Washington Commanders defensive end Chase Young may not be ready for Week 1, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t one of the team’s most popular players.
On Monday, the Richmond Raceway announced that Young would be the honorary pace car driver for the Federated Auto Parts 400 as part of the NASCAR Cup Series. The race is scheduled for this Sunday at 3:00 p.m. ET from Richmond.
Chase Young of the @Commanders is your #Federated400 Honorary Pace Car Driver.
See you soon, @YoungChase907! pic.twitter.com/WlRD9jH8zu
— Richmond Raceway (@RichmondRaceway) August 8, 2022
The Commanders will play their first preseason game on Saturday against the Carolina Panthers at FedEx Field. Young will not be on the field as he remains on the PUP list while he continues his rehab from knee surgery late last year.
At the start of training camp, head coach Ron Rivera acknowledged Young would miss some time, later stating he wouldn’t play in Week 1, but didn’t elaborate beyond that. Tight end Logan Thomas, who also tore his ACL and had surgery around the same time as Young, stated earlier this year that Young’s injury was a bit more complex than his, explaining the lengthier timeline.