Particle.news
Download on the App Store

Cooper Flagg Joins NASCAR in Texas as Honorary Pace Car After High-Speed Ride With Rookie Connor Zilisch

The crossover visit spotlights young stars building ties across leagues.

Overview

  • Before the NASCAR Cup race in Fort Worth, Cooper Flagg rode as a passenger with 19-year-old Connor Zilisch in a 2026 Chevrolet Corvette that topped 100 mph.
  • Hours later he led the 38-car field as the honorary pace car driver at the 1.5-mile Texas track.
  • Flagg said the lap felt very fast and that he was scared for part of it because he had never been in a car at that speed.
  • Zilisch is in his first full Cup season with Trackhouse Racing after winning 10 races last year in NASCAR’s second-tier series.
  • Flagg made the visit days after winning NBA Rookie of the Year, a season in which he became the first rookie since Michael Jordan in 1984–85 to lead his team in points, rebounds, assists and steals.