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Racing

Olympic athletes take over Daytona for Saturday Cup race

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Daytona International Speedway is adding some Olympic flair to Saturday night's Coke Zero Sugar 400 (7:30 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock).

The track will feature multiple athletes as honorary event officials. Caeleb Dressel, a member of Team Toyota, will be on hand for the pivotal regular-season race. So will fellow Olympian Bobby Finke, who will serve as the honorary starter for the Cup Series race.

Dressel and Finke are fresh off a successful trip to Paris for the 2024 Olympic Games. Dressel medaled in three of his five events. He won gold in men's 4x100m freestyle relay before helping Team USA win the 4?--100 mixed medley relay. Dressel also won the silver in the men's 4x100m medley relay.

With these additions to the collection, he is now one of the most decorated swimmers in United States history with nine gold medals and one silver medal.

Finke, a three-time Olympic gold medalist, also achieved success during his trip to Paris. He won the silver medal in the men's 800-meter freestyle event and then he won the gold medal in the men's 1,500-meter freestyle event.

"After his triumphant return to the Olympic stage this summer, we're eager to welcome Caeleb Dressel to the World Center of Racing for the Coke Zero Sugar 400," said Frank Kelleher, president of Daytona International Speedway, in a statement before the track unveiled the entire list of honorary event officials.

"With Dressel being a native of Florida and graduate of the University of Florida, we couldn't be prouder to welcome him back home as an Olympic champion and have him join us here at Daytona for one of our biggest events of the year."

The two Olympians will not be the only special guests for Saturday night's race. The guest list also includes golf personality Paige Spiranac, who will be an honorary pace car rider and honorary event official.

Additionally, Parker Valby will join the packed lineup as an honorary event official. Valby is an accomplished Track and Field athlete from the University of Florida with five NCAA Individual championships and four SEC individual championships.

Valby's list of awards includes 2023-24 SEC Female Athlete of the Year, 2024 SEC Outdoor Women's Runner of the Year, 2024 Outdoor All-SEC First Team (Gold Medalist - 5,000 meters), 2024 SEC Indoor Women's Runner of the Year, 2024 Indoor All-SEC First Team (Gold Medalist - 3,000 meters), 2024 Indoor All-SEC First Team (Gold Medalist - DMR), 2023 Outdoor All-SEC First Team (Gold Medalist - 5,000 meters), and 2022 Outdoor All-SEC Second Team (Silver Medalist - 5,000 meters).

"After a summer where sports captured the world's attention, we're honored to welcome U.S. Olympic Gold Medalist Bobby Finke and Olympic athlete Parker Valby to the World Center of Racing," Kelleher said. "The Florida natives put on a spectacular performance on the world's biggest stage, and we're honored to have them with us at one of the biggest venues in our sport.

"We're also thrilled to have Paige Spiranac, a mogul in the sports influencer industry, as an honorary event official and pace car rider. She has an undeniable energy that continually captures the attention of the golf community, and with our friends at LPGA just up the road from here, I'm sure our fans are just as eager to welcome her to the Coke Zero Sugar 400 as we are."

Before the honorary event officials take part in the festivities, another group of special guests will take to the stage. Rock band Lit will perform a pre-race concert for the fans in attendance at the Florida race track.