Indiana Coach Curt Cignetti Serves as Honorary Driver at Indianapolis 500

On Sunday afternoon, Indiana State football head coach Curt Cignetti checked an exciting experience off his bucket list by taking the driver’s seat of the pace car at the Indianapolis 500.

Cignetti led the 33-car lineup in a patriotic Chevrolet Corvette ZR1X during the 110th edition of this iconic IndyCar race.

Before the race, Dan Dakich from OutKick spoke with Cignetti at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The conversation turned to the 2025 team, which celebrated a perfect 16-0 season and clinched the national title. Dakich was curious if there were any hidden details about that remarkable team.

Cignetti humorously mentioned that driving the pace car required a fair bit of coaching. He emphasized the importance of high standards in performance while reflecting on how to approach winning games. “You can’t lose the game before you win it,” he stated, adding that the team executed their game plan effectively in close matches.

Discussing this honor, he noted how Indiana fans enjoyed the moment, particularly after guiding the Hoosiers to their first ever national football championship.

Prestigious Cadre of Honorary Drivers

Over the years, a host of well-known figures have served as honorary pace car drivers, including Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Danica Patrick. Cignetti took this role earnestly, preparing for the event days in advance to ensure he could handle the car properly on race day.

“I achieved 177 mph yesterday,” he shared with Dakich, uncertain of what pace he would maintain during the race.

In fact, he noted that his final lap would be a bit uncertain as well, given the varying speeds he was expected to hit, which included running at 175 and then 190 mph twice.

Like his players, Cignetti made sure to practice thoroughly ahead of the big day, explaining that he went through two different sessions to familiarize himself with both the track and the car’s handling. “Understanding where to push in the corners is key. It’s natural to want to slow down, but the car will do the turning if you let it,” he advised.

The race had its share of challenges with wet conditions and multiple caution flags. However, Felix Rosenqvist ultimately triumphed over American David Markus right at the end, denying Markus his first IndyCar victory while celebrating his own first win at the Indy 500.

Rosenqvist finished just 0.023 seconds ahead of Markus, with Scott McLaughlin and Pato O’Ward rounding out the top four.