Rob Gronkowski named grand marshal of Indianapolis 500 Snake Pit for 2nd straight year

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INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Four-time Super Bowl champion and Fox NFL studio analyst Rob Gronkowski has been named grand marshal of the Indianapolis 500's Snake Pit, race organizers said Monday.

It's second consecutive year the four-time Super Bowl champion will serve in that role.

The sold-out race is scheduled to be run Sunday.

Gronkowski played with New England from 2010-18, winning three Super Bowls with Tom Brady and the Patriots. He ended his one-year retirement to rejoin Brady in Tampa Bay, where the two teamed up to win another Super Bowl title. In November, he retired again.

“Last year was my first-ever Indy 500,” Gronkowski said in a statement. “The Indy 500 Coors Light Snake Pit is one of the coolest combinations of sports and music out there and in the ultimate venue. I had to come back to keep the party going and celebrate the biggest race in the world.”

The former tight end was a five-time Pro Bowler, a four-time All-Pro and won the NFL's Comeback Player of the Year Award when he was with New England. He also was named to the 2010s All-Decade Team and the NFL's 100th Anniversary All-Time Team.

He will be working with an All-Star lineup of global electronic music artists in the third turn of Indianapolis Motor Speedway's 2.5-mile oval.

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AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing