Vince Vaughn will be starring as Santa Claus’ lesser-known brother in the upcoming holiday comedy “Fred Claus,” but on Sunday the actor is getting an early Christmas present that definitely didn’t come from the North Pole.
The gift comes courtesy of Texas Motor Speedway as Vaughn will get the rare opportunity to drive the official pace truck that will lead the 43-car field to the green flag for Sunday’s Dickies 500 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series race (ABC-TV, 2:30 p.m. CT).
Traditionally, special race guests such as Vaughn get the chance to ride in the lead pace car or perhaps drive a secondary pace car. But by virtue of special permission from NASCAR, Vaughn will actually take the wheel from customary pace car driver Brett Bodine following an on-track orientation prior to the race.
Vaughn will drive a 2007 Chevrolet Silverado to officially start the most prestigious race in the Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup. The Dickies 500 possesses the largest crowd, purse and market size of any of the 10 races in the Chase championship playoff format.
"I’m thrilled that NASCAR and Texas Motor Speedway are giving me the opportunity to drive the official pace truck for one of the Chase championship's biggest races," Vaughn said. "It will be an honor to lead the talented field of drivers around Texas Motor Speedway."
Vaughn has established himself as one of Hollywood’s biggest names in comedy and has another potential blockbuster – “Fred Claus” – opening in theaters across the country on Friday, November 9. Vaughn has appeared in more than 30 major films, including a slew of smash hits in recent years. Among the notable were “The Break-Up,” “Wedding Crashers,” “Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story,” “Old School,” “Mr. & Mrs. Smith” and “Starsky & Hutch.”
“Vince Vaughn is one of Hollywood’s biggest stars and what better place to host him than the biggest race in the Chase,” Texas Motor Speedway President Eddie Gossage said. “I think he is in store for quite an adrenaline rush leading 43 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup stars to the green flag for the Dickies 500 in front of an enormous crowd. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”