Titus O'Neil receives a special honor.
It was announced that O'Neil has been named the Grand Marshal for the upcoming Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, taking place on October 25.
Below is a press release sent to Fightful:
GLOBAL ENTERTAINER THADDEUS BULLARD NAMED
GRAND MARSHAL OF THE FIRESTONE OF GRAND PRIX OF ST PETERSBURG
Bullard Stars in the Ring as WWE Superstar "Titus O'Neil" on Monday Night Raw!ST PETERSBURG, Fla. (October 23, 2020) - Thaddeus Bullard, professionally known as WWE Superstar "Titus O'Neil", will serve as grand marshal of this weekend's Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, the season finale event for the NTT INDYCAR SERIES.
Before the green flag waves at 2:32 p.m. ET on Sunday, Bullard, the Tampa, Fla. resident, will give the command for INDYCAR drivers to start their engines. He will also participate in pre-race ceremonies.
"Our Tampa Bay and St. Pete communities have so much to be proud of, and I'm honored to serve as this year's grand marshal of the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg," said Thaddeus Bullard. "The event will look different this year because of the pandemic, however, the fanfare, excitement and feel of this terrific race will be an amazing and awesome spectacle. I can't wait to see the performances of these spectacular drivers and their respective crews as they perform at the highest level of their sport."
Bullard, a Boyton Beach, Fla. native, was a USA Today Parade All American in high school before playing college football at the University of Florida. His football career took him to stops professionally in the NFL and AFL before transitioning into professional wrestling.
"In addition to being a global entertainer, Thaddeus (Bullard) has used his platform to do a lot of great philanthropy work locally, positively impacting the lives of kids and families through his Bullard Family Foundation," said Kim Green, co-owner, chairman and CEO of Green Savoree Racing Promotions, organizers of the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. "We are honored to have him join us as grand marshal of the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg in recognition of his many accomplishments as we crown new champions on the streets of St. Petersburg,"
For those fans who cannot attend in person as Bullard gives the command, the 100-lap INDYCAR race will air live nationally on NBC. Practice and qualifying sessions will be available for live streaming on NBC Sports Gold with the IndyCar Pass.Nine races in total will be featured on the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg weekend schedule. For complete event information, visit gpstpete.com and additional answers to common questions are posted at gpstpete.com/covid19faq. Follow the event on social media with #FirestoneGP.
Earlier this month, O'Neil was drafted to Monday Night Raw as part of the 2020 WWE Draft.
