Hall of Fame outfielder Ken Griffey Jr. to lead Indianapolis 500 field in Corvette pace car
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.
Related articles
Justin Timberlake set to bring his The Forget Tomorrow World Tour to Australia in 2025
Justin Timberlake is set to bring his The Forget Tomorrow World Tour to Australia next year.Daily Ma2024-05-21AP mock NFL draft 3.0: 8 trades, including 2 in the top 5 highlight AP's final mock draft
The NFL draft madness begins early in the final edition of the AP’s 2024 mock draft.Eight trades in2024-05-21Protests, heightened terror threat mean tight security at Eurovision Song Contest in Sweden
COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Security will be tight during next month’s Eurovision Song Contest in the2024-05-21A storm dumps record rain across the desert nation of UAE and floods the Dubai airport
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The desert nation of the United Arab Emirates attempted to dry ou2024-05-21NBA playoffs: Edwards leads Wolves to 98
DENVER (AP) — Anthony Edwards overcame a slow start and the Timberwolves roared back from a 20-point2024-05-21Paul McCartney's psychedelic Wings 1972 double
The famed psychedelic Wings tour bus that housed rock legend Paul McCartney, Linda McCartney, his fa2024-05-21
atest comment