A.J. Foyt Joins Daytona 500 Winners in Festivities Surrounding 50th Running of the Daytona 500


WALLER, Texas Feb. 12, 2008—A.J. Foyt will join the 23 other living Daytona 500 champions who will serve as Grand Marshals for the 50th Running of the Daytona 500 this Sunday, Feb. 17.


In addition to his pre-race duties, the 1972 Daytona 500 winner will be a guest on SPEED TV’s Trackside Live on Friday night from 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. On Sunday, he will also be participating in a Question & Answer session at the Daytona Club hospitality tent at 11:30 a.m. and at the Sprint FANZONE from 12 – 12:30 p.m.


Foyt will arrive in time to watch the Gatorade Duels 150-Mile Qualifiers Thursday afternoon to be followed by his son Larry Foyt’s qualifying the No. 31 Brevak Racing/Kinetico Water Systems Dodge for the Chevy Silverado HD 250 Truck Series race. The truck race airs Friday night on SPEED-TV at 8 p.m.


The other Daytona 500 winners who will join Foyt in saying, “Gentlemen, start your engines” are: Bobby Allison (1978, 1982, 1988); Mario Andretti (1967); Buddy Baker (1980); Geoff Bodine (1986); Ward Burton (2002); Derrike Cope (1990); Dale Earnhardt, Jr. (2004); Bill Elliott (1985, 1987); Jeff Gordon (1997, 1999, 2005); Pete Hamilton (1970); Kevin Harvick (2007); Ernie Irvan (1991); Dale Jarrett (1993, 1996, 2000); Jimmie Johnson (2006); Junior Johnson (1960); Fred Lorenzen (1965); Sterling Marlin (1994, 1995); Marvin Panch (1961); David Pearson (1976); Richard Petty (1964, 1966, 1971, 1973, 1974, 1979, 1981); Darrell Waltrip (1989); Michael Waltrip (2001, 2003); Cale Yarborough (1968, 1977, 1983, 1984).


Live television coverage of The Daytona 500 begins at 2 p.m. on FOX-TV with the race set to start at approximately 3:30 p.m.