Actor and comedian Bill Murray has been named as the Grand Marshal for the Enjoy Illinois 300 NASCAR Cup Series race on September 7. The 74-year-old will say those famous words before the race at the World Wide Technology Raceway.
NASCAR Grand Marshals saying “Drivers, start your engines” was inspired by the 1953 Indianapolis 500. The original version addressed drivers as “Gentlemen,” but with the participation of female drivers in the sport, it evolved into “Ladies and gentlemen,” eventually settling on a more neutral greeting.
Murray’s iconic entertainment career spans over 40 years. He gained immense popularity through his Emmy Award-winning role on the Saturday Night Live show in the late 1970s. In the 1980s, he became known for his roles in Caddyshack (1980), Ghostbusters (1984), and Ghostbusters II (1989). Murray also had his stint with filmmaking through movies like Quick Change, which was released in 1990.
WWT Raceway announced on X that Murray will be the NASCAR Grand Marshal next month for the Enjoy Illinois 300. The post read:
Bill Murray attends the “The Phoenician Scheme” red carpet at the 78th annual Cannes Film Festival at Palais des Festivals on May 18, 2025 in Cannes, France.
Bill Murray attends the “The Phoenician Scheme” red carpet at the 78th annual Cannes Film Festival at Palais des Festivals on May 18, 2025 in Cannes, France.
Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images
“Bill. Freakin’. Murray. That’s right — he’s our Grand Marshal for the @enjoyillinois 300 on September 7! Be there to witness the legend say the most famous words in motorsports.”
The 2025 NASCAR season also marks the return of the Xfinity Series to the WWT Raceway after 15 years, given its last event in 2010. Earlier, the series was hosted between 1997 and 2010.
The Xfinity race will be a 200-lap, 250-mile event at the WWT Raceway, which is slated to host the race until 2031. Speaking on the return of the Xfinity Series to the WWT Raceway, owner and CEO Curtis Francois said last year:
“Ever since I purchased and reopened the track, one of the most-asked questions has been ‘When will the Xfinity Series come back? I’m happy to finally share with our loyal fans that they are coming back in 2025. We greatly appreciate NASCAR’s willingness to reunite us with the Xfinity Series, which previously had been a staple and fan favorite at this facility.
“World Wide Technology Raceway’s list of Xfinity Series winners and participants proves that this truly is one of the tracks where legends are born. Our track is perfectly designed for intense racing action and each event always generated a tremendous amount of excitement and drama, both on and off the track.”
Xfinity Series veteran driver Justin Allgaier added:
“It’s great to know that we are going back to World Wide Technology Raceway with the NASCAR Xfinity Series. To be able to race so close to home is incredibly special to not only myself, but to my family, friends and to BRANDT Professional Agriculture. This place is right in our backyards and I can’t wait to get there next year.”