Fresh off of a Super Bowl victory, Rob Gronkowski is going to give NASCAR a shot.
Gronkowski, an All-Pro tight end for the New England Patriots, will serve as a co-grand marshal and pace car driver for the June 20 NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Chicagoland Speedway.
Gronkowski will be joined his his brothers Gordie Jr., Chris, Dan and Glenn as co-Grand Marshals, while their father, Gordy Sr., will serve as the race’s Honorary Starter for the Father’s Day Weekend race.
Rob Gronkowski will then lead the field to the green flag as the official pace car driver prior to the start of the NXS race.
“I’m stoked to spend Father’s Day weekend with my family at Chicagoland Speedway. Not only are we coming from all over the country to celebrate the best dad in the world, but I get the ultimate adrenaline rush of getting behind the wheel and driving the pace car to kick-off the NASCAR race,” said Rob Gronkowski in a statement. “My brothers and I get to say the most famous words in racing, ‘Drivers Start Your Engines,” and my dad gets to wave the green flag to start the race. It’s going to be an awesome weekend.”
Along with their pre-race responsibilities, the Gronkowski family will appear in Chicagoland Speedway’s Infield Fan Zone for a free Q-and-A with fans, as well as meeting with families from the Bear Necessities Pediatric Cancer Foundation as part of their “Gronk Nation Youth Foundation”, an organization dedicated to inspiring and supporting youth to reach their maximum potential through sports, education, fitness, and community activities.
Tickets for the Xfinity Series Race at Chicagoland Speedway can be bought for as low as $30 for adults and $5 for kids, with optional Fan Zone Pit Passes available for $25. The tickets include access to view both the Xfinity Series race and an ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards race earlier that day. Tickets can be purchased from ChicagolandSpeedway.com, on the phone at 888-629-RACE, through the Chicagoland Speedway mobile app, or by visiting the Chicagoland Speedway Administrative office Monday-Friday from 8:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m. ET.
Aaron Bearden is a Frontstretch alumnus who’s come back home as the site’s Short Track Editor. When he isn’t working with our grassroots writers, he can be found talking about racing on his Morning Warmup newsletter, pestering his wife/dog or convincing himself the Indiana Pacers can win an NBA title.