{"id":51164,"date":"2025-04-30T14:55:30","date_gmt":"2025-04-30T19:55:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/?p=51164"},"modified":"2025-05-02T14:55:44","modified_gmt":"2025-05-02T19:55:44","slug":"actor-shea-whigham-named-grand-marshal-for-wurth-400-presented-by-liqui-moly-nascar-cup-series-race","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/2025\/04\/30\/actor-shea-whigham-named-grand-marshal-for-wurth-400-presented-by-liqui-moly-nascar-cup-series-race\/","title":{"rendered":"Actor Shea Whigham named grand marshal for W\u00dcRTH 400 presented by LIQUI MOLY NASCAR Cup Series race"},"content":{"rendered":"

Courtesy of TMS Media Relations<\/em><\/p>\n

FORT WORTH, Texas \u2013 Film and television actor Shea Whigham, best known for his standout roles in acclaimed projects such as \u201cBoardwalk Empire,\u201d \u201cTrue Detective,\u201d \u201cJoker\u201d and \u201cAmerican Hustle,\u201d has been named the Grand Marshal for the W\u00dcRTH 400 presented by LIQUI MOLY<\/a> NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) race this Sunday, May 4, at Texas Motor Speedway (TMS).<\/p>\n

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The talented veteran actor co-stars with Tom Cruise in \u201cMISSION: IMPOSSIBLE \u2013 The Final Reckoning,\u201d which will have a gala screening on May 14 at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival.<\/p>\n

Whigham\u2019s leading dignitary role will include him providing the famous pre-race command for the drivers to start their engines to the marquee NCS race beginning at 2:30 p.m. CT (TV: FS1, Radio: PRN, SiriusXM and Lone Star 92.5 locally).<\/p>\n

Whigham has helped generate a box office of more than $6 billion during a brilliant career that has spanned over two decades. It began with a role in the 2000 film \u201cTigerland,\u201d which he was cast alongside Colin Farrell, and continued with a lengthy list of critically acclaimed and award-winning projects.<\/p>\n

His resume includes \u201cAll the Real Girls\u201d (2003), \u201cLords of Dogtown\u201d (2005), \u201cPride and Glory\u201d (2008), \u2018Elias Eli Thompson\u2019 in HBO\u2019s \u201cBoardwalk Empire\u201d (2010-2014), \u201cTake Shelter\u201d (2011), \u201cThe Lincoln Lawyer\u201d (2011), \u201cSilver Linings Playbook\u201d (2012), \u201cSavages\u201d (2012), \u201cAmerican Hustle\u201d (2013), \u201cThe Wolf of Wall Street\u201d (2013), ABC\u2019s \u201cAgent Carter\u201d (2015), \u201cKong: Skull Island\u201d (2017), FX\u2019s \u201cFargo\u201d (2017), Amazon\u2019s \u201cHomecoming\u201d (2018), \u201cFirst Man\u201d (2018), HBO\u2019s \u201cPerry Mason\u201d (2020-2022), Starz\u2019s \u201cGaslit\u201d (2022), Showtime\u2019s \u201cWaco\u201d (2018) sequel, \u201cWaco: The Aftermath\u201d (2023), Neon-acquired Sundance film \u201cEileen\u201d (2023), Paramount+ \u201cBass Reeves\u201d (2023), Sony\u2019s \u201cSpider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse\u201d (2023) and HBO\u2019s \u201cThe Righteous Gemstones\u201d (2023).<\/p>\n

The other primary dignitary role for the W\u00dcRTH 400 presented by LIQUI MOLY will be filled by Sebastian W\u00fcrth, Chairman of the Advisory Board of the W\u00fcrth Group. He will serve as the Honorary Starter and wave the green flag to officially start the 11th race of the season. Benjamin W\u00fcrth, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the W\u00fcrth Group, will be a co-Honorary Race Official alongside Moses Brings Plenty, who is best known for his portrayal of \u201cMo\u201d in the Paramount Network hit series, \u201cYellowstone.\u201d<\/p>\n

Former NCS star Kasey Kahne will buckle in as the Honorary Pace Car Driver and help lead the field to the green flag. Kahne was an 18-race winner in the NCS and was part of the closest NCS finish in TMS history. He was edged by Elliott Sadler by 0.028 of a second in the 2004 race. He would go on to capture his first \u2013 and only \u2013 TMS pole and win two years later in the same spring race.<\/p>\n

Football champion running back Spencer Tillman will provide the pre-race invocation for the W\u00dcRTH 400 presented by LIQUI MOLY. Tillman spent eight years in the NFL with the Houston Oilers (1987-88, \u201992-94) and San Francisco 49ers (\u201989-91). He was also an All-American and captain of the University of Oklahoma\u2019s 1985 national championship team. Tillman is currently a college football game analyst for FOX Sports.<\/p>\n

Another esteemed dignitary will be National Anthem singer Don Graves, who will celebrate his 100th<\/sup> birthday the day prior to his appearance at the NCS race. He is a U.S. Marine veteran who is part of an exceptional group of living American heroes who took part in the successful invasion on the Japanese island of Iwo Jima during World War II. It will be Graves\u2019 second visit to TMS to perform, having sung \u201cGod Bless America\u201d prior to the 2023 fall NCS Playoff race.<\/p>\n

The W\u00dcRTH 400 presented by LIQUI MOLY headlines a NASCAR tripleheader at TMS. The weekend also includes the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series (NCTS) SpeedyCash.com 250<\/a> this Friday, May 2, at 7 p.m. and Xfinity Series (NXS) Andy\u2019s Frozen Custard 300<\/a> this Saturday, May 3, at 1 p.m.<\/p>\n

Below are the dignitaries for each of the weekend races.<\/p>\n

NCS W\u00dcRTH 400 presented by LIQUI MOLY<\/p>\n

Grand Marshal: Film and television actor Shea Whigham.<\/p>\n

Honorary Starter: Sebastian W\u00fcrth, Chairman of the Advisory Board of the W\u00fcrth Group<\/p>\n

Honorary Pace Car Driver: <\/em>Former NASCAR Cup Series star Kasey Kahne.<\/p>\n

National Anthem: World War II Iwo Jima survivor Don Graves.<\/p>\n

Invocation: Former NFL running back and University of Oklahoma All-American Spencer Tillman.<\/p>\n

NXS Andy\u2019s Frozen Custard 300<\/p>\n