| MICHIGAN
INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY
Sunday,
August 15, 2010 on ESPN
Tom
Izzo to serve as honorary pace car driver
Photo
credit: www.mispeedway.com
BROOKLYN,
Mich. -- In his 15 years with the Spartans, Tom
Izzo has done just about everything: four-time national
coach of the year, six NCAA Final Four appearances and
one basketball national championship. Now he can add pace
car driver to his resume.
The
Michigan State University men’s basketball coach
will drive the pace car for the CARFAX 400 at Michigan
International Speedway when the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
returns Aug. 15.
“I
am excited to be chosen to drive the pace car for the
CARFAX 400. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever
done before and I’m certain it will be quite a rush.
More importantly, I’m honored to help support another
great event in the state of Michigan,” Izzo said.
“Michigan International Speedway is an asset to
the state’s economy and exposure. I’m looking
forward to being a small part of the action and interacting
with some of the drivers. I’ve heard that a lot
of them are college basketball fans, but I’m curious
to see what it is that makes them the best of the best
in their profession.”
Izzo
has led MSU to six Final Four appearances in the last
12 seasons, becoming the only team to accomplish that
feat between 1999 and 2010 and just the fourth school
in college basketball history to do it in any 12-year
span, including just the third since the tournament field
expanded to 64 teams in 1985.
Izzo
also became just the second coach in NCAA history to reach
four Final Fours in his first 10 years of coaching, joining
Ohio State's Fred Taylor, and is just the third coach
in NCAA history to appear in six Final Fours in a 12-year
span, and just the second since the tournament expanded
to 64 teams. His six Final Four appearances currently
tie him for fifth all-time, third among active coaches
and first all-time among Big Ten coaches, having most
recently passed former Indiana head coach Bob Knight.
Through
15 seasons, Izzo is already one of the most successful
coaches in Big Ten history. His .696 winning percentage
in Big Ten games ranks second all-time among league coaches
with at least 10 years of service, behind Knight (.700).
In all games, Izzo ranks second (.714), behind Knight
(.734). With 174 conference victories, Izzo ranks tied
for seventh all-time.
As
pace car driver, Izzo will pace the 43-car field in the
official 2011 Ford Fiesta, a job usually held by NASCAR’s
Brett Bodine. This will be Izzo’s first visit to
MIS, and he will also take part in pre-race ceremonies
and the drivers’ meeting prior to the race.
“It
will be great to host Tom Izzo and his family at Michigan
International Speedway and show him what all the excitement
around NASCAR is about,” track President Roger Curtis
said. “Izzo is a household name in Michigan and
there are a lot of NCAA basketball fans in the NASCAR
garage that I’m sure will be excited to meet him.”
Izzo
joins Nick Lidstrom with the distinction of driving the
pace car at MIS. The Red Wings captain paced the field
during the June NASCAR weekend at MIS.
Nestled
in the lush Irish Hills of Southeastern Michigan, Michigan
International Speedway is the Great Escape, a venerable
NASCAR national park where fans can get away and enjoy
the very best in racing and camaraderie. It’s the
love of racing and the thrill of a great time for race
fans and drivers alike.
NASCAR
Sprint Cup Series tickets for the CARFAX 400 on August
15 are as low as $25. Visit MISpeedway.com or call the
MIS ticket hotline at 800-354-1010 today to take advantage
of great pricing for 2010 events at MIS.
You
can also visit us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/MISpeedway
or Tweet with us @MISpeedway.
Source:
Michigan International Speedway
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