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Tom Brady to take the ride of his life at Indy 500 with Jimmie Johnson as his chauffeur

Tom Brady to take the ride of his life at Indy 500 with Jimmie Johnson as his chauffeur

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.
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.
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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'The dream is still very much alive': IndyCar interest gives Linus Lundqvist belief he'll return
'The dream is still very much alive': IndyCar interest gives Linus Lundqvist belief he'll return

Indianapolis Star

time3 minutes ago

  • Indianapolis Star

'The dream is still very much alive': IndyCar interest gives Linus Lundqvist belief he'll return

Linus Lundqvist has attended nearly every IndyCar race in 2025, despite not having a ride, in hopes of remaining on teams' radars for 2026. TORONTO — It's been a painful 10 weeks for Linus Lundqvist, spending nearly every weekend watching Indy cars race around the Midwest from the sidelines. But it's a purposeful agony he's chosen, and the 2024 IndyCar Rookie of the Year is hoping the emotional scars he talks over with his therapist will before long pave the road back to the cockpit of the only job he's ever wanted. 'It's hard, because my passion is driving and winning, and it hurts to be at a racetrack and watching everybody else do it and not me,' Lundqvist told IndyStar while serving as a reserve driver for Arrow McLaren, a one-off opportunity spurred by the mild concussion Nolan Siegel suffered last weekend at Iowa Speedway. Lundqvist, who has 20 IndyCar starts under his belt with a resume that includes a pair of podiums, a pole and a 16th-place finish in the championship as a rookie with Chip Ganassi Racing a year ago, was tabbed to be on standby this week and weekend in case the team's full-time driver of the No. 6 wasn't cleared to return. Lundqvist actually traveled with the team Thursday morning with Siegel back in Indianapolis awaiting clearance – a call the young American driver eventually received, meaning the 26-year-old Swede will roam the IndyCar paddock this weekend in a papaya uniform instead of plain clothes, his seat marginally different while on the timing stand instead of the grandstands. Ultimately, Sunday was largely the same. 'I'm very up front about the fact that in this sense, it sucks, but I also know that it's my best shot at being back at a track and driving next year is being here and going through all of that and being ready,' Lundqvist continued. 'It's like, yeah, it's pain, but pain I'm willing to go through to hopefully be on the grid next year.' Days ahead of this season's IndyCar opener at St. Pete, Lundqvist announced he wouldn't be on the grid full time in 2025, noting he'd been 'formally notified' by CGR in January that what he described as a 'multi-year agreement' had been terminated after just one year. The writing appeared to have been on the wall for some time, with his former home announcing back in October that its roster for 2025 was set and seats elsewhere around the paddock largely having been almost entirely set for months. 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That pursuit, Lundqvist has explained, has involved attending most IndyCar races within driving distance of his Indianapolis home, taking his helmet and safety equipment with him and preparing as if he was scheduled to be in the car, so that if such an opportunity were to come about, he'd be ready to best prove himself, knowing he may only get one more shot to audition for a second chance. After all, in a short three-race substitute stint for Meyer Shank Racing near the end of the 2023 season coming off his rather dominant 2022 Indy Lights championship run, Lundqvist made his IndyCar debut and took the paddock by storm, starting in the top 12 for all three races and notching a 12th-place finish on the IMS road course in his second career race. Just a couple weeks later, he'd been scooped up by the hottest team on the paddock of late. Siegel energized for Toronto return: 'I have a greater appreciation for what I'm doing.' 'For me, this is very much a no-brainer. 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Obviously, this is IndyCar and motor racing, and you never know until something is done, but I also think if those conversations I've been having with teams were, 'No, we're not interested,' then I'd probably at some point stop showing up to races and say, 'OK, this isn't going to work,'' Lundqvist said. 'But I keep showing up because people keep saying they're interested and that there might be opportunities, so that's what I live on right now, that the dream is still very much alive.'

