Ripken to drive pace car to begin Daytona 500

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Cal Ripken Jr., who played in a record 2,632 consecutive games for the Baltimore Orioles, will be behind the wheel of a 2007 Chevrolet Corvette as he paces the field for the 49th annual Daytona 500.

Voted to baseball's Hall of Fame in 2007, his consecutive games-played record, which took 16 years to establish, made him a popular player with baseball fans everywhere as evidenced by his 19 All-Star Game appearances.

Cal Ripken Jr. Credit: AP

"The Daytona 500 is one of the most storied sporting events in the country and I am thrilled and honored to be a part of it. NASCAR drivers are tremendous athletes and I look forward to being in that environment," Ripken said.

"Cal Ripken joins an outstanding list of celebrities who will be joining us at this year's Daytona 500," Speedway president Robin Braig said. "NASCAR's most prestigious event has a history of attracting high-profile athletes and entertainers and this year is no different."

In addition to Ripken's appearance, two-time Grammy winner Kelly Clarkson will headline the Nextel Tribute To America, the pre-race extravaganza leading up to the Daytona 500.

Clarkson will perform in the Nextel-sponsored show, which will be carried live on FOX Sports. The Nextel Tribute To America pays tribute to music as the fabric of America and will feature thousands of cast members on the Speedway's historic five-acre tri-oval grass.

Tickets for the Daytona 500 as well as other Speedweeks 2007 events are available online at http://www.racetickets.com or by calling 1-800-PITSHOP.