NASCAR uses 3 of its youngest
drivers for Rolling Stones collaboration
[July 07, 2026]
By JAY COHEN
JOLIET, Ill. (AP) — The first Rolling Stones album was released in
1964. NASCAR driver Connor Zilisch was born in 2006.
Of course, when it comes to Mick Jagger and company, time seems
almost irrelevant.
“No matter who you are or where you’re from or how old you are, you
know who the Rolling Stones are,” Zilisch said.
Zilisch joined fellow drivers Carson Hocevar and Jesse Love for a
music video as part of a collaboration between NASCAR and the Stones
ahead of the band's 25th studio album, “Foreign Tongues,” which
comes out on Friday.
A custom NASCAR show car served as a listening lounge for the
Stones' new music during events at Chicago's Navy Pier and Plaza of
the Americas in the run-up to the stock car series returning to
Chicagoland Speedway over the weekend.
The partnership also includes a merchandise collection featuring the
band's tongue and lips logo, along with two NASCAR-themed vinyl
editions of “Foreign Tongues.”
Megan Malayter, vice president of licensing and consumer products
for NASCAR, said the organization was approached by representatives
of the band about working together.
“The Rolling Stones, they’re iconic, they’ve been around since 1962,
and so they appeal to that generation that was there, but they have
just such history, folklore, and nostalgia around them that they
appeal to the younger audiences of today," Malayter said. "So there
really is amazing crossover."
NASCAR walks a tricky line when it comes to satisfying older racing
fans while appealing to its younger supporters and expanding its
audience. While its older fans are likely more familiar with the
Stones, who were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in
1989, Zilisch, Hocevar and Love are three of its younger drivers.
Garrett Mitchell, a popular YouTube automotive influencer known as
“Cleetus McFarland,” also was part of the video.
“I think when you look at all of those drivers, they have great
personalities, very rebellious spirits and they kind of have a rock
and roll nature about them, just kind of at heart,” Malayter said.
Set to “In The Stars,” the first single off “Foreign Tongues,” the
music video envisions the drivers as a touring rock band.
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Connor Zilisch (88) drives to the track before start of a NASCAR Cup
Series auto race at Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Ill., Sunday,
July 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
Zilisch, 19, Love, 21, and Hocevar, 23, clown
around during a photo shoot before jumping on a tour bus driven by
Mitchell. The drivers play cards before stopping at a bar. Back on
the bus, Hocevar, who drives the No. 77 Chevrolet for Spire
Motorsports in the Cup Series, writes 77 on the face of a sleeping
Zilisch in black marker.
The video ends with the drivers at the track in their fire suits,
signing autographs and posing for pictures with fans.
“It was cool. It was fun,” Hocevar said. “Yeah, just nice to kind of
let loose, I guess, on a video.”
Hocevar said he likes to see NASCAR try new ways to interact with
potential fans.
“Yeah, they have to,” he said. “I feel like they just got to keep
throwing stuff at the dartboard and hopefully something sticks
here.”
Zilisch described himself as a huge music fan. He grew up listening
to Foo Fighters, Linkin Park and the Red Hot Chili Peppers with his
father in the car. He said he has paid more attention to the Stones'
music since he became part of NASCAR's partnership with the band.
Filming the video, Zilisch said, was a memorable experience.
“They made us dress up like we were in the 90s and wear leather and
have all this jewelry on,” he said. “It definitely was a little bit
unique and outside of what I would normally be wearing but
regardless it was just a cool shoot. We got to go inside this old
tour bus and, you know, just kind of feel like I was back in the day
even though I’ve never lived in that era of time.”
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