PHOENIX — A marketing panel with Castrol landed Alyssa Thomas on a NASCAR hood.<\/p>\n
While attending the panel at the WNBA All-Star game last month, Thomas was approached by the motor oil company about putting her image on a NASCAR for an upcoming race. The Phoenix Mercury star loved the idea and helped in the design process, leading to her face making a 168-lap trip around Indianapolis Motor Speedway on the hood of RFK Racing\u2019s No. 60 Castrol Ford, driven by Ryan Preece.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was a fitting pairing being that my nickname is The Engine,\u201d Thomas said. \u201cNot too many people can say their face is on a car, let alone in a race, so it was a really cool experience.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Mercury had a lot of unknowns heading into the 2025 season after Diana Taurasi retired and Brittney Griner signed with the Atlanta Dream.<\/p>\n
Thomas has been the driving force behind the Mercury’s rise.<\/p>\n
Fitting in perfectly in first-year coach Nate Tibbets’ pace-and-space style, Thomas has been stuffing stat sheets while the Mercury have racked up wins. Entering Wednesday’s games, Phoenix was fourth in the WNBA standings at 21-13 after finishing 19-21 a year ago.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe’s the ultimate winner, she\u2019s the ultimate competitor,\u201d Tibbetts said. \u201cShe wants to win at everything.\u201d<\/p>\n
Thomas was the three-time ACC player of the year at Maryland and an All-American her senior season before arriving in Connecticut in a draft-day trade with the New York Liberty in 2014. The 6-foot-2 forward spent her first 11 WNBA seasons with the Sun, twice leading them to the WNBA Finals while earning five All-Star nods. She’s also made the all-WNBA team three times and the all-defensive team five times.<\/p>\n
Thomas arrived in the desert via an offseason sign-and-trade deal<\/a> as a key part of the Mercury’s rebuilding, which includes fellow newcomer Satou Sabally and Kahleah Copper, Phoenix’s leading scorer a year ago.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was a decision that I made,\u201d Thomas said. \u201cIn speaking with Nate and Nick (U’ren), I just felt it was a perfect fit for me and my game, and off the court as well.\u201d<\/p>\n Thomas has thrived.<\/p>\n