Curt Cignetti to drive Indy 500 Pace Car

Curt Cignetti, in celebration of Indiana University football’s undefeated National Championship season, has been named the honorary Pace Car driver for the 110^th Indianapolis 500.

Cignetti will drive the all-new Chevrolet Corvette ZR1X – the most advanced Corvette ever, designed and built in the United States – to lead the field of 33 drivers to the start of “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.” Exact Pace Car details, including the one-of-a-kind Indianapolis 500 livery, will be unveiled at a later date.

The 2026 Indy 500 is May 24, with FOX’s live coverage kicking off at 10 a.m.

Cignetti and the Hoosiers have been on a meteoric and inspirational run following his announcement as head coach in December 2023. This includes a nation’s best 27 victories across two seasons, a pair of College Football Playoff appearances and IU’s first national title.

Cignetti is the first-ever Division I head coach to start 8-0 or better in consecutive seasons at different institutions and the third ever to begin consecutive seasons at 10-0. He also is just the third Big Ten head coach to start each of his first two seasons with at least an 8-0 record.

Cignetti won 14 of the 17 national Coach of the Year awards for which he was eligible in his first two seasons at Indiana. He is the first FBS coach to win consecutive national Coach of the Year awards from the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA), Associated Press, ESPN Home Depot, The Sporting News and Walter Camp Foundation.

Along with the national accolades, Cignetti is the first coach to win both the Hayes-Schembechler (coaches vote) and Dave McClain (media vote) Big Ten Coach of the Year awards in consecutive seasons in conference history.

“Coach Cignetti will have our field in a special victory lap formation as he leads the stars of the NTT Indycar Series to the green flag of this year’s Indy 500,” said Indycar and IMS President J. Douglas Boles. “His Hoosiers have been nothing short of remarkable, and their National Championship run inspired our entire state. He’s the perfect choice to drive the Chevrolet Pace Car, and I know his introduction on Race Day will bring out a special roar of appreciation from our crowd.”

Tickets for the 110^th running of the Indianapolis 500 and all other Month of May events are available at IMS.com/Tickets or via the IMS Ticket Office at 317-492-6700.

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