Thunderbirds Take NASCAR Drivers to 9 Gs

Air Force pilots say racers' fitness and experience make them ideal jet passengers.

Mar. 11, 2026 at 11:50pm

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Due to the high g-forces NASCAR drivers endure during races, US Air Force Thunderbirds pilots say they can execute intense maneuvers when giving rides to the competitors that they couldn't perform with people who don't operate high-performance vehicles on a daily basis. Pilots Maj. Samuel Larson and Lt. Col. Tyler Keener took NASCAR drivers John Hunter Nemechek and Connor Zilisch on flights, with the drivers experiencing up to 9.2 gs.

Why it matters

The Thunderbirds are part of the US active combat force and can be combat-ready within 72 hours, so it's not unusual to see them practicing maneuvers at events held at the nearby Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The high g-forces NASCAR drivers experience during races make them ideal passengers for the Thunderbirds' intense flights.

The details

During the flights, the Thunderbirds pilots were able to perform high-speed climbs, tight turns, and even negative-g maneuvers that they couldn't typically do with regular passengers. The NASCAR drivers handled the extreme g-forces well, with one driver even catching the pilot's belongings when they were inverted.

  • The Thunderbirds have performed the flyover for the season-opening Daytona 500 for 16 consecutive years.
  • This year prior to the Daytona 500 was when Nemechek and Zilisch received their Thunderbird indoctrination.

The players

Maj. Samuel Larson

A Thunderbirds pilot who gave rides to NASCAR drivers.

Lt. Col. Tyler Keener

A Thunderbirds pilot who gave rides to NASCAR drivers.

John Hunter Nemechek

A NASCAR driver who received a ride in a Thunderbirds F-16.

Connor Zilisch

A NASCAR driver who received a ride in a Thunderbirds F-16.

Thunderbirds

The US Air Force's aerial demonstration team, which is part of the United States active combat force and can be combat-ready within 72 hours.

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What they’re saying

“We got to show them some dog fighting. They handled it well above average. Both got into 9.2 gs, which is pretty impressive for our first flight.”

— Maj. Samuel Larson, Thunderbirds Pilot

“I felt like 9 gs didn't sound crazy to me until you're holding it for three, four, five seconds.”

— Connor Zilisch, NASCAR Driver

“Everything that they do inside the cockpit of those things, it's pretty incredible.”

— Connor Zilisch, NASCAR Driver

“Probably one of the most amazing experiences of my life.”

— John Hunter Nemechek, NASCAR Driver

The takeaway

The Thunderbirds' ability to push the limits of g-forces with NASCAR drivers as passengers highlights the incredible physical fitness and experience of these race car drivers, who are able to handle extreme conditions that most people could not.