Active Duty Miss America To Lead Daytona 500 To Green In Most Red, White & Blue Move Ever

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What's more American than the Daytona 500? 

How about the newly-crowned Miss America, who is also an active duty US Air Force Officer, leading the Daytona 500 field to green to rev up the 2024 NASCAR season?

Yeah, that'll do. Take that, Europe. 

Now that's what I call the Great American Race! Finally, NASCAR made a smart decision. Hate them all you want – and believe me, I know plenty of you do – but I think this is a call we can all get behind. 

Welcome to Daytona, Madison Marsh!

Air Force Officer and Miss America To Lead Daytona 500 field to green

That's what I'm talking about! Now we're cooking. 

I know the 2024 NASCAR season got off to a rocky start in California last weekend (not surprising given its California), but this is a step in the right direction. Baby steps, I reckon. 

For those who missed it, Madison Marsh was crowned the next Miss America Jan. 14, becoming the first active duty service member to wear the crown. What a freaking country, huh?

The 22-year-old is also a graduate of the United States Air Force Academy, is currently earning her master’s at the Harvard University Kennedy School of Public Policy and is also serving as a second lieutenant in the US Air Force. 

Oh yeah, our girl is also a black belt in taekwondo. What have you done this year? 

Anyway, now she'll be able to add the Daytona 500 to her resume. Marsh will lead the field around the track for the first few pace laps before peeling off to pit-road and watching the fellas crank it up to 200 MPH for the first time this season. 

Vroom Vroom!

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Zach grew up in Florida, lives in Florida, and will never leave Florida ... for obvious reasons. He's a reigning fantasy football league champion, knows everything there is to know about NASCAR, and once passed out (briefly!) during a lap around Daytona. He swears they were going 200 mph even though they clearly were not.