2023 NFL Draft pick from Ohio State to serve in honorary role on July 7
LEXINGTON, Ohio (June 20, 2024) – Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course and American Honda Motor Co. are honored to announce Cleveland Browns offensive lineman and former Ohio State Buckeye Dawand Jones as the honorary grand marshal of The Honda Indy 200 Presented by the 2025 Civic Hybrid on Sunday, July 7.
As grand marshal, Jones will announce the most famous words in racing, “Drivers, start your engines!” as well as participate in other pre-race ceremonies for the 80-lap NTT INDYCAR SERIES race at Mid-Ohio. The race will broadcast globally with live coverage nationally starting at 1:30 p.m. ET on NBC.
This fall, Jones will play in his second season as a right tackle for the Browns after appearing in 11 games with nine starts and being named to the Pro Football Writers Association’s 2023 All-Rookie Team. The 2023 fourth round draft pick has continued his football career in the Buckeye State after playing four seasons for Ohio State (2019-2022). The Indianapolis native played in 41 games with 27 starts for the Buckeyes, earning first-team All-America honors from CBSSports.com and second-team all-Big Ten Conference recognition from the league’s coaches in 2022.
“As a longtime IndyCar fan from Indianapolis, I am really excited to be a part of this awesome racing tradition in Ohio,” said Jones. “I am truly grateful for the opportunity and can’t wait to give the command and hear the roar of the engines!”
Additionally, Kensuke Oe, president and director of Honda Development & Manufacturing of America, will serve as the podium trophy presenter, and Larry Geise, executive vice president of Honda Development & Manufacturing of America, will be this year’s honorary starter, waving the green flag to start the NTT INDYCAR SERIES race.
“We are honored to announce Dawand Jones, Kensuke Oe and Larry Geise to these honorary positions,” said Craig Rust, president of Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. “Over the past several years we have had several Browns and Buckeye players join us at The Honda Indy 200, and we are proud to continue the tradition. We also want to thank Mr. Oe, Mr. Geise and all the associates at American Honda for making this weekend special.”
The Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio Presented by the 2025 Civic Hybrid at Mid-Ohio on July 5-7 marks the 41st running of Ohio’s largest annual motorsport event. The NTT INDYCAR SERIES headlines the weekend and will debut a new hybrid power unit, providing additional energy and overtake options for North America’s premier open-wheel drivers. The new Hybrid Assist feature can be used with Push to Pass, which combined provides the cars with an extra 120-plus horsepower.
The all-open-wheel weekend will feature nine different races from five series across the three days. The NTT INDYCAR SERIES will be joined by its full development ladder with INDY NXT by Firestone, USF Pro 2000 Presented by Continental Tire, USF2000 Presented by Continental Tire and USF Juniors Presented by Continental Tire all competing on the legendary 2.258-mile, 13-turn road course.
The event will also feature its annual off-track Fourth of July celebrations. On Saturday, July 6, campers are encouraged to decorate their sites in red, white and blue as part of the Camping with Honda tradition. Honda-powered NTT INDYCAR SERIES drivers will begin to tour the campsites starting around 5:30 p.m. ET to meet fans and check out the campsite decor.
All event information including ticket options and pricing is posted online at midohio.com. Children 12 and under receive free general admission when accompanied by a ticketed adult. Follow the event on social media with #Honda200.
About Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course:
A comprehensive motorsports facility in Lexington, Ohio, Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course sits on 380 acres and features a permanent road-racing circuit with two primary race track configurations: 2.4-mile, 15-turn or 2.258-mile, 13-turn layout. Located 60 miles north of Columbus and 75 miles south of Cleveland near Mansfield, the natural terrain road course is commonly referred to as the “Most Competitive in the U.S.” and annually hosts a diversity of locally, regionally and nationally-sanctioned race events for amateur, club and professional drivers and riders. It is also home to The Mid-Ohio School, featuring over 20 driving and riding courses, for teenagers to professional racers using Honda vehicles. Opened in 1962, Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course has been owned and operated by Green Savoree Mid-Ohio, LLC since 2011, just the raceway’s third private ownership group in its history.
For more information, visit midohio.com, ‘like’ its Facebook page @MidOhioSportsCarCourse or follow updates on X (formerly Twitter) @Mid_Ohio and Instagram @officialmidohio.
