Two North Texas sports legends will have a prominent place in the next big sporting event coming to Arlington.

Hall-of-famers DeMarcus Ware and Ivan “Pudge” Rodriguez were announced as co-grand marshals for the Java House Grand Prix of Arlington. The honor includes delivering the legendary command, “Drivers, start your engines!” at the start of the race. 

“Having these renowned Hall of Famers serve as our Co-Grand Marshals is incredibly meaningful and sets the tone for an unforgettable celebration of world-class racing right here in Arlington,” Bill Miller, president of the Java House Grand Prix of Arlington, said in a statement.

Ware starred as an outside linebacker and defensive end for the Dallas Cowboys for nine years, during which he earned NFL All-Pro honors seven times. Rodriguez played in more than 1,500 games over 13 seasons for the Texas Rangers, earning numerous Gold Glove and Silver Slugger awards. He also made 10 MLB All Star Games as a member of the Rangers and won the 1999 American League MVP.

The Grand Prix of Arlington will be raced on a 2.73-mile street track around the stadiums of Ware and Rodriguez’s former teams, AT&T Stadium and Globe Life Field.

The main event will take place on Sunday, March 15, but the whole weekend will be full of events. CBS Texas is an official partner of the race.

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