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.
Rangers are undefeated at .500 to keep World Series champs from a losing record with Bochy
Serena Williams to host 2024 ESPYs in July
Sony Group, The Container Store rise; Alibaba, Smart Sand fall, Tuesday, 5/14/2024
Sweltering heat across Asia was 45 times more likely because of climate change, study finds
What a blast to work at NASA. Space agency is sky
With CFP snub still stinging, Atlantic Coast Conference ponders how to boost football perceptions
Brazilian dance craze created by young people declared cultural heritage
Cruise worker 'murders newborn son on board ship': Shocked co
OpenAI pauses ChatGPT voice after Scarlett Johansson comparisons
YouTube blocks Hong Kong protest anthem after court injunction bans song