DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) - Retired NFL star Ray Lewis will serve as honorary starter for the Daytona 500.

Lewis will wave the green flag to start Sunday's ``Great American Race.''

Lewis ended his 17-year NFL career in perfect fashion this month, directing a successful goal-line stand that provided him a second Super Bowl title. A 13-time Pro Bowl linebacker with the Baltimore Ravens, Lewis announced his retirement Jan. 2.

Lewis won't be the only celebrity on hand for Sunday's race. Rappers T.I. and 50 Cent will attend NASCAR's season opener, which has Danica Patrick starting on the pole.

Oscar-nominated actor James Franco will serve as grand marshal and give the command to ``start your engines.''

The Zac Brown Band will perform a pre-race concert in the Daytona International Speedway infield.