Gronkowski set to serve as grand marshal for virtual NASCAR

Rob Gronkowski, the retired Patriots tight end, is set to host WrestleMania in April from WWE’s performance center on Saturday and Sunday. He will also serve as the grand marshall for NASCAR’s virtual race. Jeffrey T. Barnes/Associated Press

Rob Gronkowski and WWE star Mojo Rawley are set to serve as the grand marshals for the NASCAR virtual racing event on Sunday. Gronkowski, the retired New England Patriots tight end, is also scheduled to host WrestleMania. WrestleMania, WWE’s signature event, is held over two days on Saturday and Sunday this year for the first time in history.

Rawley and Gronkowski, also a Fox Sports analyst, are long-time friends and the two will start Sunday’s iRacing event on the virtual Bristol Motor Speedway track. The race is set for 1 p.m. and scheduled to air on Fox and FS1.

The iRacing events have been a hit with NASCAR on hiatus in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. The virtual racing event last weekend drew 1.339 million viewers for coverage simulcast on Fox and FS1.

Gronkowski jumped over the barricade and helped Rawley win the Andre the Giant battle royal at WrestleMania in 2017.