You probably didn’t think that Bart Simpson would be involved in the 68th running of the Daytona 500. But he is!
NASCAR and Daytona International Speedway announced Friday that Bart Simpson, star of “The Simpsons,” will be the honorary starter for the Daytona 500 this Sunday (2:30 p.m. ET on FOX and the FOX Sports app). It’s not Nancy Cartwright, the genius voice behind Bart Simpson but the mascot of the beloved troublemaker.
The Bart Simpson mascot will wave the green flag while perched above the iconic 2.5-mile track to start The Great American Race on FOX, which will air the 800th episode of “The Simpsons” on Sunday at 8 p.m. ET. The show has aired on FOX since 1989.
“It’s an honor to have Bart Simpson, an American icon of pop culture, serve as our honorary starter for the 68th running of the DAYTONA 500,” Frank Kelleher, President of Daytona International Speedway, said in a release. “Bart’s historic run of pranks and mischief on FOX for over 30 years has provided laughs for all ages. There’s no doubt that he’s going to have an absolute blast waving the green flag for The Great American Race.”
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The Wooden Brothers Racing crew served because the honorary starter for final 12 months’s Daytona 500, with Eddie Wooden, Len Wooden, Jon Wooden, Keven Wooden and Jordan Wooden Hicks all partaking within the beginning duties. It was a race that noticed William Byron take the checkered flag for a second consecutive 12 months within the Daytona 500 as he now chases a three-peat.
As for this 12 months, Kyle Busch and Chase Briscoe will begin the 2026 Daytona 500 on the entrance row — Busch is on the pole — with Joey Logano, Chase Elliott and Ryan Blaney rounding out the highest 5 of the sector.
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Catch the 2026 Daytona 500 on Sunday at 2:30 p.m. ET on FOX and the FOX Sports activities app. Pre-race present “NASCAR RaceDay” will likely be reside at 12:30 p.m. ET on FOX.
