Knox County (Tenn.) Mayor Glenn Jacobs, higher referred to as WWE Wrestling famous person KANE, and NFL quarterback Joshua Dobbs have been named dignitaries for the custom-wealthy Food City 500, it was introduced as we speak by officers for the favored regional grocery chain that has sponsored the race since 1992.
For greater than twenty years Jacobs gained quite a few titles, matches and was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame as famous person wrestler KANE. He will function the Food City Grand Marshal, delivering the command to start out engines earlier than the Food City 500, which is scheduled to take the inexperienced flag at 3 p.m. ET on Sunday, April 12 (FS1, PRN Radio). Jacobs earned a bachelor’s diploma in English literature at Northeast Missouri State University the place he performed each soccer and basketball on a full scholarship. He was elected Mayor of Knox County in 2018 and reelected in 2022. Jacobs has a popularity for making Knox County a terrific place to dwell, work and elevate a household.
“This is awesome,” Jacobs mentioned. “I’m honored to serve as Grand Marshal and be a part of the unforgettable atmosphere that makes the Food City 500 one of the best events in motorsports.”
Dobbs, who earned Game MVP honors in the course of the Pilot Flying J Battle at Bristol in 2016 when Tennessee defeated Virginia Tech on a subject constructed inside Bristol Motor Speedway, has been named the race’s Honorary Starter. He will wave the inexperienced flag from excessive up within the starter stand as 40 NASCAR Cup Series automobiles rumble to start out the race.
“I’m incredibly honored to be named the Honorary Starter for the Food City 500,” Dobbs mentioned. “Growing up, you learn to appreciate moments where preparation meets opportunity—and this is one of those special opportunities to be part of such an iconic race. This will be my first visit back to the racetrack since I played in front of 156 thousand fans in the ‘Battle at Bristol’ in 2016. The energy, the passion of the fans, and the tradition there are unmatched, and I’m excited to help kick things off in a way that celebrates both competition and community.”
Dobbs, from Alpharetta, Ga., has performed within the NFL for 9 years, together with stints with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Arizona Cardinals, Minnesota Vikings and his present crew, the New England Patriots. Off the sector, his passions lengthen far past soccer—he has interned with NASA, earned his personal pilot license, and is working towards his instrument score, additional reflecting his love of aviation and exploration. Known as “The Passtronaut,” Dobbs embodies the uncommon mixture of athlete, scholar, and innovator, inspiring others by his pursuit of excellence in each area he enters.
Food City serves because the title sponsor of the spring NASCAR Cup Series Food City 500 and fall Food City 300 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series race. Celebrating 35 years of racing, the grocery store retailer is Bristol Motor Speedway’s longest operating sponsor and the second longest in NASCAR. The Food City 500 will get underneath approach at 3 p.m. ET on Sunday, April 12, 2026 (FS1, PRN Radio, Sirius XM Radio). Headquartered in Abingdon, Virginia, Ok-VA-T Food Stores (Food City’s mother or father firm) operates 164 stores all through southeast Kentucky, southwest Virginia, east Tennessee, north Georgia, and Alabama. Visit foodcity.com for extra info.
The race weekend kicks off with the Craftsman Trucks on the Bristol excessive banks on the night of April 10 for the Tennessee Army National Guard 250 Truck Race (7:30 p.m., FS1, PRN Radio, SiriusXM Radio); On Saturday, April 11, will probably be motion-filled with the Suburban Propane 300 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series race (7:30 p.m., The CW, PRN Radio, Sirius XM Radio) and Bush’s Beans Qualifying for each the Cup Series and O’Reilly Auto Parts Series. For ticket info, contact BMS on-line at www.bmstix.com or name the BMS Ticket Sales Center at (866) 415-4158.
BMS PR
