INDIANAPOLIS – Chevrolet and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway have revealed the pace car Indiana football coach Curt Cignetti will drive to start the 110th Indianapolis 500 on May 24. Cignetti will lead the field in the two-toned, USA-themed Corvette ZR1X.
The car’s white and blue paint with red stripes in the middle is part of IMS and IndyCar’s effort to celebrate the 250th birthday of the United States in their “United We Race” campaign. The hood of the car has stars to represent the states (as seen on the United States flag), although it’s not quite 50 stars, as some were removed from the hood for its ventilation system.
“We thought what an epic time to actually embrace the flag and show that on this livery right here,” said Phil Zak, Chevrolet’s Global Executive Design Director.
Other plans are still in the works for how to honor America pre-race for the expected grandstand sellout. IndyCar will race on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., on Aug. 23 for the Freedom 250 Grand Prix, one of the Trump administration’s many “America 250” celebrations.
“Obviously, Memorial Day weekend is celebrating men and women who serve, especially those who’ve paid the ultimate sacrifice,” IMS and IndyCar president Doug Boles said. “It’s part of what we do every year, but to do it inside of that 250th anniversary is pretty special.”
The car, which has a 5.5L twin-turbo V8 engine, delivers 1,250 horsepower across its four wheels and can reach 233 mph. It’s equipped with the Carbon Aero package, made up of dive planes on the front bumper, underbody aero strakes and the rear wing.
IMS had Cignetti in mind since Indiana won the Big Ten championship over Ohio State, although Boles wasn’t sure if Cignetti would do it after Indiana won the national championship. Cignetti — who was getting his first training in the car on Thursday — agreed to drive it in March, and he told IU president Pamela Whitten and athletic director Scott Dolson to turn down all other external requests.
“I’m 95% football,” Cignetti told ESPN. “We’ve said no to everything except for the Indy 500.”
Cignetti will return to IMS the weekend of the race for his final instructions on how to drive the car. He’ll join Jim Harbaugh (2013) as the only football coaches to drive the pace car.
Zion Brown is IndyStar’s motorsports reporter. Follow him at @z10nbr0wn. Get IndyStar’s motor sports coverage sent directly to your inbox with our Motor Sports newsletter. Subscribe to the YouTube channel IndyStar TV: IndyCar for a behind-the-scenes look at IndyCar and expert analysis.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indy 500 pace car: IMS, Chevy ’embrace the flag’ for USA-theme. Curt Cignetti’s set to drive