MADISON, Ill. – As a star defenseman for the Stanley Cup champion St. Louis Blues, Colton Parayko (on right above) plays a sport that features speed and sometimes contact. It’s much like the NTT IndyCar Series but instead of racing on asphalt surrounded by SAFER Barriers and concrete walls, Parayko’s game is played on ice, surrounded by the boards and plexiglass.

Last weekend at World Wide Technology Raceway, Parayko got to experience what it feels like to be an INDYCAR driver when he was given a high-speed ride around the 1.25-mile short oval in the Honda “Fastest Seat in Sports.”

“It was good, it was fun, it was quick, it was just cool to get a feel for the track,” Parayko told NTT INDYCAR Mobile. “Now that I’ve been around it a few times, I can see how they race, and it gives me a different perspective.”

At 6-foot-6, Parayko is one of the tallest players in the National Hockey League. He is also taller than the tallest NTT IndyCar Series drivers, including 6-foot-2 Graham Rahal, who happens to be one of Parayko’s friends.

“I just got in there and jammed in and the rest is history,” Parayko said of riding behind his driver, Arie Luyendyk, Jr. “You have to hold on and the G-forces are up and it’s really cool to see how Arie attacked the corners and are aggressive.”

Parayko had his chance to experience INDYCAR but would he like to have one of the drivers take the ice to experience what he does?

“Graham, because he likes hockey and it would be fun to see him out there,” Parayko said. “Being friends with him and getting to know him a little bit, it would be cool to see him out there and see how he does.”

St. Louis Blues games are played in front of raucous crowds with lots of noise and color. That is what fans witnessed Saturday night under the lights at Gateway.

“It’s a full stadium here with a lot of speed, a lot goes into it,” Parayko said. “A lot of people tell me when they go to a hockey games for the first time, they have a greater appreciation for the sport when they see it in person.

“It’s the same thing with an IndyCar Series race. You come to the track and you get a full appreciation for racing, how cool it is and how fast these cars really go.”

Parayko is from Edmonton, Alberta and used to attend the NTT IndyCar Series races in that city.

“My dad would take us every year,” he said. “It was cool and special when St. Louis got a race.”

Parayko met Rahal at the Indianapolis 500 in 2013 and began a friendship that continues today.

“We were at the Toronto race and this guy just shows up,” Rahal said of Parayko. “He never had asked for a ticket or anything. He kind of showed his true colors there. He obviously enjoyed coming out to the races.

“It was amazing to see these guys (the Blues) lift the Stanley Cup.”

The NTT IndyCar Series heads to Portland, Ore., for Sunday’s Grand Prix of Portland. Live race coverage on NBC begins at 3 p.m. ET (noon PT local) with the green flag at approximately 3:45 p.m. Live radio broadcasts will be available on the Advance Auto Parts INDYCAR Radio Network and SiriusXM Satellite Radio (XM 205, Sirius 98, Internet/App 970).