Daytona 500 Honorary Starter Bart Simpson Will Wave NASCAR’s Green Flag

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.” [4 TAKEAWAYS: Chase Elliott, Joey Logano Won Daytona Duels] The Wood Brothers Racing team served as the honorary starter for last year’s Daytona 500, with Eddie Wood, Len Wood, Jon Wood, Keven Wood and Jordan Wood Hicks all partaking in the starting duties. It was a race that saw William Byron take the checkered flag for a second consecutive year in the Daytona 500 as he now chases a three-peat. As for this year, Kyle Busch and Chase Briscoe will start the 2026 Daytona 500 on the front row — Busch is on the pole — with Joey Logano, Chase Elliott and Ryan Blaney rounding out the top five of the field. [NASCAR: All 41 Daytona 500 Paint Schemes] Catch the 2026 Daytona 500 on Sunday at 2:30 p.m. ET on FOX and the FOX Sports app. Pre-race show “NASCAR RaceDay” will be live at 12:30 p.m. ET on FOX.