25 best Indianapolis Colts since 2000
25 best Indianapolis Colts since 2000

Indianapolis Star

time3 minutes ago

  • Indianapolis Star

25 best Indianapolis Colts since 2000

IndyStar is spending the summer looking at the best athletes from Indiana sports teams since 2000. Here is our list of the 25 best Indianapolis Colts players since 2000: Stats: 11 seasons, 176 games, 66.0%, 46,954 yards, 347 touchdowns, 155 interceptions, 97.5 passer rating Manning loses two seasons based on the timeframe but it makes no difference; he's an easy choice atop this list. Manning was named MVP four times, a six-time first-team All-Pro (and made a second team) and was a Pro Bowler for 10 seasons. Stats: 9 seasons, 130 games, 791 catches, 10,439 yards, 95 touchdowns Harrison loses four seasons — including an All-Pro year with 1,663 yards and 12 scores — due to the timeframe, so this spot is a little closer, but he's another easy choice. Harrison made seven All-Pro teams (2 first, 5 second) and seven Pro Bowls while setting the since-broken record with 143 catches in 2002. Stats: 11 seasons, 163 games, 44 forced fumbles, 107.5 sacks, 590 tackles, 113 tackles for loss Freeney made the Pro Football Hall of Fame as one of the league's greatest pass rushers. He led the NFL in sacks in 2004 (16) and tackles for loss (20) as a rookie in 2002, made All-Pro first team four times and second team once, as well as seven Pro Bowls. Stats: 7 seasons, 112 starts Nelson has made three All-Pro first teams and two seconds, as well as the Pro Bowl in all seven of his seasons. He's quickly establishing himself as one of the NFL's best guards of all-time and shows few signs of slowing down. Stats: 14 seasons, 211 games, 1,070 catches, 14,345 yards, 82 touchdowns After a relatively slow start to his career (1,899 yards over his first three seasons), Wayne became one of the NFL's most consistent receivers over the next nine years. He led the NFL in receiving yards in 2007 (1,510), made All-Pro three times (first once, second twice) and six Pro Bowls. Stats: 13 seasons, 188 starts The undrafted free agent became a full-time starter in his second season and only missed six games after that with the Colts. Saturday made five Pro Bowls, All-Pro first team twice and second team once. Stats: 6 seasons, 80 games, 7,673 rushing yards, 51 touchdowns, 4.2 yards per rush, 294 catches, 2,253 yards, 7 touchdowns No one takes a bigger hit for the timeframe than James, who loses a spectacular rookie season (NFL-high 1,553 rushing yards, 13 TDs, 62 catches, 586 yards, 4 TDs). He still made All-Pro second team twice and four Pro Bowls despite a knee injury the cut short his 2001 season and caused a dip in his production. Stats: 13 seasons, 192 games, 54 forced fumbles, 17 fumble recoveries, 123 sacks, 538 tackles, 108 tackles for loss Despite being a fifth-round pick, Mathis was an impact player almost immediately, hit double-digit sacks his second and third seasons, and established himself as an elite pass rusher. Mathis made All-Pro first team once and was a five-time Pro Bowler. Stats: 7 seasons, 48 games, 6 interceptions, 16 passes defended, 295 tackles, 10 tackles for loss How do you rate Sanders? He had one of the greatest three-year runs for a safety in NFL history, making first-team All-Pro twice — including being named Defensive Player of the Year— and being the key figure for the Colts' Super Bowl championship turnaround in 2006. But he played a total of 15 games with the Colts outside of those three seasons. Stats: 6 seasons, 70 games, 12 interceptions, 31 passes defended, 17 forced fumbles, 7 fumble recoveries, 15 sacks, 614 tackles, 32 tackles for loss He made All-Pro his first four seasons (first team three times) before injuries ended a remarkable career. Turnovers are not supposed to be predictable, but Leonard was a remarkably consistent playmaker. If you want to bump him down the list a few spots, I won't argue, but I'll take peak over longevity. Stats: 10 seasons, 143 games, 631 catches, 9,691 yards, 53 touchdowns He quickly became a primary target of Andrew Luck when both were rookies in 2012 and carried on the tradition of Colts' receivers Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne. Hilton led the NFL in receiving yards in 2016 (1,448) and made four Pro Bowls. Stats: 6 seasons, 86 games, 60.8%, 23,671 yards, 171 touchdowns, 83 interceptions, 89.5 passing rating, 1,590 rushing yards, 14 touchdowns What could have been. Luck, of course, retired at 29 due to injuries, so we will only rank him based on what he did. That, of course, was drag four teams to the playoffs, including one AFC championship game, and make four Pro Bowls. Did Luck live up to his potential? No, but he's still 12th on this list. Stats: 5 seasons, 78 games, 17 passes defended, 6 forced fumbles, 39 sacks, 342 tackles, 50 tackles for loss The Colts traded a first-round pick for the defensive tackle and have never regretted it. Buckner made first team All-Pro in 2020 and has made two Pro Bowls. If last year's injuries don't continue, he'll move up this list. Stats: 10 seasons, 154 starts Glenn started every game he appeared in, all but his 16 as a rookie right guard at left tackle, protecting Peyton Manning's blind side. He missed just 6 games in his career — all in 2003 — and returned to make three straight Pro Bowls before retiring at 30. Stats: 8 seasons, 123 games, 14 interceptions, 47 passes defended, 805 tackles, 16 tackles for loss The sixth-round pick quickly stepped into the Colts' starting lineup at safety, making two Pro Bowls in Indianapolis. Bethea had two seasons with 4 interceptions, defended at least 4 passes in all eight years with the Colts and had at least 100 tackles five times. Stats: 9 seasons, 121 starts The center started all 121 games he appeared in with the Colts before signing with the Vikings this offseason. He missed games in six of his nine seasons but made four Pro Bowls. Stats: 5 seasons, 67 games, 6,013 yards, 51 touchdowns, 4.9 yards per rush Taylor was spectacular his first two seasons, leading the NFL in yards (1,811) and touchdowns (18) in his second season (to make first team All-Pro) after rushing for 1,169 yards and 11 TDs as a rookie. He's struggled to stay healthy since but ran for 1,431 yards and 11 touchdowns last season, making his second Pro Bowl. Stats: 10 seasons, 144 starts The left tackle started all 144 games he appeared in, starting with Peyton Manning, through Andrew Luck and finishing with Philip Rivers. Castonzo never made a Pro Bowl but was an excellent left tackle for 10 seasons. Stats: 11 seasons, 150 starts An underrated member of the Peyton Manning-era Colts. The offensive lineman never made a Pro Bowl but after coming off the bench seven times as a rookie in 2001, he started every game he appeared in the rest of his career, primarily at right tackle. Stats: 9 seasons, 427 catches, 4,887 yards, 46 TDs A productive tight end, making the Pro Bowl in 2009 with 100 catches, 1,106 yards and 10 touchdowns. Clark only had two other seasons over 600 yards but was a reliable target for Peyton Manning. Stats: 8 seasons, 104 starts, 17 passes defended, 12 forced fumbles, 15 fumble recoveries, 28.5 sacks, 303 tackles, 45 tackles for loss Another underrated member of the Manning-era Colts, providing consistent production on the defensive line. Brock forced as many as 4 fumbles, defended as many as 4 passes, had 6.5 sacks twice and hit double-digits in tackles for loss twice. Stats: 9 seasons, 116 games, 12 interceptions, 29 passes defensed, 712 tackles, 21 tackles for loss Undrafted and undersized (5-11, 235 pounds), Brackett was the heart of the Colts' defense during their most successful run. He topped 99 tackles five times after entering the starting lineup and had seasons with 4 interceptions, 7 passes defended, and 6 tackles for loss. Stats: 14 seasons, 336 field goals, 85.3%, 507 PATs, 96.8% Ranking kickers is hard but Vinatieri — a future Pro Football Hall of Famer and the NFL's all-time leading scorer — has to be on the list. The Colts signed him as a free agent in 2006 at the age of 34 and he'd kick until he was 47. Vinatieri only made one Pro Bowl for the Colts, leading the league in field goal percentage in 2014 at .968. Stats: 9 seasons, 295 catches, 2,729 yards, 24 TDs Doyle made two Pro Bowls despite being an undrafted free agent who didn't step into a starting role until he was 26 in 2016. He had his best season in 2017 with 80 catches for 690 yards and 4 touchdowns, but he was best known for his versatile blocking skills. Stats: 8 seasons, 118 games, 20 interceptions, 62 passes defended, 10 sacks, 594 tackles, 36 tackles for loss

