Indy 500 2025: NFL legend Tom Brady Rides with NASCAR'S ‘Seven Time’ Jimmie Johnson

The 109th running of the Indianapolis 500 is just a few short weeks away and the football world and racing worlds are colliding. NFL legend Tom Brady will be taking a high-speed lap in the “Fastest Seat in Sports,” driven by NASCAR icon Jimmie Johnson. This ceremonial ride, part of IndyCar’s pre-race festivities, pairs the two goats of their respective sports, each winning seven championships. Brady, the winningest quarterback in NFL history, and Johnson, nicknamed “Seven Time” for his seven NASCAR Cup Series titles, will lead the 33-car field to the green flag at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Johnson, a NASCAR Hall of Famer, has competed in 699 NASCAR Cup Series starts, taking the checkered flag on 83 wins, and his record-tying seven championships, including five consecutive titles from 2006 to 2010 is what racing legends are made of. His Indy 500 experience includes a 2022 appearance, where he earned Rookie of the Year honors despite finishing 28th. After giving Brady experiences speeds of over 200 mph, Johnson will jet to Charlotte for his 700th NASCAR start in the Coca-Cola 600.

Brady, now a FOX Sports NFL analyst, will be a crossover personality for IndyCar’s first year with FOX, which will broadcast the race live starting at 10 a.m. ET, with the green flag waving at 12:45 p.m. ET. The event known as the “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing,” draws an estimated crowd of over 300,00 each year. Last year’s thrilling finish, where Josef Newgarden won his second consecutive Indy 500 victory with a dramatic last-lap pass, did not disappoint.

This ride-a-long  between Brady and Johnson, dubbed “The G.O.A.T. Ride,” a combination of  football and motorsport royalty, is a move to help elevate IndyCar’s profile and hopes to capitalize on the recent popularity of F-1 in the country. The Brickyard is the perfect setting to have the engines roar and the champions lead the field to green .

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This article originally appeared on Touchdown Wire: Tom Brady and Jimmie Johnson will lead the Indy500 to the green