Chief of the National Guard Bureau will lead field to green at Richmond Raceway
RICHMOND, Va. (Aug. 11, 2026) – Richmond Raceway announced today that Gen. Steven S. Nordhaus, Chief of the National Guard Bureau and a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, will serve as the Honorary Pace Car Driver for Saturday night’s Cook Out 400. He will lead the NASCAR Cup Series field to the green flag as Richmond Raceway hosts a star-spangled celebration honoring America’s service members.
“We’re incredibly honored to welcome Gen. Nordhaus for this incredible night,” said Richmond Raceway President Lori Collier Waran. “His presence will shine a light on the extraordinary commitment and sacrifice of the men and women who serve our nation. We know our fans will appreciate the opportunity to celebrate their selfless service before an exciting night of NASCAR Cup Series racing.”
As the 30th Chief of the National Guard Bureau, Gen. Nordhaus serves as the senior military advisor on National Guard matters to the President, Secretary of War and National Security Council while leading more than 435,000 Army and Air National Guard Soldiers and Airmen across the United States, its territories and the District of Columbia. A 1989 graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy, he is a command pilot with more than 3,000 flight hours, including combat missions supporting Operations Southern Watch, Vigilant Warrior, Northern Watch, Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom. Throughout his distinguished career, Gen. Nordhaus has held numerous command and senior leadership positions across the Air National Guard and U.S. Air Force before assuming his current role in October 2024.
Before Gen. Nordhaus leads the field to green, fans will enjoy a special performance of the National Anthem by the 29th Division Band of the Virginia National Guard, followed by a dramatic flyover featuring four UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters from the Maryland Air National Guard. The Virginia Military Institute will provide the Color Guard as NASCAR fans celebrate the service of those in uniform.
Fans planning to attend Saturday night’s Cook Out 400 are encouraged to arrive early to enjoy all the experiences Richmond Raceway has to offer. A scant number of tickets remain for Saturday night’s action, and fans are encouraged to act now before they’re gone by visiting www.richmondraceway.com.
About Richmond Raceway
Richmond Raceway will host its NASCAR weekend on the iconic ¾-mile D-shaped oval Aug.14-15, 2026. Richmond Raceway was named the 2025 Event of the Year by Richmond Region Tourism and was also named a Top 5 NASCAR Track by USA Today. Richmond Raceway is a regional leader for events including sports, live music and consumer trade shows. The Richmond Raceway Complex hosts more than 200 live events over 280 event days annually including concerts with top national recording artists at Virginia Credit Union LIVE!, the region’s only covered amphitheater.
For more information, visit richmondraceway.com, richmondracewaycomplex.com, or vaculive.com.
About NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) is the sanctioning body for the No. 1 form of motorsports in the United States and owner of 15 of the nation’s major motorsports entertainment facilities. NASCAR sanctions races in three national series (NASCAR Cup Series™, NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series™, and NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series™), four international series (NASCAR Brasil Series, NASCAR Canada Series, NASCAR Euro Series, NASCAR Mexico Series), four regional series (ARCA Menards Series, ARCA Menards Series East & West and the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour) and a local grassroots series (NASCAR Local Racing Series Powered by O’Reilly Auto Parts). The International Motor Sports Association™ (IMSA®) governs the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship™, the premier U.S. sports car series. NASCAR also owns Motor Racing Network, Racing Electronics, and ONE DAYTONA. Based in Daytona Beach, Florida, with offices in five cities across North America, NASCAR sanctions more than 1,200 races annually in 11 countries and more than 30 U.S. states.
For more information visit www.NASCAR.com and www.IMSA.com, and follow NASCAR on Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, X and Facebook.
