INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Fox Sports will continue its crossover collaboration with IndyCar by placing current network NFL analyst Tom Brady in the “Fastest Seat in Sports” for the Indianapolis 500.
His driver? None other than NASCAR seven-time champion Jimmie Johnson, putting a total of 14 titles inside the car on May 25.
The Fastest Seat in Sports is a custom two-seat Indy car that makes ceremonial laps before an IndyCar race. It will be the first time since 2019 the two-seater will be driven ahead of the Indianapolis 500.
Johnson, who did a two-year stint in IndyCar following his retirement from NASCAR, was the Indy 500 top rookie in 2022. After he gives Brady his ride, Johnson will fly to North Carolina to compete in the Coca-Cola 600 in what will be his 700th career NASCAR start. Brady is scheduled to go to the 600 with Johnson.
Fox Sports is in its first year as IndyCar's broadcast partner and has vowed to make the Indianapolis 500 its biggest televised event of the year. It kicked off the season with baseball analyst Alex Rodriguez in the Fastest Seat in Sports at the opener in St. Petersburg, Florida.
“I love the Indy 500. There is an energy and excitement around the 500 that is unlike anything I have experienced before,” Johnson said. “Certainly, pre-race ceremonies are the ultimate racing experience that I’ve had outside of the car. I’m thrilled to be a part of the program and to see the stands full one more time.
"I’m extremely honored to come back and do it and to be able to also share this experience with another seven-time champion.”
Brady is the winningest quarterback in NFL history with seven Super Bowl championships. He is also a five-time Super Bowl MVP, three-time Associated Press Most Valuable Player, 15-time Pro Bowler and the 2007 Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year.
He was named to the NFL’s 2010s All-Decade Team and the NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team.
Johnson, a member of the NASCAR Hall of Fame, drove the No. 48 Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports for 19 seasons. He's the current majority owner of NASCAR team Legacy Motor Club, which recently partnered with Knighthead Capital Management, a private equity firm in which Brady has a stake.
Johnson is the only driver in NASCAR history to win five consecutive Cup titles and was the 2009 Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year. He drove in IndyCar for Chip Ganassi Racing and qualified in the fourth row in 2022.
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Jenna Fryer, The Associated Press
