Danica Patrick Will Drive The C8 Corvette Pace Car At The 105th Indy 500

Retired Indycar driver Danica Patrick will once again lead the Indy 500, this time at the wheel of an arctic white Chevrolet C8 Corvette Convertible.

NBC Sports reports that Patrick will take on the role of official pace car driver for the 105th running of the historic race. She will lead a field of 33 drivers to the green flag on May 30, which will also mark the first time the race has been paced by a Corvette convertible since 2008.

Patrick became the first woman to lead the Indy 500 in her rookie season in 2005. She did so for 19 laps before finishing just outside the podium in fourth place. She did eventually get onto the podium, though, finishing third in 2009. Over the years, Patrick competed in the race eight times, with her final appearance coming in 2018.

“I am very honored to drive the Corvette Stingray Pace Car this year at the Indy 500,” Patrick said in a statement. “It is even more special because of the past year we have all endured, and it will be so nice to see fans back in the stands.”

The Indianapolis Speedway will be open to around 135,000 fans (with face coverings required) on the weekend of the race, or roughly 40 percent of the facility’s capacity. Indycar says that its plan for race weekend was developed with local and state health officials and approved by the Marion County Public Health Department.

People watching at home will also be able to hear Patrick’s insight into the race as she will be a part of the broadcast team for NBC.

“I’m also excited to again be a part of the NBC broadcast team for the race,” she said. “I have always loved Chevy vehicles, and the Corvette convertible is such a beautiful car. Maybe they will let me drive it home!”

We don’t know about Patrick, but Chevrolet was happy to give a C5 Corvette to Jay Leno when he drove the Indy 500 pace car in 1999.