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Come Fan with UsThursday, June 25, 2026

2012 Daytona 500 Flyover To Be Performed By U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds

There are still 45 days remaining until the 2012 Daytona 500 and the start of the new NASCAR season, but one piece of the pre-race ceremonies for the Feb. 26 event have been announced.
The Thunderbirds from the U.S Air Force – six F-16 fighter jets – will perform the flyover for the “Great American Race.”

This will be the third time the Thunderbirds have gotten the flyover honors. The squadron also flew over the race in 2008 and 2011.

“The Thunderbirds...and their rousing flyover at the conclusion of the national anthem will give goose bumps to the thousands of race fans in attendance and millions more watching on Fox Sports,” Daytona International Speedway president Joie Chitwood III said.

So who will be singing the national anthem? We don’t know yet. Daytona often doesn’t announce the anthem singer and the grand marshal for the Daytona 500 until a week or two before the race itself.

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