Hall of Fame baseball player Ken Griffey Jr. will drive the pace car at the Indianapolis 500 race on Sunday.
Griffey has been to the race before, but this time he’s doing something special. He’ll be driving a 2024 Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray, leading the pack of 33 cars to the starting line at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Griffey said, “Driving the Pace Car and leading the field to start the Indy 500 is one of the coolest experiences.” He used to come to the race as a photographer, but now he’ll get to see it from a different point of view.
Being a pace car driver is a big deal for famous people. Actors, singers, and athletes have done it for years. Some of them include Jay Leno, Morgan Freeman, and Patrick Dempsey. NBA players like Victor Oladipo and Tyrese Haliburton have also taken on the role.
Griffey became a Hall of Famer in 2016 after playing baseball professionally for 22 years. He spent most of his career with the Seattle Mariners and the Cincinnati Reds. He was really good at baseball, making it to the All-Star game 13 times and hitting 630 home runs. He was also known for his amazing defense, winning the Gold Glove award 10 times.
The Indianapolis 500 will have other celebrities too. Jordin Sparks and Phillip Phillips will be singing, and there will be honorary starters announced soon.
J. Douglas Boles, the president of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, said, “Every baseball fan knows Ken Griffey Jr. Two legends will come together as Griffey hops into the Corvette E-Ray to lead the field at the Racing Capital of the World.”
