NASCAR United Rentals Work United 500 at Phoenix Raceway to see racing trailblazer drive the pace car

The NASCAR pace car for United Rentals Work United 500 will be piloted by racing legend and trailblazer Lyn St. James. The Phoenix Raceway track president announced St. James as the Honorary Pace Car Driver for the Cup Series race on Sunday.

Lyn St. James will lead the cars to the green flag in a brand-new Chevrolet Camaro ZL1. She has enjoyed an illustrious career in open-wheel racing and endurance racing.

Latasha Causey, President of Phoenix Raceway, said in the announcement:

"Lyn St. James’ work on and off the track continues to pave the way for women in racing. To say her leadership, legacy and advocacy is inspiring is an understatement. We’re honored she’ll lead the field Sunday as she carries the banner forward for women in our sport."

St. James has 15 Indycar race starts to her name with seven starts in the Indianapolis 500. She was only the second woman to compete in the Indianapolis 500. The legendary driver also holds the record for being the oldest driver (45) to win the Indy 500 Rookie of the Year. She was the first woman to win the award.

The 75-year-old is famous for her exploits in endurance racing with race wins and speed records on tracks across the globe. She has participated in the Rolex 24 at Daytona, 12 Hours of Sebring, and 24 Hours of LeMans.

St. James called the opportunity an honor as she said:

"This is truly an honor to serve as the Honorary Pace Car Driver at Phoenix Raceway. I’m hoping my presence and my story will continue to inspire future generations of women who seek more opportunities in racing."

St. James previously served as the president of the Women's Sports Foundation and is the founder of the Women in the Winners Circle. She is a recipient of the Spirit of Ford Award and an honoree at the 2021 Amelia Island Concours.

Lyn St. James co-founded the non-profit Women in Motorsports North America and was an inductee of the prestigious Automotive Hall of Fame in 2022. She serves on the boards of various racing bodies.

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NASCAR's West-coast triple header reaches its final race

After the season opener on the east coast at Daytona, NASCAR headed west for a triple header. With races in Fontana and Las Vegas behind them, the NASCAR circus has now reached Phoenix for the final leg of the triple header.

The final race at the two-mile layout of the Auto Club Speedway saw Kyle Busch return to form as he took the checkered flag. The following weekend, NASCAR witnessed another dominant run by William Byron, who led his teammates in a podium sweep.

Phoenix Raceway will host the fourth race of the season. The full schedule for the weekend has been revealed. The track plays host to the ARCA Menards Series, Xfinity, and Cup Series.

Three races into the season, Ross Chastain leads the NASCAR Cup Series driver's standings, followed by Alex Bowman. 2014 Cup Series champion Kevin Harvick is in third position.