KU Jayhawks coach Bill Self will ‘tip off’ Saturday’s NASCAR Xfinity race at Speedway

Kansas men’s basketball coach Bill Self will give the starting command to the drivers competing in the Kansas Lottery 250 NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Kansas Speedway Saturday afternoon.

Self, a Hall of Fame coach who has led the Jayhawks to three appearances in the NCAA Final Four and one national championship, will be the virtual Grand Marshal for the race and give the call “Drivers, Start Your Engines” for 4 p.m. event that will be televised live on NBC Sports Network.

“Bill Self is an icon both in the state of Kansas and the college basketball world,” said Kansas Speedway president Pat Warren. “It is a privilege to have him ‘tip-off’ our Kansas Lottery 250 Xfinity race.”

In his 17 seasons as Kansas’ head coach, Self has guided the Jayhawks to a record of 501-109, including a mark of 264-14 at Allen Fieldhouse. He has coached Kansas to 15 Big 12 regular-season championships and the 2008 national championship.

The Jayhawks were a consensus favorite to win the NCAA Tournament in 2020 before the season was curtailed due to the coronavirus pandemic. The Jayhawks finished 28-3.

Self was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in September 2017.

TV schedule at Kansas Speedway

Thursday: NASCAR Cup Series Kansas 400, won by Denny Hamlin

Friday: 6 p.m., Kansas 200 (NASCAR trucks), FS1

Friday: 9 p.m., ARCA Kansas 150, FS1

Saturday: 12:30 p.m., Kansas 200 (NASCAR trucks), FSN

Saturday: 4 p.m., Xfinity Kansas Lottery 250, NBCSN

This story was originally published July 24, 2020 at 10:57 AM.