Pacers guard Victor Oladipo has been chosen to lead the field of 33 drivers to the start of the 102nd Indianapolis 500.
Oladipo, who made his first All-Star team this season after being traded to the Pacers from the Thunder, will drive the 2019 Corvette ZR1 Pace Car Sunday, May 27 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
“This is a tremendous honor for me,” Oladipo said in a release. “I’m so thankful Indiana continues to embrace me, from Indiana University to the Pacers and now the Indianapolis 500, the greatest race in the world. I would like to thank Chevrolet, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the Pacers for allowing me this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Excited is a huge understatement to how I feel about this. I can’t wait.”
This will be the 15th time a Corvette has served as the official Pace Car, starting in 1978, and the 29th time a Chevrolet has led the field, dating back to 1948. No other vehicle has served as the Pace Car more than the Corvette.
In his first season with the Pacers, Oladipo averaged 23.1 points per game. He was announced Wednesday as a final candidate for the 2017-18 NBA Most Improved Player Award, which will be announced at the end of June.
