If there must be one thing louder than the growling V8s in a race, it should be the Grand Marshal. Last year, it was Hollywood’s turn, and now, as Texas Motor Speedway commemorates its 30th anniversary season, the iconic command will come from someone who was once busy working hospital shifts as a respiratory therapist, using every paycheck to fund a dream that would eventually shake stages across the world.
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The band Slayer’s Tom Araya is set to be the Grand Marshal at the Würth 400 on the 3rd of May. Having been at the forefront of the band since its formation in 1980, Slayer’s voice has claimed a place of its own in the heavy metal category. And their studio album, “Reign in Blood,” released in 1986, was instrumental in becoming the iconic “Big Four” alongside Metallica, Megadeth, and Anthrax.
“Excited to be the Grand Marshal for the Würth 400. SLAYER, NASCAR reign in speed!” He said, referring to their most popular 1986 album, Reign In Blood. The band is also celebrating the 40th anniversary of this album this year.
Taking Pedal to the Metal! 🎤 🤘 Tom Araya, lead vocalist & bassist for the legendary thrash metal band Slayer, will serve as the Grand Marshal of Sunday’s WÜRTH 400 presented by LIQUI MOLY. @sicknewworldtx | 📖: bit.ly/49iGqs9
Since their debut, Slayer hasn’t really done things small. Over four decades, they racked up over 20 million albums sold, went gold multiple times, earned a multi-platinum record, two Grammy Awards, and put out 11 studio albums before calling it a day with a farewell tour back in 2018.
But retirement, it turns out, didn’t stick. The band is back for a handful of carefully chosen shows this year. In fact, one of them is coming to Texas Motor Speedway on October 24, as part of the inaugural Sick New World Texas music festival – with more than 50 acts spread across four stages at “The Great American Speedway”.
For now, joining him at the WÜRTH 400 will be another big name – Cooper Flagg.
Flagg will be the Honorary Pace Car Driver for Sunday’s marquee race and will drive a 2026 Chevrolet Corvette to lead the Cup field to the green flag for the start of the marquee race.
Another big part of the pre-race ceremony is Sunday’s national anthem singer, 101-year-old military veteran Don Graves. He is a veteran of the United States Marine Corps and one of a select number of surviving American servicemen who were active in the victorious World War II. This will be his third time singing at Texas Motor Speedway.
Below are the other dignitaries for the Cup Race.
- Grand Marshal: Slayer lead vocalist and bassist Tom Araya.
- Honorary Pace Car Driver: 2026 NBA Rookie of the Year and Dallas Mavericks standout Cooper Flagg.
- National Anthem: Don Graves, a 101-year-old World War II Iwo Jima survivor.
- American Flag Arrival: Re/Max Skydive Team.
- Presentation Of Colors: 1st Cavalry Division Honor Guard from Fort Hood, Texas.
- Invocation: Texas Tailgaters and former American Idol contestant Jayson Arendt.
- Flyover: Four T-38’s from Sheppard Air Force Base in Wichita Falls, Texas.
Surely, this weekend is set for strong racing after the Talladega Superspeedway disappointment. However, as it appears, the weather could hamper some of the sessions over the weekend.
Will the weather lead to delays in Texas?
The biggest weather concern of the weekend comes on Friday. Temperatures will be near 61°F with an 80% chance of precipitation throughout the day. Northeasterly winds 10 to 20 mph may further complicate conditions, while rainfall totals may approach a half inch. In those circumstances, delays or changes to the schedule are very much on the table.
That outlook has a direct impact on Friday night’s NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race, and on O’Reilly Series practice and qualifying sessions that depend on tight track availability.
Saturday, however, looks much better.
The weather should be much better with mostly sunny skies, a high around 77, light winds, and just a slight chance of rain. In fact, if Friday’s schedule is pushed back, you have nearly perfect racing conditions, which matters a lot because Saturday is a big day for teams trying to dial in their performance with practice and qualifying for the NASCAR Cup Series on tap.
The track might be cooler to begin the day after Friday’s rain, and then pick up grip and speed as the temperatures increase, a change that could be beneficial to teams that adapt quickly.
Sunday then looks like the most settled day of the three.
Expect a mix of sun and clouds, with temperatures in the low 80s, a light breeze from the south, and less than a 5% chance of rain. That said, warmer conditions could still affect several areas, like tire degradation over extended runs, car balance as the track surface heats up, and strategic calls, particularly in the closing stages.
NASCAR, though, has procedures in place to keep the weekend going if the weather becomes a problem on Friday. Practice and qualifying sessions may be delayed, shortened, or cancelled if track time is no longer available. When qualifying cannot be run, starting grids are generally set under NASCAR’s performance-based formula.
For races, officials will delay or red-flag competition in case track conditions become unsafe. On oval tracks like Texas, slick tires make running in wet conditions impossible, and drying the surface requires specialized equipment and usually takes at least 90 minutes – though it can stretch into several hours depending on rainfall and track conditions.
