Jarrett Named Daytona Grand Marshal

Three-time Daytona 500 champion and founding member of the Coca-Cola Racing Family Dale Jarrett has been named Grand Marshal for the Coke Zero 400 Powered By Coca-Cola at Daytona International Speedway on Saturday night, July 5 Speedway officials announced today. Outback Steakhouse President Jeff Smith will serve as Honorary Starter.

Jarrett captured a victory in the Independence Day classic in 1999 and will give the starting command “Gentlemen, start your engines" for Coke Zero’s inaugural sponsored race at “The World Center of Racing." Jarrett, who won the 1999 NASCAR Sprint Cup championship, recently retired from NASCAR Sprint Cup Series competition as the driver of the No. 44 UPS Toyota for Michael Waltrip Racing.

Smith, who will wave the Green Flag to get action started, began his career in 1989 at the original Outback Steakhouse restaurant on Henderson Boulevard in Tampa, Fla. Outback Steakhouse was one of the first restaurants to serve Coke Zero across its national operations.