Bart Simpson's Daytona 500 Appearance: Did It Cause a Green Flag Curse?!

Well, folks, you couldn't make this stuff up. Bart Simpson – yes, *that* Bart Simpson – officially kicked off the 2026 Daytona 500. I'm still wrapping my head around it, but there he was, Springfield's resident hellion, waving the green flag and getting things underway at "The Great American Race." Talk about a crossover event!

Bart Simpson's Daytona 500 Appearance: Did It Caus...

The whole spectacle went down at the Daytona International Speedway, with Bart perched high above the track, overseeing the start of the 68th running of this iconic race. Now, I've seen some pretty wild things happen at Daytona over the years, but this definitely ranks up there. The timing was perfect, or perhaps perfectly calculated, as FOX was also celebrating the 800th episode of "The Simpsons" later that very same Sunday. Three decades on the air – that's a serious achievement! You have to wonder if Bart mooned the crowd...

Daytona International Speedway President Frank Kelleher seemed genuinely thrilled, calling Bart an "American icon of pop culture." I have to admit, he's got a point. Say what you will about Bart's shenanigans, the kid's a household name, synonymous with mischief and a certain brand of irreverent humor. Kelleher even joked about Bart’s "historic run of pranks," anticipating a, shall we say, *spirited* flag-waving. I'm sure it was more than just waving the flag!

Last year we saw Wood Brothers Racing get the honorary starter gig. They had a whole family affair up there with Eddie, Len, Jon, Keven, and Jordan Wood Hicks all taking part. William Byron ultimately clinched his second Daytona 500 win in a row, setting the stage for the potential of a three-peat this year. It will be interesting to see if he can pull off this hat trick!

As for the actual racing action, Kyle Busch, started on the pole with Chase Briscoe right beside him. Joey Logano, Chase Elliott, and Ryan Blaney rounded out the top five, setting the stage for what promised to be a thrilling race. The 2026 Daytona 500 officially got underway at 2:13 p.m. ET, broadcast on FOX and the FOX Sports app, for anyone who didn't manage to snag a spot in the stands – or anyone who wanted to rewind and see Bart’s flag-waving debut a few more times. What a time to be alive!