe Biden.
On Monday, Feb. 10, Daytona 500 announced actor Anthony Mackie (Marvel’s “Captain America” films, “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier,” “The Hurt Locker”) would serve as the 2025 Grand Marshal.
Donald Trump typically visits his private club and primary residence, Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, every Presidents’ Day weekend, which coincides with the Daytona 500. The Palm Beach Post, which is part of the USA TODAY Network, reported Donald Trump will be back in Florida this week. His possible February 2025 return to Daytona International Speedway could mark his second as president, and it would be the third appearance in his home state of Florida since he was sworn in as the 47th president of the U.S. on Inauguration Day, Jan. 20, 2025.
Some highlights from Donald and Melania Trump’s previous trips to the Daytona 500 include:
When he brought his date, then-girlfriend and model Melania Knavs (also known by her professional modeling name Melania Knauss) to “race day” 2000
In February 2020, Donald and Melania Trump returned as president and first lady, with him giving the command for drivers to “start their engines” as Grand Marshal. His presidential motorcade passed the grandstands as he led the drivers around the track before the NASCAR Daytona 500 race, and his presidential limousine − the Beast − did a pace lap. His car also drove on “the apron” of the track. Melania Trump wore a black flared halter dress by Dior with tiny white embellishments and a wide white trim at the waist.
In February 2020, Donald Trump Jr. brought his then-girlfriend Kimberly Guilfoyle, former Fox News host and Trump ally, to the Daytona 500. Donald Trump Jr. acted like a Trump fan himself, getting photos and video of his father being greeted by Trump fans at Daytona International Airport, which is next door to Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach.
See photos below of Donald and Melania Trump at the Daytona 500 NASCAR race at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida, over the years.
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