What is a pace car? What to know about the Indy 500 pace car and driver
Every year before the Indy 500, drivers start their engines and the pace car leads them to the start of the race. But what is a pace car? And who drives it? Here's everything you need to know about the racing tradition:
What is a pace car?
A pace car, both in NASCAR and IndyCar, has two functions. It leads the field through several warm-up laps prior to the start of the race, and it also heads to the front of the field during caution periods to reduce the speed of the cars on the track. Cars are not allowed to pass during caution periods.
The pace car has been used at every Indy 500 since its inception in 1911.
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Who drives the pace car at the Indy 500?
Typically, a celebrity starts out in the Indy 500 pace car prior to the start of the race. Past Indy 500 celebrity pace car drivers have included Lance Armstrong (2006), Guy Fieri (2012), Jeff Gordon (2015), Victor Oladipo (2018) and Danica Patrick (2021).
After the celebrity takes a lap or two, they are replaced by someone who drives the pace car during the race. For years, Johnny Rutherford served in this role for the Indy 500. In recent years, former IndyCar driver and team owner Sarah Fisher has served in the role. Fisher will handle all pace car duties for the 500; former driver Oriol Servia is IndyCar's primary pace car driver.
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Who is the 2022 Indy 500 pace car driver?
Sarah Fisher will stay in the pace car the entire race this year — she is serving as the "celebrity" driver and the driver during the race.
Fisher set a record for drivers who are women with nine Indy 500 starts between 2000-10.
"Every day here is special. I've been able to be here since 2000," Fisher said from the Yard of Bricks on May 10. "You all have welcomed me with open arms. Each year I've been here has been special. When (Boles) called, that was no different. Being the celebrity pace car driver, the driver that will be in the whole time, is just another special memory I'll be able to have here."
What is the pace car for the 2022 Indy 500?
A 2023 Corvette Z06 70th Anniversary Edition will lead the field to the green flag.
“Unique to this package on the production car and the Pace Car are 70th Anniversary Edition exterior badging, including special Corvette crossflags, Edge Red brake calipers and the 70th Anniversary Edition logo on seats, steering wheel and sill plates,” a release said.
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How fast does the pace car go?
In NASCAR, the pace car goes 45 miles per hour. In IndyCar races, it goes around 110 miles per hour.
Has the pace car ever crashed?
Yes. The brakes of the Dodge Challenger, pacing the 1971 Indy 500 field, locked up after it peeled into the pits. It hit a camera stand at about 60 miles per hour, IndyStar sports columnist Gregg Doyel wrote in 2016.
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Russ Lake, a photographer in the stand when it happened, fell about 8 feet and was hospitalized for six weeks after breaking a leg and hip.
Follow IndyStar trending sports reporter Matthew VanTryon on Twitter @MVanTryon and email him story ideas at matthew.vantryon@indystar.com.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Who is Indy 500 pace car driver? What is a pace car?
