Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian named honorary starter for NASCAR Cup Series COTA race

Texas head football coach Steve Sarkisian will serve as the honorary starter for this Sunday’s EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix at Circuit of The Americas (COTA), per Bob Pockrass of FOX Sports.

Sarkisian is part of the Longhorn flavor which will be prevalent in prerace festivities, as former Texas kicker and current Los Angeles Charger Cameron Dicker will give the invocation. Sarkisian will wave the green flag for the start of the race.

For Cup race Sunday at COTA:

Invocation: LA Chargers kicker Cameron Dicker

National Anthem: San Antonio police officer Rebecca Vermeulen

Command: actor Giancarlo Esposito

Honorary Starter: Texas FB coach Steve Sarkisian

Honorary Pace Car Driver: actor Skeet Ulrich

— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) March 20, 2024

The 2024 event will be the fourth Cup Series race at COTA, the first coming in 2021. It’s also the first road course race of the season, introducing a new challenge for drivers.

COTA is just a half hour away from Texas’ campus in Austin, meaning Sarkisian won’t have to go far to be in attendance for the race. The 50-year-old is coming off his third season at the helm at Texas, his best season to date. The Longhorns won the Big 12 championship and earned a bid into the College Football Playoff. Washington defeated Texas, 37-31, in the Sugar Bowl to advance to the College Football Playoff National Championship Game.

Steve Sarkisian leads first spring practice of 2024

Texas held its first spring practice Thursday, one month ahead of their Spring Game on Saturday, April 20. Sarkisian came away pleased with day one, he told reporters after practice.

“For us, this was a pretty good first day,” Sarkisian said. “I’m always hesitant to lay too much praise after one practice. Like I’m always a little hesitant to be too, too critical after one practice. I thought it was pretty evident the energy was really good out there at practice. It was pretty evident the amount of depth that we had. This is the most numbers that we’ve had in a spring practice since we’ve been here.”

The 2024 Texas team will look different with stars such as receivers Xavier Worthy and Adonai Mitchell and defensive linemen T’Vondre Sweat and Byron Murphy II, as well as running back Jonathon Brooks among others headed for the NFL Draft.

Though the names will be different, Sarkisian could see the makings of a team that, like last year, is versatile in ways it could attack or defend opponents.

“I think we have that as well again this year,” Sarkisian said. “Just as a team in general, I don’t think we’re going to be a one-dimensional team that’s going to have to rely on one phase of the game to be overly dominant. I’d love for all three phases to do that. When the dust settles, we’re going to be a really good offensive team that will have balance. I think we’re going to be a very good defensive football team that’s going to have some versatility in man, zone, and pressure things. I think we’re going to be really good on special teams.”