Indiana coach Curt Cignetti to drive the honorary pace car at the Indianapolis 500

By Canadian Press on March 17, 2026.

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Curt Cignetti, who coached Indiana to its first national title in football, will drive the honorary pace car at the Indianapolis 500.

Race organizers made the announcement Tuesday night during the World Baseball Classic championship game. Cignetti will drive a Chevrolet Corvette ZR1X, touted as the most advanced Corvette ever made, at “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” on May 24.

The Hoosiers made an incredible leap during Cignetti’s first two seasons, going from the losingest Football Bowl Subdivision program in history to the first major college football team to finish 16-0 since the 1890s. Cignetti became the first to win back-to-back AP Coach of the Year awards.

Indiana enters the 2026 season with the nation’s longest winning streak (16 games), the longest Big Ten winning streak (10) and the nation’s longest home winning streak (14). Cignetti’s 27 wins also are the most in the FBS over the past two years.

Now, he’ll lead the 33-car field to the green flag.

“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 at this year’s Indy 500,” said Doug Boles, president of both the series and Indianapolis Motor Speedway. “His Hoosiers have been nothing short of remarkable, and their national championship run inspired our entire state.”

Past pace car drivers include Pro Football Hall of Famer Michael Strahan, Baseball Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr., actors Morgan Freeman and Patrick Dempsey, journalist Robin Roberts and Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton.

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AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing

The Associated Press

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