St. Petersburg, FL (93.7 The Fan) – Tony Dungy, the Pro Football Hall of Famer who played for and later coached the Pittsburgh Steelers, has been named the Grand Marshall for this weekend's NTT IndyCar Series season opening Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.
Dungy, who currently serves as an analyst on NBC's "Football Night in America", will give the command for IndyCar drivers to start their engines from the passenger seat in a Honda-powered two-seat Indy car known as "Honda's Fastest Seat in Sports." Once Dungy gives the command, he'll lead the parade lap ahead of the rest of the field in the Honda IndyCar two-seater, which will be driven by racing legend Mario Andretti.
"I am honored to kick off the 2019 NTT IndyCar season by serving as the Grand Marshal of the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg and leading the field to the green flag in Honda's Fastest Seat in Sports," said Dungy, who lives in Tampa. "After Sunday's race, I am looking forward to watching NBC Sports' coverage this season, but especially the legendary Indianapolis 500, coming to us from my second home, Indianapolis, Indiana."
Dungy, a two-time Super Bowl champion, became the first African-American head coach to win the Super Bowl when the Indianapolis Colts defeated the Chicago Bears in Super Bowl XLI. His teams made the playoffs each of his last 10 seasons before retiring from the NFL in 2008 – seven times with the Indianapolis Colts and three times as head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Dungy was a defensive back for the Steelers when they won Super Bowl XIII and he later served as Secondary Coach and Defensive Coordinator. Dungy was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2016.
"It's a great privilege to have Tony Dungy join us and be honored as the Grand Marshal of the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg," said Kim Green, co-owner, chairman and CEO of Green Savoree Racing Promotions, organizers of the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. "Coach Dungy will no doubt receive a great reception from the fans attending from across the country and especially from the Tampa Bay area. He's not only a highly-regarded football analyst, but his continuous commitment to community service, particularly creating and supporting programs for children, is spectacular."
Tickets to the 2019 Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg are on sale now at gpstpete.com or by phone at 888-476-4479. Fans can watch the race on NBCSN starting with coverage beginning at 12:30 p.m.. EDT on Sunday, March 10.
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