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.
'The Apprentice,' about a young Donald Trump, premieres in Cannes
New energy becomes largest electricity source in China's five southern provinces,regions
Follow Xi's Steps: Why Did President Xi Visit Suzhou Industrial Park?
Hongqimen bridge under construction in Guangdong
Investigators return to Long Island home of Gilgo Beach serial killing suspect
Tourists visit 23rd Harbin Ice
Xi Encourages Young Researchers to Make Breakthroughs in Cutting
The fightback begins: Boss of London's Queen Mary University tells pro
Xi Focus: Xi Calls for More Achievements in Party's Theoretical Innovation
Independent UN experts urge Yemen’s Houthis to free detained Baha'i followers
Xi Inspects Nanjing in East China's Jiangsu Province