Steelers legend James Harrison's wild interaction with K Chris Boswell resurfaces
Steelers legend James Harrison's wild interaction with K Chris Boswell resurfaces

USA Today

time2 hours ago

  • USA Today

Steelers legend James Harrison's wild interaction with K Chris Boswell resurfaces

A hilarious and frightening interaction between Steelers kicker Chris Boswell and legend James Harrison has begun to resurface and make waves on social media. The viral story in question is from a January episode of The Christian Kuntz Podcast, where Boswell revealed how his first interactions with Harrison went. "I got to go home for the weekend and come back, and Deebo, my very first practice, stood over the holder," Boswell said. "So the holder's waiting to get a snap, standing over his shoulder, and [James Harrison says], 'I dare you to miss this kick. I dare you to miss it. You miss this kick, you wash my back in the shower.' "Even after, I obviously had a decent season that year, but team meeting room, when I used to go, I would sit here and Deebo would sit here — and he would just stare at me. Mike Tomlin's up there, giving his team presentation, and he's just staring at me like this the entire meeting. Just intimidating." As hilarious as Boswell's retelling of the story was, he admitted that the Steelers' kicking woes likely painted the positional group in a bad light — clearly in the crosshairs of Harrison, where no sane man wants to be. Harrison's intimidation may have helped create one of the best to ever do it, as Boswell has an opportunity to become the most accurate kicker in NFL history this season — just 1.1% behind former Ravens K Justin Tucker's 89.1% all-time record. For up-to-date Steelers coverage, follow us on X @TheSteelersWire and give our Facebook page a like.

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