John Cena to drop the green flag for Daytona 500

Carl Edwards joins former protege John Cena in announcing that Cena will have the honor of
waving the green flag for the 54th Annual Daytona 500.
Credit: World Wresting Entertainment

The Daytona 500 is packing an extra punch of power this year with the backing of WWE superstar John Cena. On Monday night, Cena was named the honorary starter of the 54th annual Daytona 500.

Cena, an avid car collector and race fan, has been at numerous NASCAR races as a guest of Carl Edwards, who appeared on Monday Night RAW to invite Cena on behalf of NASCAR.

“NASCAR asked me to come to Monday Night Raw and personally invite you to drop the green flag and officially start the Daytona 500 on Feb. 26," Edwards said before a jam-packed crowd.

Cena accepted, joining a list of past honorary starters for the Daytona 500 including NASCAR Hall of Famers Bobby Allison and Richard Petty, actor Ashton Kutcher, comedian Whoopi Goldberg and singer Mariah Carey.

Cena and Edwards have a history - they worked together in a 2007 WWE and NASCAR joint production aptly named "Fast Cars and Superstars." Cena was a participant in the show, Edwards a driver coach and the two have been friends since.

“John Cena is the greatest Superstar in WWE today,” Daytona International Speedway President Joie Chitwood III said. “We look forward to seeing him on the flag stand waving the green flag to start ‘The Great American Race’ and kick off the new NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season.”

With just 19 days until the Daytona 500, John Cena is just the latest announcement to have fans buzzing. Are you ready? Let's rumble!