MOTOWN LEGEND SMOKEY ROBINSON NAMED DETROIT GRAND PRIX SUNDAY GRAND MARSHAL
Singer, Songwriter and SiriusXM Channel Host to be Honored on June 2 in the Motor City
DETROIT, Mich. (May 23, 2024) – Celebrating Detroit’s rich musical legacy, the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix presented by Lear, announced today that Motown legend Smokey Robinson will serve as the event’s Grand Marshal on Sunday, June 2 and he will be honored before the Chevrolet INDYCAR Grand Prix (12 pm ET on USA Network), featuring the cars of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES.
Robinson will return to the Motor City at the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix presented by Lear, where he will be a special guest of Meyer Shank Racing (MSR) and SiriusXM – home to his original headlining radio channel – on the final day of an event-filled weekend. As Sunday’s Grand Marshal, Robinson will participate in pre-race ceremonies as the event pays tribute to his impact and his iconic career before the stars of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES take to the street circuit in Downtown Detroit.
As the embodiment of music royalty, Robinson stands as a living testament to the global resonance of the Motown sound. Known as “The King of Motown,” Robinson was essential to the success of Berry Gordy’s Motown Records, located in the heart of Detroit. As lead singer of The Miracles, Robinson recorded Motown’s first million-selling hit in 1960 with “Shop Around.” His songwriting and producing talents helped springboard other Motown artists like The Temptations and Marvin Gaye. Robinson’s career continued to evolve as a solo artist with chart-topping hits including “Just to See Her” and “Cruisin’.”
During the Detroit Grand Prix weekend, MSR’s No. 60 AutoNation / SiriusXM Honda, driven by Felix Rosenqvist in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, will transform its colors to add a splash of purple and yellow to feature Smokey’s Soul Town SiriusXM Channel 74.“We are thrilled to have a true Motown legend join us and serve as Sunday Grand Marshal at the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix presented by Lear,” said Michael Montri, President of the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix presented by Lear. “Smokey Robinson is a music icon and, thanks to Meyer Shank Racing, SiriusXM and our partners at INDYCAR, we can’t wait to welcome Smokey back to Detroit.”
Robinson has earned numerous awards throughout his career, including a star on The Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1983, induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1987, a Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance in 1988, induction into the Songwriters’ Hall of Fame in 1989, the Grammy Legend Award in 1990, the Heritage Award at the 1991 Soul Train Music Awards, a National Medal of Arts in 2002 and a BET Lifetime Achievement Award in 2015. In 2009, the Miracles also received a star on The Hollywood Walk of Fame, and in 2012, the group was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
Robinson and SiriusXM joined forces last fall to launch Smokey’s Soul Town, a year-round channel curated by Robinson. Airing on SiriusXM’s Channel 74 and on the SiriusXM app, Smokey’s Soul Town features timeless soul, R&B, and Motown hits from the ’60s and ’70s showcasing legendary artists like Marvin Gaye, Aretha Franklin, The Supremes, Jackie Wilson and The Temptations. The channel made its debut in November, offering exclusive commentary and insights from Robinson himself.
The 2024 Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix presented by Lear will once again offer an inclusive experience for fans as more than half of the event’s footprint will be open and accessible for free throughout the three-day weekend including the Cadillac Square Entertainment Stage. The 34th Grand Prix event in the City’s history will return to the 1.7-mile, nine-turn Streets of Downtown Detroit circuit that runs along the award-winning Detroit Riverwalk, May 31-June 2, 2024. With new viewing options and entertainment packages, fans can purchase tickets at www.DetroitGP.com/Tickets or through the event’s Ticket Hotline at 866-464-PRIX (7749).
Note: Attached is an image of Smokey Robinson, courtesy of SiriusXM, that is approved for media usage with coverage of today’s announcement.
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ABOUT THE DETROIT GRAND PRIX
The Detroit Grand Prix is a 501(c)3 organization and a subsidiary of the Downtown Detroit Partnership. Scheduled for May 31-June 2, 2024, the event will return to the Streets of Downtown Detroit. The Grand Prix will include the Chevrolet INDYCAR Grand Prix featuring the cars of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, the sports cars of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship and the rising stars of racing competing in INDY NXT by Firestone. For more information, visit www.DetroitGP.com and follow our social media pages at www.facebook.com/detroitgp, www.twitter.com/detroitgp, and www.instagram.com/detroitgp
