(Press Release from New Hampshire Motor Speedway)
Matt Light (Photo: Courtesy New Hampshire Motor Speedway)
One of the greatest offensive linemen in New England Patriots history and a vital cog in helping the Pats to three Super Bowls, Matt Light will serve as the Official NASCAR Pace Car Driver for the Bad Boy Off Road 300 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on Sunday at 2:00 p.m. Light made the announcement alongside speedway officials and NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Ricky Stenhouse Jr. at Thursday night’s Patriots game at Gillette Stadium against the Houston Texans.
Light, who retired in 2012, will lead the field to green in the second of three Round of 16 races in the Chase for the Sprint Cup Championship. The Chase is a playoff format that features 10 races and three elimination rounds before the Championship Race in November.
“I grew up in a small town in Ohio just south of Eldora Motor Speedway and am in a family of racers,” said Light, who appeared in three Pro Bowls over the course of his 11-year NFL career. “Going fast has always been in my blood even though I couldn’t run out of sight in a week. Driving the pace car for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway will be an incredible memory for me and my family.”
Light, 38, was a second-round pick of the New England Patriots in the 2001 NFL Draft. A left tackle on the offensive line – one of the most important positions on the field for right-handed quarterbacks – Light was instrumental in keeping Tom Brady’s blindside protected for much of his career.
In 2001, Light founded The Light Foundation, a non-profit organization that gives at-risk kids a better chance at leading healthy lives by using the great outdoors to learn and grow. Following his stellar career with the Pats, Light enjoyed a short stint as an analyst at ESPN. He now spends time working to grow the Light Foundation as well as running his various business ventures, including the launch of KEEL Vodka, a brand of light vodka that’s taken off.
Light joins Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman (July 2014) and defensive end Rob Ninkovich (July 2015) as the third current/former Patriots player to get behind the wheel of the Toyota Camry Pace Car for a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Other notables include Olympic triathlete Sarah True, Dave Matthews Band bassist Stefan Lessard, and Boston Bruins legend Brad Park.
Light will be required to go through a mandatory pace car orientation class on the morning of the Bad Boy Off Road 300, which can be seen live on the NBC Sports Network.
For more details and ticket information on events at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, or to purchase tickets to this weekend’s Bad Boy Off Road 300 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event, please stop by our ticket office, visit the speedway website at www.nhms.com, or call our ticket hotline at (603) 783-4931.
You’d think Brady could do it, it’s not like he’s playing… ;^)
A Cheating Patriot will be in the house.