Comedian Nate Bargatze Serves as Daytona 500 Grand Marshal

Bargatze considered making a joke about the number of feet in 500 miles, but decided to keep it simple in his role.

Published on Feb. 16, 2026

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Comedian Nate Bargatze served as the grand marshal for the 2026 Daytona 500 race. Bargatze considered making a joke about not knowing how many feet are in 500 miles, but ultimately decided to keep his remarks straightforward. Bargatze is currently enjoying a successful comedy career, having released multiple Netflix specials, won a Grammy, and set attendance records on his tour.

Why it matters

Nate Bargatze's appearance as grand marshal at the Daytona 500 highlights his growing fame and success as a stand-up comedian. His decision to avoid an overly goofy joke shows his maturity and understanding of the gravity of the role, even as he maintains his signature down-to-earth, everyman persona.

The details

Bargatze considered making a joke about not knowing how many feet are in 500 miles, a riff on one of his popular 'Washington's Dream' sketches on 'Saturday Night Live.' However, he decided against it after testing the joke out the previous night and finding it fell flat. Instead, Bargatze kept his remarks as the grand marshal straightforward. Bargatze is currently enjoying a highly successful comedy career, having released three Netflix specials, won a Grammy for Best Comedy Album, and set numerous attendance records on his 'Big Dumb Eyes World Tour.'

  • Bargatze served as grand marshal for the 2026 Daytona 500 race on February 15, 2026.
  • Bargatze tested out the '500 miles' joke the previous night, February 14, 2026, during a gig in Indianapolis.

The players

Nate Bargatze

A popular stand-up comedian who has released multiple Netflix specials, won a Grammy Award, and set attendance records on his comedy tour.

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What they’re saying

“At first, I thought about doing like, how many feet are in 500 miles. Nobody knows.”

— Nate Bargatze, Comedian

“It's going to be insanity. It's been a dream to be asked to do this.”

— Nate Bargatze, Comedian

The takeaway

Nate Bargatze's appearance as grand marshal at the Daytona 500 showcases his growing fame and success in the comedy world, as he continues to balance his signature everyman persona with the gravity of high-profile opportunities.