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. |
Prime Minister Modi files his nomination to run for a third term in India's general electionGuardiola warns Man City will lose the Premier League title if it fails to win at TottenhamClosing prices for crude oil, gold and other commoditiesAfter a rookie renaissance the past couple years, some top prospects have struggled this seasonChina auto association slams U.S. protectionism in NEV industry76 years of Nakba: Palestinians fear a repeat of their painful historyChina's consumer prices show mild upticks amid continued demand recovery76 years of Nakba: Palestinians fear a repeat of their painful historyGermany 'considers conscripting all 18Cubs place reliever Adbert Alzolay on injured list with right forearm strain and recall José Cuas