Fourteen-time MLB All-Star Alex Rodriguez took on a new experience Sunday afternoon in Florida. He got the full NTT IndyCar Series experience to kick off Fox Sports' coverage of the open-wheel racing series.
Rodriguez, who previously joined Fox Sports as a studio analyst covering Major League Baseball, rode around as a passenger Sunday afternoon on the streets of St. Petersburg. The driver navigated the twisting course at a decent speed while the former MLB player took part in an interview with the broadcast booth.
As the footage showed, Rodriguez wasn't accustomed to this type of vehicle.
"I've never gone so fast!" 😅@AROD was flying around the track at St. Petersburg! @MLBONFOX pic.twitter.com/YYMbROUotn
— INDYCAR on FOX (@IndyCarOnFOX) March 2, 2025
"It's indescribable," he told Fox Sports' Townsend Bell. "Oh my God. I've never gone so fast anywhere. ...This is unbelievable!"
The two-seater was not traveling at full race speed around the 1.8-mile street course, but Rodriguez's commentary showed that he still experienced the vast differences between an IndyCar Series entry and a plush SUV.
Fox Sports caught up with the three-time MVP before he climbed into the two-seater and asked if he was excited about traveling around the course at more than 100 mph. He responded by saying that he was more nervous than excited.
He also shared that he was cheering for Pato O'Ward in the season-opening race after receiving a tour of the paddock and seeing what goes into fielding a competitive IndyCar Series car.
This opportunity to put Rodriguez in a two-seater was only the first example of Fox Sports bringing in some of its biggest names to contribute to its first season of NTT IndyCar Series coverage.
The racing series' new broadcast partner will also feature Michael Strahan during its coverage of the Indianapolis 500. He will get behind the wheel of the 1,064-horsepower Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 to serve as the honorary pace car driver on Sunday, May 25, 2025.
Strahan, who works as an analyst for Fox Sports on the NFL side, will join a long list of honorary pace car drivers. This includes Morgan Freeman, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Robin Roberts, Patrick Dempsey, Ken Griffey Jr., and Tyrese Haliburton, among many others.