Watch: NASCAR’s impressive float for the 2023 Rose Parade

Watch: NASCAR’s impressive float for the 2023 Rose Parade

NASCAR "always forward" flloat under construction

The 2023 NASCAR season will mark the 75th-anniversary edition of the premier stock car racing series. Celebrations for the upcoming season will start with the Ross parade float NASCAR will field on January 2nd. It’s the first time in its history NASCAR is participating in the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Association’s new year’s parade.

Seven times cup champion Richard Petty and his Truck series driver Rajah Caruth will ride on the float representing the sporting world. The float is always named forward and features three iconic NASCAR rides from the past. The No:43 car of King Petty alongside, the No:3 car of 7 times cup champion Dale Earnhardt and four times champion Jeff Gordan.

The backdrop is the LA Memorial Colosseum. It is 25 feet tall, and 55 feet. Artistic Entertainment Services made this. The float is covered with flowers of multiple colors and also features chequered flag and other NASCAR-related objects.

FS Video

Richard Petty was chosen to represent NASCAR as he embodies NASCAR’s evolution. “Nobody embodies the rich history of our sport more than Richard Petty. He‘s not only ‘The King,‘ but an icon recognized worldwide as one of the greatest athletes of all time. It‘s an incredible honor to have him represent NASCAR on our float. I know our fans in California will love this opportunity to hail NASCAR royalty in person,” said NASCAR Vice President of Marketing Services Patrick Rogers.

YouTube video

The No:24 GMS Racing driver Rajah Caruth was chosen as the representative of the present and future of the sport. “NASCAR‘s 75th anniversary is all about honoring our past, celebrating our present, and looking to our future. It‘s only fitting that a driver like Rajah, who represents NASCAR‘s now and beyond, joins our all-time winningest driver on this historic day for our sport,” says Patrick Rogers.

Related: “They both can’t be the No. 1 guy, and that’s a dangerous thing,” Clint Bowyer on the rivalry between Chase Elliott and Kyle Larson

Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson
Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson

Seven times NASCAR cup champion Jimmie Johnson’s exclusion from the float isn’t received well by the racing community. While his fellow record holders Petty and Earnhardt got a spot, the third slot was given to the No:24 of Jeff Gordan. Johnson and Gordan were teammates at Hendrick Motorsports; the former had dominated the latter since they came under the same garage.  

One argument can be made that Gordan is a Hall of Famer while Johnson isn’t. this is because of their late retirement on Johnson. His induction might be delayed more as he will return to the cup series this year as an owner-driver with King Petty co-owned Petty GMS Racing.

In case you missed it: