The Brickyard 400 will be the 22nd stop in the NASCAR Cup Series schedule this year, and it will also see the final matchup in the NASCAR In-Season Challenge. Indianapolis Motor Speedway is ready for a big-stakes showdown, and the presence of an NBA Star will only add to the excitement.
Indiana Pacers’ Pascal Siakam, a.k.a. “Spicy P”, will be in attendance at the iconic speedway, and he will not be just a visitor.
NBA All-Star Pascal Siakam To Lead NASCAR’s Brickyard 400 Field in Indianapolis
On Sunday, Pascal will trade hardwood for asphalt when he takes the wheel as the honorary pace car driver at the Brickyard 400.
“Pace car driver for prior to the start of the Brickyard 400 … Indiana Pacers forward Pascal Siakam,” Fox Sports analyst Bob Pockrass wrote on X.
Pace car driver for prior to the start of the Brickyard 400 … Indiana Pacers forward Pascal Siakam
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) July 22, 2025
The NBA star will steer the 2025 Chevrolet Blazer EV SS to pace the field around Indy’s legendary 2.5-mile oval for the start of Sunday’s race. The car is a product of the ABB NASCAR Electrification Innovation Partnership, which has helped develop capable electric vehicle platforms for manufacturers like GM to capitalize on.
Indianapolis Motor Speedway officials hailed the 615-horsepower Blazer EV SS as the most powerful electric SUV in its class. It’s also the fastest SS model Chevrolet has rolled out. Remember the one that ran at Daytona?
“Basketball and motorsports — Pacers and racers — go hand in hand in Indianapolis,” INDYCAR and IMS President J. Douglas Boles said.
“Following the Pacers’ electrifying postseason run, it’s only fitting to have Pascal join us to pace the field as NASCAR’s biggest stars compete to win the In-Season Challenge and add their name to the history books with a win at the Brickyard.”
Siakam was a late bloomer, unlike most of his NBA peers. At 16, he was scouted for a Basketball Without Borders camp in South Africa. That journey led him to a Texas prep school and eventually New Mexico State.
The Raptors drafted him in the NBA in 2016, and he spent a very long time with the Canadian outfit. In 2024, he joined the Pacers in a blockbuster deal.
Brickyard 400 Preview
Chase Elliott will come to Indianapolis as the Cup Series leader. He has been in great form during the In-Season Challenge, as he picked up a win and two top-10s, but it still wasn’t enough to keep the Hendrick Motorsports driver in contention for the $1 million prize.
Ty Dillon, who was seeded last for the 32-driver competition, will lock horns with Ty Gibbs for the grand prize. Dillon knocked out many heavyweights to make it this far, but he still faces an uphill battle against Gibbs in the final.
Denny Hamlin will enter the fray fresh off his Dover success. He has the highest number of wins in the Cup Series this season so far. Hamlin will look to add another win to his record this weekend and pick up his first-ever win at the iconic IMS.
Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) and Hendrick Motorsports (HMS) have dominated the Cup Series this year, and that trend could continue at Indiana. Seven of the top-10 racers belong to these two teams, and the entire top-four is made of JGR and HMS drivers.