AVONDALE, Ariz. (March 2, 2026) – NASCAR and GOVX, the online shopping platform exclusively for current and former military, first responders, emergency medical professionals, and other government personnel announced today the official dignitaries for the upcoming NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series GOVX 200, scheduled for Saturday, March 7th at the historic Phoenix Raceway in Avondale, Arizona.
Serving as the Grand Marshal for this year’s GOVX 200 will be 8-time Pro Bowl and 2-time First Team All-Pro safety Budda Baker of the hometown Arizona Cardinals. Having the honor of saying the most famous words in motorsports, Baker will be on hand to give the command in person before the 5:00 PM MST start time.
Dr. Katherine Steele, Ed.D, Chief Executive Officer of the Pat Tillman Foundation, has been named the Honorary Starter for the race. A 2014 Tillman Scholar herself, Dr. Steele will be tasked with waving the green flag ahead of the day’s action.
“We are incredibly honored to welcome Budda Baker and Dr. Katherine Steele as our dignitaries for the GOVX 200 at Phoenix Raceway,” said Alan Cole, GOVX CEO. “Budda is a Cardinals legend who brings an unmatched level of intensity and pride to the Arizona secondary, while Dr. Steele’s work with the Pat Tillman Foundation stands as a powerful tribute to the service and sacrifice of our military members and their families.”
The NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series GOVX 200 marks the second consecutive year GOVX has had the distinction of operating as a Title Sponsor, following last season’s inaugural race. As part of an official multi-year partnership, GOVX also serves as the Presenting Sponsor and Official Verification Partner of the NASCAR Miltix program, offering discounted race tickets of up to 50% off to NASCAR-owned tracks nationwide, including Phoenix Raceway. Eligible service members will be able to access this benefit through both NASCAR.com and GOVX.com.
About GovX
GOVX is dedicated to serving those who serve our country and communities – military service members, first responders, law enforcement officers, emergency medical professionals, and other government service personnel. With a customizable suite of solutions, GOVX provides leading brands who share in this mission with a unique opportunity to support this deserving audience. Through the flagship marketplace, GOVX.com, brands can authentically reach a growing community of 11M+ members with their own storefront. More than 2K trusted brands currently have a storefront on GOVX.com, offering unbeatable deals to those who serve. With the proprietary verification app, GOVX ID, brands can easily enable service member discounts within the checkout flow of their own sites. More than 5K brands currently utilize GOVX ID technology to honor service members. By leveraging GOVX marketing services solutions, brands can effectively amplify their products or services within an engaged and exclusive community and reinforce their support for Americans who make a difference. In addition to providing unmatched value to those who serve, GOVX also donates a portion of every order to non-profits who serve the military and first responder community. To date, over $3M has been donated through the GOVX Gives Back initiative. For more information, visit https://www.govx.com.
About Phoenix Raceway
Phoenix Raceway has been the premier motorsports venue in the Southwest since 1964 and hosts two race weekends each year. Its season-opening weekend March 5-8 features full-throttle excitement with the NASCAR Cup Series, NTT INDYCAR SERIES, NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series and ARCA Menards Series. NASCAR will also return Oct. 16-18 with intense NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series and NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series playoff racing. Phoenix Raceway also hosts a variety of events throughout the year, including concerts, corporate meetings and conferences, charity events, weddings, holiday events, sport and endurance competitions, and driving schools. For more information, visit www.PhoenixRaceway.com and download the new NASCAR Tracks App at www.phoenixraceway.com/nascar-tracks-app/.
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.
ABOUT THE PAT TILLMAN FOUNDATION
The Pat Tillman Foundation was established to carry forward the legacy of Pat Tillman – the former Arizona Cardinals safety who left his NFL career to serve as a U.S. Army Ranger following 9/11. Today, the Pat Tillman Foundation invests in high-impact service members, veterans, and military spouses through academic scholarships and a national leadership development community. For more than 20 years, the Foundation has supported nearly 1,000 Tillman Scholars as they lead and serve in medicine, public policy, technology, education, and communities across the country. To learn more about the Pat Tillman Foundation and to support the nearly 1,000 Tillman Scholars, visit donate.ptf.org.
