Michigan coach Whittingham rides in IndyCar's 'fastest seat in sports'

DETROIT – Michigan head coach Kyle Whittingham did not hesitate when offered an opportunity to be a passenger in the IndyCar two-seater known as the "Fastest Seat in Sports".

Whittingham, in his first season as Michigan's football coach, participated in leading the IndyCar series field to the green flag Sunday on the downtown street circuit of the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix. He had never before attended an auto race but said everything about it appealed to him.

"Didn't flinch," Whittingham told The Detroit News about accepting the offer. "No brainer. I love speed."

Before he got in the car, he was asked during the FOX broadcast what he expected from his lap.

"Speed," Whittingham said. "Speed, speed and more speed."

Whittingham, wearing a race helmet with his name stripped across the front above the visor, was in the car going around the track when FOX broadcaster Townsend Bell asked him during the broadcast what the experience was like.

"I can't really hear you, but this is a helluva deal," Whittingham said, the in-car camera showing him. "Whoo-hoo!"

Bell then threw out a "Go Blue".

"Go, go, go!" Whittingham shouted in response.

Whittingham, who was Utah head coach the last 21 seasons, loves to ski, he plays golf and tennis, works out every day and also drives a motorcycle. He said the fastest he's ever gone is 200 mph on a motorcycle.

His brother, Freddie, who coaches Michigan's tight ends, was also at the Detroit Grand Prix and said his brother likes to drive fast and actually wanted to drive the two seater. During a commercial break, Whittingham, speaking to the FOX booth, said the seat was a "little snug."

"Wish I was driving," he said.

The Fastest Seat in Sports is a custom IndyCar series car with a special back passenger seat that leads the starting field to the green flag. Several celebrities have participated in the two-seater ride including Tom Brady. At the Indianapolis 500 last Sunday, Indiana football coach Curt Cignetti rode in the pace car.

Whittingham and his party arrived about two hours before the start of the IndyCar race and were escorted to the IndyCar suite. They then visited with the No. 14 team, drivers Santino Ferrucci and Caio Collet and Larry Foyt, who is a college football fan, and they presented Whittingham with a signed helmet.

"Great guys," Whittingham said of the two drivers. "And obviously courageous."

He described the experience with IndyCar at the street circuit as "awesome" and "incredible." While he made clear he craves speed, he was asked if he likes to drive fast.

"Not on public roads," Whittingham said, smiling.

Whittingham said he appreciated the teamwork involved and racing with the pit crews and drivers and found that similar to football. Speaking of football, summer workouts begin Monday, and Whittingham said he won't have a problem switching from this race experience back to football. Michigan running backs Jordan Marshall and Tomas O'Meara also were at the race on Sunday.

"That'll be easy," Whittingham said. "I've been doing that for 40 years. No problem."

Fittipalidi wins Indy NXT race

A Fittipaldi won during the Detroit Grand Prix weekend for the first time in more than three decades.

Enzo Fittipaldi, who drove most of the Indy NXT race Sunday morning with a damaged front wing and nose cone, was able to overcome that damage to win. His grandfather, the legendary two-time Indianapolis 500 winner, Emerson Fittipaldi, won the IndyCar race in Detroit in 1989 and 1991.

This was the second win of the season for Fittipaldi, a rookie who drives the No. 67 Dallara-Chevrolet for HMD Motorsports. Myles Rowe finished a season-best second in the No. 99 Abel Motorsports car and rookie Tymek Kucharczyk, Fittipaldi's teammate who drives the No. 71 HMD Motorsports car, was third.

Rowe was trying to pass Kucharczyk for the lead on a restart at the end of Lap 27 in the Turn 3 hairpin, but when both cars went wide, Fittipaldi went inside and took the lead.

There were 141 on-track passes, including 124 for position, both records for the series in Detroit races, either on the downtown streets or the former circuit on Belle Isle.

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This story was originally published June 1, 2026 at 2:33 AM.