Dawn Staley named honorary pace car driver for Southern 500

DARLINGTON, S.C. (WMBF) – South Carolina women’s basketball coach Dawn Staley will soon be able to add another item to her long list of accomplishments: NASCAR pace car driver.

Staley will be the honorary pace car driver for the Cook Out Southern 500 on Sept. 4, according to an announcement from Darlington Raceway earlier this week.

In a statement, Darlington Raceway President Kerry Tharp called Staley “a true basketball legend that has achieved monumental success as both a player and coach throughout her collegiate and professional career.”

“I can’t wait to get back on the track again,” Staley said in a statement. “My first time at a NASCAR event was when I was invited to Darlington after our 2017 National Championship, and, now that I know what I’m in for, I can’t wait to get back.”

Staley led the Gamecocks to their second national championship in April. The program has also seen six SEC Tournament titles and four NCAA Final Four appearances during her tenure, among other accomplishments.

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