INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Hall of Fame outfielder Ken Griffey Jr. will drive the pace car for the 108th running of the Indianapolis 500 on Sunday.
Griffey has attended “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” in his second career as a photographer, but now his job will be much more visible. He’ll be behind the wheel of the 2024 Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray that brings the field of 33 cars — led by record-setting pole sitter Scott McLaughlin — to the green flag at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
“Driving the Pace Car and leading the field to start the Indy 500 is one of the coolest experiences,” Griffey said Monday. “I came to the track a few years ago as a photographer and look forward to seeing the race from a different perspective.”
The pace car driver has been a coveted job among athletes, actors and other celebrities since the 1970s, when actor James Garner and singer Marty Robbins handled it. Others that have driven the car include Jay Leno, Morgan Freeman and Patrick Dempsey and, in more recent years, NBA players Victor Oladipo and Tyrese Haliburton.
Britain's new bonkers EV: Callum Skye is an £80k electric buggy built in Warwickshire
One in six adults say they are addicted to ultra
Ryan Gosling's new movie pays tribute to Chinese kung fu legends
Israel intensifies offensive in Gaza, strikes 120 sites: army
Why US Catholics are planning pilgrimages in communities across the nation
Heartbroken Lisa Armstrong was grieving family member's death as ex
China's Shandong art exhibition in Cairo attracts Egyptians, promotes cultural exchange
Chinese publishers stage Doha Int'l Book Fair
Hall of Fame outfielder Ken Griffey Jr. to lead Indianapolis 500 field in Corvette pace car
2 workers die after buried alive in well in Philippines
Pope trip to Luxembourg, Belgium confirmed for September, 2 weeks after challenging Asia visit
Famed GOP advisor and political commentator Alice Stewart dies suddenly, found dead outside at 58