Who is the $6M worth celebrity leading the charge as the Daytona 500 pace car driver? All you need to know

Daytona International Speedway has named actor Alan Ritchson as the honorary pace car driver for the 67th running of the Daytona 500, scheduled for February 16. Known for his role as the titular character in the Amazon Prime Video series Reacher, Ritchson will lead the 40-car field to the green flag in a Chevrolet Blazer SS.

Ritchson, a North Dakota native with an estimated net worth of $6 million (according to Celebrity Net Worth), has a long-standing admiration for stock car racing. He is eager to get behind the wheel of a car at one of NASCAR’s most prestigious events.

The 42-year-old actor and producer is widely recognized for his roles as Aquaman on Smallville and Raphael in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles films. Most recently, he played the leader of the Agency in Fast X.

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Alan Ritchson dreams of winning the Daytona 500

Like always, this year's Daytona 500 will be a star-studded event. Actor Anthony Mackie, known for his role as Captain America in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, will serve as the grand marshal, while global music icon Pitbull will entertain fans before the race. The announcement of Alan Ritchson as the pace car driver certainly adds some muscle power to the 40-car starting grid.

“Alan Ritchson serving as our honorary pace car driver for the DAYTONA 500 is sure to add strength to our star-studded dignitaries during pre-race festivities,” Frank Kelleher, President of Daytona International Speedway said on Tuesday.

Ritchson also shared his thoughts on being given this honorary position and is looking forward to running some laps on the prestigious two-and-a-half-mile oval circuit. He even joked about the drivers feeling some pressure as he would not be leaving the track after just one lap at the start of the race.

"It’s an honor to be named the honorary pace car driver for the DAYTONA 500. I hope the drivers are feeling extra competitive this year because there’s no way I’m ditching after the first lap. My dream has always been to win the DAYTONA 500. This is my year,” Ritchson was quoted as saying by Jayski's Silly Season site.

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Ritchson to drive the first-ever EV to pace the Daytona 500

Alan Ritchson is not only making the headlines as the 2025 pace car driver but he will also etch his name in NASCAR’s history books. He is set to become the pilot of the first-ever electric vehicle to lead the Daytona 500 field. He will be driving the 2025 Chevrolet Blazer EV SS, which was recently unveiled by Chevrolet as the official pace vehicle for this year’s race.

While Ritchson is excited to run a few laps at Daytona, the car he would be driving will make nowhere near as much noise as the V8-powered Cup Series cars he will be pacing. Chevrolet’s decision to use the Blazer EV SS reflects NASCAR's commitment to exploring new technologies and sustainable practices. The mid-size electric SUV produces an impressive 615 horsepower and can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in just 3.4 seconds, according to Chevrolet's claims.

The pace car is a production model with no added performance and features custom graphics and embedded strobe lighting to enhance its visibility and appeal on race day. In addition to the Blazer EV SS leading the field, Chevrolet also revealed plans to debut a new NASCAR prototype called the Blazer EV.R. This is part of a bigger initiative to include electric vehicles in the sport.