DAYTONA BEACH — Nate Bargatze has an important gig Sunday. As the grand marshal for the 2026 Daytona 500, he will give the starting command — “Drivers, start your engines!” — a few minutes before the 41 NASCAR Cup Series cars hit the track at Daytona International Speedway. He is the first comedian to fill the role. The 46-year-old Nashville native has the most watched standup special on Netflix during the past 52 weeks with “Your Friend, Nate Bargatze.” He claimed his first Grammy Award for best comedy album earlier this month. And his first feature film, “The Breadwinner,” hits theaters on May 29. He created, co-wrote, produced and starred in the family-friendly flick. Before the Great...
