Danica Patrick is back at the Indy 500 and will drive the pace car. The former NASCAR and IndyCar star showed off the Chevrolet Corvette Stingray pace car ahead of the Indianapolis 500, and it’s the first time Patrick has driven on the track since retiring from racing in 2018. When talking about driving the pace car on the NBC broadcast, Patrick said she was a little nervous about getting the Indy 500 started.
“I am very honored to drive the pace car this year at the Indy 500,” Patrick said in a news release, per the Indianapolis Star. Patrick will also be a studio analyst for the live race broadcast, which will air on NBC. Mike Tirico and NASCAR legend Jimmie Johnson will be with Patrick on the broadcast. “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, Patrick stated. “I have always loved Chevy vehicles, and the Corvette convertible is such a beautiful car. Maybe they will let me drive it home!”
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Leading the #Indy500 field to the green flag. @DanicaPatrick is our #TeamChevy #Corvette Pace Car driver. pic.twitter.com/uxea1a7fMt
— Team Chevy (@TeamChevy) May 30, 2021
Patrick is no stranger to the Indianapolis 500 as she competed in the event eight times. She made a ton of noise in her Indy 500 debut, starting and finishing in fourth place. Patrick earned top-10 finishes in 2005 and 2006 and had her highest finish in 2009 (third place).
“We’re happy to welcome back Danica to the place where she made motorsports history as the first female driver to lead ‘The Greatest Spectacle in Racing,’” IMS President Doug Boles said. “She will provide a unique perspective for NBC viewers while behind the wheel of the powerful Corvette Stingray convertible.”
Patrick’s final race was the Indy 500 in 2018 but wasn’t able to finish the event as her car crashed halfway through. In 2019, Patrick was asked if she missed racing since calling it a career. “No. No I don’t. I’m being really honest,” Patrick said to the Associated Press. “I’m not someone who looks back on things and has a lot of regret. I’m really not. Anytime anybody asks me if I could change anything, what would I change? Well, I’m just not the kind of person that really thinks like that. You know, I (raced) it for 27 years and life is so short and there’s so much to experience and so much to do. I spent a lot of time racing and now I can spend time doing other things.”
