Former Michigan wide receiver Desmond Howard says being back around Ann Arbor "recharges my battery." Today is more about horsepower.

Howard is the grand marshal of for today's NASCAR Pure Michigan 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn (ESPN, 1 p.m.)

"Just took a few laps in a pace car...I did 150!" Howard wrote on Twitter earlier today. "What a way to start the day!"

Former Michigan wide receiver Desmond Howard.

Richard Drew | AP Photo

It's the end of a busy weekend for Howard, who started posting pictures from Ann Arbor on Friday morning. He watched the Michigan football team practice on Friday afternoon, caught some of the Wolverines' women's soccer game against Akron and the volleyball team's scrimmage.

On Saturday, he watched the football team's scrimmage at Michigan Stadium, saying: "they are not close to where they wanna go, but very far from where they were."

On Saturday night, he was at the Kenny Chesney concert at Ford Field and joined the country star on stage during the performance of "Boys of Fall."

"I'm so CHARGED," Howard tweeted. "I may not sleep until Tuesday!"

The Jackson Citizen Patriot caught up with Howard at MIS and he talked about his love for Michigan.

A Cleveland native, Howard says he feels more comfortable here than his home state.

"I sneak in every now and then, but it’s certain parts of Ohio that they don’t like me to venture into," Howard said. "I’m still allowed back in Ohio. Cleveland is OK."

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Howard lives in Florida, but his assignments for ESPN lead him to Michigan once in a while. He was in Jackson last month for the annual Glick family University of Michigan golf outing that also brought to town Michigan football coach Brady Hoke and former coaches Lloyd Carr and Gary Moeller.

Howard said this will be his first NASCAR race.

"I look at Michigan as my second home," Howard said. "Michigan is a place that I love to go back to, even when it’s not football season.

"Just to get back to Ann Arbor kind of recharges my battery. It will always be a special place in my heart."