Before the green flag drops for the start of the Grand Prix of Mosport Sunday afternoon, one of Canada's top entertainment personalities will be a part of the pre-race ceremonies.

Dan Aykroyd has been named Grand Marshal for the event -- round eight in the 2008 American Le Mans Series (ALMS), and the only stop in this country.

"I'm a proud Canadian and it's appropriate I show up," joked Aykroyd in a recent telephone interview.

"It will be a great weekend, and I'm very excited to go to Mosport. It is a venerable institution of motor racing in the country and the world."

The popular ALMS features world-class endurance circuit cars in four classes, LMP1 (Le Mans Prototype 1), cars producing around 700 horsepower and weighing 1,985 pounds. Included in this class is the unique Audi with its diesel engine, and winner of the past three Le Mans events. The LMP2 (Le Mans Prototype 2) include Porsches and Acuras with up to 550 horsepower and a weight maximum of 1,760 pounds. The GT1 (Grand Touring 1) cars, such as the Corvette, Aston-Martin, and Saleen, race with about 650 horsepower and a maximum weight of 2,480 pounds. Cars in the GT2 class, including the Panoz, Dodge Viper, and Ferrari, weigh the same as the GT1 cars but produce about 500 horsepower.

All ALMS cars must run on one of three mandated "street legal" alternate fuels such as diesel or E10 or E85 ethanol.

The ALMS is the first and only racing series to be endorsed by the United States Department of Energy and the United States EPA as a "green" racing series.

Aykroyd, a native of Ottawa who maintains a summer home in Sydenham, Ont., has a sporting interest in Sunday's race.

He is the Canadian rights- holder for Patron Tequila, distributed in Canada by Diamond Estates Wines and Spirits, and this spirits company sponsors the Patron Highcroft Racing Acura team with drivers David Brabham and Scott Sharp, who have three class wins this season.

Aykroyd said he has come a long way in personal transportation since his first car -- a 1939 Dodge.

"North Americans have a love affair with their cars," he said. "Events of our lives are marked with our automobiles."

Aykroyd added that his personal vehicle now is a Ford SD350 pickup, and would like to find a Ford Excursion. He rides one of his Harley Davidson motorcycles as often as possible.

Asked what type of auto racing he prefers, Aykroyd responded that he would like to compete in National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR).

"I think you need a lot of skill and it would be a challenge," he admits.

Aykroyd noted that he would like to try driving one of the race cars of the American Le Mans Series, but alluded that his size would prohibit getting into the cockpit.

"I couldn't fit my right haunch into one of these cars right now," he said jokingly.

Hamilton fans will be able to meet Adrian Fernandez and Luis Diaz for talk and autographs and see the Lowe's Fernandez Racing Acura race car at the Lowe's Home Improvement Warehouse on Barton Street East between 4 and 5 p.m. today.

Tim Miller is a longtime motorsports writer and author of several books on the sport