In the days before the 110th Indianapolis 500, Indiana football coach Curt Cignetti stepped into a role that asks more than ceremony — it asks competence. Entrusted with the wheel of a 1,000-plus horsepower Chevrolet Corvette ZR1X, he trained under nine-time Indy veteran Sarah Fisher to learn what the Brickyard demands of those who lead its field. The pace car driver does not merely wave a flag; he sets the conditions under which greatness becomes possible, and on Sunday, Cignetti will carry that quiet responsibility around one of sport's most hallowed ovals.
Indiana coach Cignetti preps for Indianapolis 500 pace car duty
Get it wrong and you've either frustrated the drivers or put them in danger.
Mark
What makes the pace car job different from other ceremonial roles at a major sporting event?
Mimi
The pace car driver actually affects the race. You're not just waving or throwing something out—you're controlling the temperature of the tires for thirty or forty cars going 200 miles per hour. Get it wrong and you've either frustrated the drivers or put them in danger.
Mark
Why would Cignetti need to practice this? Isn't it just driving?
Mimi
It's driving at a very specific speed, on a very specific track, with very specific consequences. Too slow and you're the guy who messed up the start. Too fast and you've compromised safety. Sarah Fisher has done this before and knows exactly what the drivers need.
Mark
How much of a machine is he actually driving?
Mimi
Over 1,000 horsepower in the back, another 186 in the front from an electric motor. Most people never sit in a car like that. Cignetti's getting a taste of something most football coaches never will.
Mark
Does this say something about how popular he's become in Indiana?
Mimi
It does. You don't get asked to pace the Indy 500 unless you're someone people want to see. He's earned that in less than a year.
Mark
What happens if something goes wrong on Sunday?
Mimi
He's practiced. He's had guidance from someone who's been there nine times. The risk is low. But the visibility is high—everyone watching will see him lead the field out.
Il Polso
- The honor carries real stakes — pace the field too slowly and you frustrate elite drivers, too quickly and you endanger them all.
- Cignetti, already a beloved figure in Indiana for his football success, now finds himself navigating a world far removed from the gridiron.
- IndyCar brought in Sarah Fisher — nine Indy 500 starts and pace car experience of her own — to give Cignetti the specific knowledge the Brickyard demands.
- Saturday's practice session at the track was not ceremonial; it was a genuine apprenticeship in speed, rhythm, and responsibility.
- On Sunday morning, with Fox's cameras rolling from 10 a.m. ET, Cignetti will roll out first in the America 250-liveried Corvette, setting the tone for the entire race.
In the days before the 110th Indianapolis 500, Indiana football coach Curt Cignetti stepped into a role that asks more than ceremony — it asks competence. Entrusted with the wheel of a 1,000-plus horsepower Chevrolet Corvette ZR1X, he trained under nine-time Indy veteran Sarah Fisher to learn what the Brickyard demands of those who lead its field. The pace car driver does not merely wave a flag; he sets the conditions under which greatness becomes possible, and on Sunday, Cignetti will carry that quiet responsibility around one of sport's most hallowed ovals.
Curt Cignetti, the Indiana football coach who has become one of the state's most recognizable sports figures, will lead the field at the 110th Indianapolis 500 behind the wheel of a Chevrolet Corvette ZR1X — a role that carries far more weight than a typical celebrity honor.
Unlike a ceremonial gesture, the pace car driver actively shapes the race. The job requires holding a precise speed so that competing drivers can safely bring their tires to racing temperature before the green flag falls. Too slow frustrates the field; too fast compromises safety. It is a task that demands preparation.
The car itself is extraordinary — a 5.5-liter twin-turbo V8 paired with a front electric motor, combining for well over 1,000 horsepower. To get Cignetti ready, IndyCar enlisted Sarah Fisher, a former driver with nine Indianapolis 500 starts and her own pace car experience. On Saturday at the Brickyard, she guided him through the rhythms and responsibilities the track requires.
Dressed in a striking America 250 paint scheme, the Corvette will be the first car on the 2.5-mile oval when race coverage begins at 10 a.m. ET on Fox. For a coach who has already made his mark in Indiana, Sunday offers something different — a place inside one of motorsport's oldest and most storied traditions.
Curt Cignetti, the Indiana football coach who has become one of the most recognizable figures in the state, will sit behind the wheel of a Chevrolet Corvette ZR1X on Sunday to lead the field at the 110th Indianapolis 500. It's the kind of honor that doesn't come around often—and when it does, it carries weight that a ceremonial first pitch never could.
Unlike someone throwing out the opening pitch, a pace car driver actually shapes the race itself. The job demands precision: maintain the right speed so the competing drivers can bring their tires up to racing temperature safely before the green flag drops. Go too slow and you've frustrated a field of some of the world's best drivers. Go too fast and you've compromised the safety of the entire field. It's a responsibility that requires practice, which is why IndyCar arranged for Cignetti to get behind the wheel on Saturday at the Brickyard to work through the paces.
The Corvette he'll be driving is no ordinary car. The ZR1X packs a 5.5-liter twin-turbo V8 engine producing over 1,000 horsepower to the rear wheels alone. Add in an electric motor that feeds another 186 horsepower to the front axle, and you're looking at a machine that most people will never experience. Whatever Cignetti drives in his everyday life, this is several leagues beyond it.
To prepare, he worked with Sarah Fisher, a former IndyCar driver who has competed in nine Indianapolis 500 races and has previous experience driving the pace car herself. Fisher's credentials made her the ideal guide—someone who understands not just how to handle the car, but the specific demands of the Brickyard and what the drivers behind you need from you. Cignetti spent Saturday absorbing those lessons, getting a feel for the machine and the rhythm required.
The Corvette itself is dressed in a striking America 250 paint scheme, a visual statement as it leads the field around the 2.5-mile oval. When the race coverage begins at 10 a.m. ET on Fox on Sunday, Cignetti will be the first car on the track, setting the tone for what comes next. For a coach who has already captured the attention of Indiana fans with his work on the football field, this moment represents something different—a chance to be part of one of motorsports' most storied traditions, and to do it right.
Citazioni salienti
The pace car driver can actually impact the race, unlike a ceremonial first pitch— Fox News reporting on the role's significance
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