TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Bubba the Love Sponge to be grand marshal for NASCAR race

ADVERTISEMENT

By WALT BELCHER | The Tampa Tribune

Published: April 13, 2009

TAMPA - Radio personality Bubba the Love Sponge Clem has been named grand marshal for a NASCAR race on April 25 at Talladega Superspeedway in Alabama.

The Aaron's 312, sponsored by Aaron's Rents Inc., is part of NASCAR's Nationwide Series. The 312-mile race, which will be telecast live on ABC, will be run the day before the Aaron's 499, a stop on NASCAR's major Sprint Car Series.

"We are thrilled that Bubba will be giving the command to start the Aaron's 312," Aaron Rents CEO Ken Butler said in a news release. "Bubba's love of racing is very apparent, and I believe his 'Bubba Army' fan base is a perfect fit for Aaron's and NASCAR."

Bubba's duties include greeting the drivers as they are announced and addressing the expected crowd of more than 145,000 with the most famous words in racing: "Gentlemen, start your engines."

"I couldn't be more honored or excited," says Clem, who owns an eight-car midget car race team, CRI (Clem Racing, Inc.) that features his 6-year-old son Tyler Clem, who drives midget dirt model cars, as well as two other youngsters.

The pint-sized team competes across the U.S.

"The Bubba the Love Sponge" radio show is broadcast from 6 to 10 a.m. weekdays on WHPT, 102.5 FM, in Tampa as well as several other stations in Florida. Clem also airs on Sirius XM satellite radio.

Reporter Walt Belcher can be reached at (813) 259-7654.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT