First Look: Indy's WNBA All-Star Weekend gets NASCAR spotlight with Carson Hocevar’s No. 77 car
Two months before Indianapolis hosts WNBA All-Star Weekend for the first time, promotion ramps up with a paint scheme debut at this weekend’s NASCAR All-Star Race.
Advertising for WNBA All-Star Weekend 2025 in Indianapolis will be prominently featured at the NASCAR All-Star Race this weekend in North Wilkesboro, North Carolina.
Gainbridge, Spire Motorsports and driver Carson Hocevar have teamed up on a special paint scheme for the No. 77 Chevrolet — one that includes a large WNBA All-Star Weekend logo across the hood. It’s part of a cross-sport promotional push to spotlight Indianapolis hosting the league’s signature weekend for the first time — now just two months away.
“We hope to connect with new audiences and fans while continuing to build excitement for the much-anticipated WNBA All-Star weekend at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis this summer,” Mel Raines, CEO of Pacers Sports & Entertainment, said in a statement.
WNBA All-Star events will take place July 18–19 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
(The text, discussion and welcoming of another major event — click here to read how Indianapolis answered the call from the league office.)
Hocevar, 22, is a Midwest native from Pontiac, Michigan. He made his Brickyard 400 debut last year at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, where he started 30th and finished 12th — the top result among rookies.
“It’s really cool to showcase the WNBA All-Star Game on our car for the NASCAR All-Star Weekend,” said Hocevar. “I had the chance to visit Gainbridge Fieldhouse in January and it’s definitely worthy of hosting the game. The Indiana Fever have a really dedicated fanbase and Indianapolis is such a big market for basketball.
“We see it when we visit Indianapolis every year — the community is so welcoming, and they’re very proud of their sports teams. Gainbridge has been a great partner for Spire Motorsports and done a lot to promote and expand women’s sports, so it’s exciting to see that support open new doors for those teams and athletes.”
Qualifying for the NASCAR All-Star Race begins Saturday. The main event will air nationally on FS1 Sunday at 5:30 p.m. ET.
See Also: From last July
Furthermore, the host committee announced on Monday that it is seeking breast tissue donors one week before the WNBA world invades Indy. Up to 500 women can donate healthy breast tissue at IU Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center’s Komen Tissue Bank on July 12 and 13.
It’s an important cause — fighting breast cancer — so I wanted to pass along the details.
Women under age 40 and women of color are especially encouraged to donate, but all women who meet the eligibility criteria below can donate healthy breast tissue to the Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center’s Susan G. Komen Tissue Bank during the All-Star Cure to be held Saturday, July 12 and Sunday, July 13. The tissue bank is a resource within the Vera Bradley Foundation Center for Breast Cancer Research at the cancer center.
All-Star Cure — a partnership between the WNBA All-Star 2025 Host Committee and the Komen Tissue Bank and powered by the Catherine Peachey Fund — will take place at the cancer center, 1030 W. Michigan St. in Indianapolis. During the two-day event, up to 500 women will be able to donate healthy breast tissue, while 800 volunteers will play key roles ranging from donor escorts to medical assistants who help with the tissue acquisition procedure.
The donation process takes 60 to 90 minutes, but a woman’s contribution could help cancer researchers make lasting discoveries.
"I was honored to support the groundbreaking work of the Komen Tissue Bank by donating breast tissue during their partnership with the Super Bowl Host Committee in 2012," said Tamika Catchings, a WNBA superstar and co-chair of the WNBA All-Star 2025 Host Committee. "Now, more than a decade later, it's incredibly meaningful to once again be part of such a rewarding cause. I'm incredibly proud that we're using the global platform of WNBA All-Star to shine a powerful light on the critical need for healthy breast tissue donations, which can be a game changer for cancer research and lead to better outcomes.”
By analyzing samples from women without breast cancer, researchers can study the differences between healthy and cancerous tissues, which will lead to a better understanding of the disease. Researchers at IU and elsewhere have already made new discoveries about breast cancer by using samples donated to the Komen Tissue Bank. For example, IU researchers completed the most extensive mapping of healthy breast cells to date. These findings offer an important tool to understand how breast cancer develops and the differences in breast tissue among genetic ancestries.
To register for the All-Star Cure, visit the Komen Tissue Bank website or call 866-763-0047. Donors must have a confirmed appointment time.
Before the donation, participants will complete an informed consent document and an online questionnaire. Height and weight measurements and a blood sample will be collected.