July 27, 2017 – Zippo has named retired FBI Special Agent Wesley Wong grand marshal of the NASCAR XFINITY Series Zippo 200 set to take place at Watkins Glen International on Saturday, August 5.
Wong will deliver the ceremonial command for drivers to start their engines in the second race of the NASCAR tripleheader weekend.
During a 30-year career with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Wong was involved in the investigations of John Gotti, the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, TWA 800, the 2000 Millennium bomb plot, and 9/11, where he was the senior FBI on-scene commander at Ground Zero and subsequently set-up the largest fusion center in the Bureau’s history.
“As a child growing up, we always had a Zippo lighter in our house. I remember my Dad saying they were the world’s finest lighter and I was so impressed they had a lifetime warranty. When you’re little, a lifetime seems forever. I am so humbled and honored to be asked by such an iconic American brand to be the Grand Marshal of the Zippo 200 at the Glen.”
Today, Wong is a Senior Advisor to the Special Operations Command, headquartered at MacDill AFB, Tampa, Florida. He remains involved with his former organization at the FBI Academy and is a Senior Fellow of Advanced Antiterrorism Studies at the Air Force Special Operations School, Hurlburt AFB, Fort Walton Beach, Florida.
Watkins Glen International is the premier road racing facility in North America, voted “Best NASCAR Track” by readers of USA Today. In addition to the NASCAR XFINITY Series, The Glen hosts other top series motorsports including Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship and IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge at their premier road racing facility.
For more information or to purchase tickets to the Zippo 200, visit theglen.com.