DETROIT — Singer, songwriter and Motown legend Smokey Robinson will be honored ahead of the Chevrolet IndyCar Grand Prix on June 2 and serve as the event’s grand marshal.

Robinson will be part of pre-race ceremonies, which will pay tribute to his long career ahead of the NTT IndyCar Series street circuit in downtown Detroit.

"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 in a press release. “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.”

In November, Robinson and SiriusXM teamed up to curate a year-round channel called Smokey’s Soul Town with timeless music from his Motown contemporaries and beyond.

The Detroit native, 84, was the founder and frontman for Motown Records group the Miracles and is a prolific songwriter. He's still writing tunes, and last spring released "Gasms," a sultry collection of tracks that was slightly controversial due to the sexy nature of the entire album. It is his first new release in about a decade.

Robinson last performed in Detroit at the Fox Theatre in August.

©2024 The Detroit News. Visit detroitnews.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.