Updated

Three-time Olympic gold medal swimmer Ryan Lochte will serve as grand marshal for the first of the two NASCAR Gatorade Duel qualifying races at Daytona International Speedway.

The pair of races, scheduled for Thursday, set the starting lineup for the season-opening Daytona 500.

Lochte, who resides in Daytona Beach, won gold medals at both the Athens and Beijing Olympics. He is a 12-time Olympic and World medalist. He currently holds the world record in the 800-meter freestyle relay as part of the American team and the world record for both the 200- and the 400-meter individual medley.

Lochte will deliver the starting command for the first of the two 150-lap races.