'Rasslin' & Racing to Mix at Daytona 500

I must admit that not having viewed any "professional" wrestling since the days of George Becker, Johnny Weaver, Rip Hawk, Swede Hansen, Big Boy Brown, Haystacks Calhoun, the Masked Medics, Bolo & Great Bolo, and all the other "stars" of Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling in the early 1960s at Richmond's Strawberry Hill, I missed the dramatic invitation on national television by PattyKay's Cousin Carl Duck Boy for one of today's 'rasslin' stars to be Grand Marshal of the Daytona 500!

So long as this unknown to me "rassler" can give the command or wave the green on time, I shall be happy.

I still enjoy remembering when the late flagman Harold Kinder (The Mayor of Mint Hill) used to tell the Honorary Starter at Talladega & Daytona to hold his knees together when waving the green to prevent losing important anatomical parts when the vacuum caused by the rush of 200 mph stock cars speeding by would create a giant suction!

Wrestling's John Cena named honorary starter for Daytona 500
By Chad Leistikow, USA TODAY
Updated 19h 57m ago

John Cena wears many hats actor, professional wrestler, rapper and, soon, he'll add another one as the Daytona 500 honorary starter.

Best known for his wrestling, Cena got the invite from NASCAR superstar Carl Edwards during Monday night's WWERaw event on USA Network.

Edwards, jumping out of his No. 99 Ford Fusion and dressed neatly in a blue, collared shirt, delivered the news to Cena.

"This is huge," Edwards said. "I'm honored to come here, on behalf of NASCAR and the Daytona 500, to invite you, John Cena, to be the honorary starter to wave the green flag for the 54th running of the Daytona 500 (on Feb. 26)."

Cena said he had to check his calendar, then (big shock) immediately accepted: "I'll definitely be there!"

"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 season."

Athletes (including former NFL stars Terry Bradshaw and Brett Favre) and entertainers (including actors Ashton Kutcher and Whoopi Goldberg and singer Mariah Carey) have a long history as Daytona 500 honorary starter.

Cena would appear to be a combination of both.

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"Any Day is Good for Stock Car Racing"
updated by @dave-fulton: 12/05/16 04:02:07PM

Little known fact...

"Colonel" Homer O'Dell, who "managed" Bronco Lubich, Aldo Bogni, Rip Hawk and Swede Hansen on the Charlotte-based Crockett Wrestling circuit, in 1966 fielded a Ford Grand National car in 16 races for Neil Castles, Jimmy Helms, Jack Soper, Billy Stiles and Sonny Lamphear in the Southern 500 at Darlington.

The Crockett wrestling account was one of our clients at Morris International in Charlotte in 1986-1987, along with the Tide and Crisco racing programs for Procter & Gamble.

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"Any Day is Good for Stock Car Racing"

There are plenty of nay-sayers around who have been touting the premise that NASCAR racing is as fake as "rasslin". Here we go! I can't wait to hear the reverbs from this announcement. And to have D.W. and Mikey to intone to attributes of such a selection! Wow!!!! Can't get much better.

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What a change! It's been awhile since I've checked in and I'm quite surprised. It may take me awhile to figure it our but first look it's really great.

I see my wrestling outlook is about to cross over to Nascar...

Cena 'nuff...