NBA's Flagg Satisfies Racing Curiosity with Zilisch in Texas

NBA rookie Cooper Flagg rides with NASCAR's Connor Zilisch at the Texas track, enjoying a thrilling experience.

NBA Rookie Flagg Receives Fast Track Experience Cooper Flagg, the top NBA rookie, got a thrilling ride on the track in Texas before the NASCAR race. Flagg, a 6-foot-9 forward for the Dallas Mavericks, was the honorary pace car driver for the race at the 1½-mile track. However, several hours prior to leading the 38-car field to the green flag, Flagg was the passenger in a 2026 Chevrolet Corvette driven by Connor Zilisch, a 19-year-old Cup Series rookie. Zilisch is in his first full Cup season with Trackhouse Racing after winning 10 races in NASCAR's second-tier series last year. ## Flagg's Racing Experience Leaves Him Scared but Excited Flagg said he was scared for half the ride and had never been in a car going that fast. He described the experience as 'pretty cool.' Zilisch was driving at speeds over 100 mph while giving Flagg an up-close look at the track. ## Conversation between Flagg and Zilisch Focused on Shared Experiences When asked what he and Zilisch talked about during the ride, Flagg said, 'I don't know much about racing, but I think just being able to connect on the fact that we're both young in our respective sports .. that was really cool, and to be able to talk to someone that's going through a lot of similar things at a time in your life.' Flagg believes it's rare to find people who have experienced similar things at a young age. ## Flagg's Parents Enjoy Meeting NASCAR Legends Flagg's parents, who were with him, hadn't been to a NASCAR race in a while. During their visit to Texas, they got to meet seven-time Cup champion Jimmie Johnson, four-time champ Jeff Gordon, and owner-driver Denny Hamlin. ## Flagg Sets Records as NBA Teenager As an NBA teenager, Flagg set a host of records. He edged his former Duke teammate Kon Knueppel for the NBA rookie award announced last Monday. Flagg was the first rookie since Michael Jordan, now a NASCAR owner, in 1984-85 to lead his team in points, rebounds, assists, and steals.