Gerard Butler Named Daytona 500 Grand Marshal

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Gerard Butler will serve as grand marshal and give the command to “start your engines” for the Daytona 500 on Feb. 21.

The actor will attend other pre-race ceremonies and ride in one of the grand marshal cars during the pace laps before the green flag.

Butler stars in the upcoming thriller London Has Fallen, in which he plays Secret Service agent Mike Banning.

Butler joins former MLB outfielder Ken Griffey Jr. and WWE star and actor John Cena as pre-race celebrities at the Daytona 500. Griffey will serve as honorary starter; Cena is the honorary pace car driver.