Pace Car

The Indianapolis 500 auto race has used a pace car every year since 1911. The use of pacing car is a concept of a "rolling start" so racing cars have the time to parade around the track, warming up the engines and tires to prepare for the gruesome tough drive. At the conclusion of the pace laps, at a prescribed speed, the pace car would pull off the track, allowing a thundering "flying" start. Because the real pace cars are quite valuable and not easily available, this car must be a replica. In 1998, the official pace car was a Chevrolet Corvette C5, driven by Rufus "Parnelli" Jones, famous race car driver and winner of the 1963 Indianapolis 500. It looks almost like the real thing here. Very nice indeed.