Homestead, FL (Sports Network) - First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden,
the wife of Vice President Joe Biden, will serve as Grand Marshals for the
November 20 Sprint Cup Series season-ending race at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
The two women will offer the most famous words in racing, "Gentlemen, start
your engines."
As part of their Joining Forces initiative, Mrs. Obama and Dr. Biden will
recognize service members and military families from the local community
during pre-race ceremonies for the Ford 400 and at a special luncheon.
The crowd will consist of 5,000 active duty and retired military personnel and
families. Obama and Biden will invite a military family to join them in the
command to start engines.
"We are honored that First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden will be
joining us as we crown the 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Champion,"track president
Matthew Becherer said in a statement released on Friday. "Most importantly, we
are pleased that they are both coming to Homestead-Miami Speedway to
personally thank the men and women who sacrifice so much to ensure our freedom
and allow us to enjoy events like Ford Championship Weekend."
The 400-mile race at Homestead will likely feature a showdown between Carl
Edwards and Tony Stewart for the 2011 Sprint Cup championship. Heading into
Sunday's penultimate event of the season at Phoenix International Raceway,
Edwards holds just a three-point lead over Stewart.
The Sports Network