Every year before the Indy 500, drivers start their engines and the pace car leads them to the starting line. But what is a pace car? And who drives it? Here’s everything you need to know about the racing tradition:
What is a pace car?
A pace car leads the field through several warm-up laps prior to the start of the race, and it also leads field during caution periods to slow the cars on the track. Cars are not allowed to pass each other – and definitely not the pace car – during caution periods.
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The pace car has been used at every Indy 500 since its inception in 1911.
Who drives the pace car at the Indy 500?
Typically, a celebrity starts out in the Indy 500 pace car prior to the start of the race. Past Indy 500 celebrity pace car drivers have included Lance Armstrong (2006), Guy Fieri (2012), Jeff Gordon (2015), Victor Oladipo (2018), Danica Patrick (2021), Sarah Fisher (2022), Tyrese Haliburton (2023) and Ken Griffey Jr. (2024).
After the race begins, a professional driver takes over. For several years, former IndyCar driver and team owner Sarah Fisher has had that duty.
Who is the 2025 Indy 500 pace car driver?
This year’s celebrity pace car driver is Pro Football Hall of Famer and television host Michael Strahan.
What is the pace car for the 2025 Indy 500?
The 2025 Chevrolet Corvett ZR1 delivers 1,064 horsepower from its 5.5-liter twin-turbo V8 engine, the most powerful V8 engine ever produced in the U.S. by an auto maker. For its pace car duties, the ZR1 comes with the carbon aero package, including dive planes on the front bumper, underbody aero strakes and a rear wing that helps create more than 1,200 pounds of downforce at top speeds. This year’s pace car can go from 0-60 mph in 2.3 seconds and hit a quarter-mile in 9.6 seconds at 150 mph as the quickest Corvette ever.
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How fast does the pace car go?
The Indy 500 pace car runs about 110 mph.
Has the pace car ever crashed?
Yes. The brakes of the Dodge Challenger, pacing the 1971 Indy 500 field, locked up after it peeled into the pits. It hit a camera stand at about 60 mph, IndyStar sports columnist Gregg Doyel wrote in 2016.
Russ Lake, a photographer in the stand when it happened, fell about 8 feet and was hospitalized for six weeks after breaking a leg and hip.
Indy 500 pace car drivers
2025: Michael Strahan: Former NFL player, television host and Fox NFL analyst
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2024: Ken Griffey Jr: Baseball Hall of Famer
2023: Tyrese Halliburton: Pacers player
2022: Sarah Fisher: Former race car driver
2021: Danica Patrick: Former race car driver
2020: Mark Reuss: President of General Motors
2019: Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Former race car driver
2018: Victor Oladipo: Pacers player
2017: Jeffrey Dean Morgan: Actor
2016: Roger Penske: Racing team owner, businessman
2015: Jeff Gordon: Race car driver
2014: Dario Franchitti: Race car driver
2013: Jim Harbaugh: NFL player, NFL and college coach
2012: Guy Fierei: Celebrity chef
2011: A.J. Foyt (Mari Hulman George passenger): Former race car driver
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2010: Robin Roberts: Broadcaster, morning show host
2009: Josh Duhamel: Actor
2008: Emerson Fittipaldi: Race car driver
2007: Patrick Dempsey: Actor
2006: Lance Armstrong: Former professional bicycle racer
2005: General Colin Powell: U.S. Secretary of State, chairman joint chiefs of staff
2004: Morgan Freeman: Actor
2003: Herb Fishel: General Motors’ racing executive director
2002: Jim Caviezel: Actor
2001: Elaine Irwin Mellencamp: Supermodel
2000: Anthony Edwards: Actor
1999: Jay Leno: Comedian, Tonight Show host
1998: Parnelli Jones: Former race car driver
1997: Johnny Rutherford: Race car driver
1996: Bob Lutz: Automotive executive
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1995: Jim Perkins: Automotive executive
1994: Parnelli Jones: Race car driver
1993: Jim Perkins: Automotive executive
1992: Bobby Unser: Race car driver
1991: Carroll Shelby: Race car driver, designer
1990: Jim Perkins: Automotive executive
1989: Bobby Unser: Race car driver
1988: Chuck Yeager: Test pilot, Air Force general
1987: Carroll Shelby: Race car driver, designer
1986: Check Yeager: Test pilot, Air Force general
1985: James Garner: Actor
1984: John Callies: Automotive executive
1983: Duke Nalon: Race car driver
1982: Jim Rathmann: Race car driver
1981: Duke Nalon: Race car driver
1980: Johnnie Parsons: Race car driver
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1979: Jackie Stewart: Race car driver
1978: Jim Rathmann: Race car driver
1977: James Garner: Actor
1976: Marty Robbins: Country music singer, NASCAR driver
1975: James Garner: Actor
1974: Jim Rathmann: Race car driver
1973: Jim Rathmann: Race car driver
1972: Jim Rathmann: Race car driver
1971: Eldon Palmer: Indianapolis-area car dealer
1970: Rodger Ward: Race car driver
1969: Jim Rathmann: Race car driver
1968: William Clay Ford Sr.: Executive chairman of Ford motors
1967: Mauri Rose: Race car driver
1966: Benson Ford: Automotive executive
1965: P.M. Buckminster: Automotive executive
1964: Benson Ford: Automotive executive
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1963: Sam Hanks: Race car driver
1962: Sam Hanks: Race car driver
1961: Sam Hanks: Race car driver
1960: Sam Hanks: Race car driver
1959: Sam Hanks: Race car driver
1958: Sam Hanks: Race car driver
1957: F.C. Reith: Automotive executive
1956: L.I. Woolson: Automotive executive
1955: Thomas H. Keating: Automotive executive
1954: William C. Newburg: Automotive executive
1953: William Clay Ford Sr.: Automotive executive
1952: P.O. Peterson: Automotive executive
1951: David A. Wallace: Automotive executive
1950: Benson Ford: Automotive executive
1949: Wilbur Shaw: Race car driver, president of IMS
1948: Wilbur Shaw: Race car driver, president of IMS
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1947: George W. Mason: Automotive executive
1946: Henry Ford II: Automotive executive
1941: A.B. Couture
1940: Harry Hartz:
1939: Charles Chayne: Automotive executive
1938: Stuart Baits: Race car designer
1937: Ralph DePalma: Race car driver
1936: Tommy Milton: Race car driver
1935: Harry Mack: Automotive executive
1934: Willard “Big Boy” Radar: Long distance test driver
1933: Byron Foy
1932: Edsel Ford
1931: Willard “Big Boy” Radar: Long distance test driver
1930: Wade Morton: Race car driver
1929: George Hunt
1928: Joe Dawson: Race car driver
1927: Willard “Big Boy” Radar: Long distance test driver
1926: Louis Chevrolet: Race car driver, founder of Chevrolet
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1925: Eddie Rickenbacker: Race car driver, owner of IMS
1924: Lew Pettijohn: Test driver
1923: Fred Duesenberg: Founder of Duesenberg
1922: Barney Oldfield: Race car driver
1921: Harry C. Stutz: Founder of Stutz
1920: Barney Oldfield: Race car driver
1919: Jess G. Vincent: Engine designer
1916: Frank E. Smith
1915: Carl Fisher: Created IMS
1914: Carl Fisher: Created IMS
1913: Carl Fisher: Created IMS
1912: Carl Fisher: Created IMS
1911: Carl Fisher: Created IMS
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Who is Indy 500 pace car driver? What is a pace car?
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