James Franco, star of the
Disney adventure “Oz The Great and Powerful,” which is scheduled for release on
March 8, will serve as Grand Marshal for the 55th running of the
Daytona 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race on Sunday, Feb. 24 at Daytona International
Speedway.
Franco will give the “Drivers
start your engines” command in “The Great American Race.” He’ll also be
introduced at the driver’s meeting, participate in pre-race ceremonies and ride
in one of the Grand Marshal cars during the pace laps prior to the green flag
of the 200-lap, 500-mile race.
“We’re excited to welcome
James Franco and have him take part in the pre-race festivities for the Daytona
500,” Daytona International Speedway President Joie Chitwood III said. “In
front of thousands of race fans, we’re looking forward to hearing James’
enthusiastic starting command to kick off the Daytona 500 and the new NASCAR
Sprint Cup Series season.”
“Oz The Great and Powerful,”
directed by Sam Raimi, imagines the origins of L. Frank Baum’s beloved wizard
character. When Oscar Diggs (Franco), a small-time circus magician with dubious
ethics, is hurled away from dusty Kansas to the vibrant Land of Oz, he thinks
he’s hit the jackpot—fame and fortune are his for the taking—that is until he
meets three witches, Theodora (Mila Kunis), Evanora (Rachel Weisz) and Glinda
(Michelle Williams), who are not convinced he is the great wizard everyone’s
been expecting.
Reluctantly drawn into the
epic problems facing the Land of Oz and its inhabitants, Oscar must find out
who is good and who is evil before it is too late. Putting his magical arts to
use through illusion, ingenuity—and even a bit of wizardry—Oscar transforms
himself not only into the great wizard but into a better man as well.
Franco will next be seen in
Harmony Korine’s “Spring Breakers.” His credits include “127 Hours,” in which
he received a Best Actor Oscar® nomination, “ the “Spider-Man” trilogy, “Milk,”
“Pineapple Express” and most recently “Rise of the Planet of the Apes.”
Franco joins the prestigious
list of previous Daytona 500 Grand Marshals including John Travolta, Ben
Affleck, Nicolas Cage, Kate Upton, Jane Lynch and Matthew McConaughey.
Tickets for the 55th
Daytona 500 on Sunday, Feb. 24, as well as all Budweiser Speedweeks At Daytona
events, are available online at www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com
or by calling 1-800-PITSHOP.
So who's going to mangle -- I mean "perform" -- the National Anthem this time??
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