South Carolina coach Dawn Staley to drive NASCAR pace car

DARLINGTON, S.C. (AP) — South Carolina’s two-time national championship women’s basketball coach Dawn Staley will drive the pace car to start the Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway on Sept. 4. That’s the first race of the NASCAR Cup Series playoff. Staley’s most recent NCAA Tournament title came in April with her Gamecocks defeating UConn. Staley will start her 15th season at South Carolina. Staley last came to the track following her program’s first national championship in 2017. She’s eager to return and says race fans are as passionate as women’s basketball supporters.