Jeff Gordon to drive pace car at Indianapolis 500
Jeff Gordon has never done the Indianapolis 500 and Coca-Cola 600 “double.” He’s not doing both races in the same day again in 2015, but it may be the closest he’s ever come to trying it.
Wednesday, Chevrolet announced Gordon would drive the pace car at the Indianapolis 500 before he retuns to Charlotte to drive in the 600 on May 24.
He’s never competed in the 500.
“As I got older, I moved to Indiana,” Gordon, who was born in California, said. “My first car was a Chevy. My second car was a Chevy. Now I get to drive Chevrolets every weekend on the racetrack and win in a Chevy. To do it here in Indianapolis is the ultimate.
“There’s only one thing that was missing, that was the Indy 500. This is as close as I think I’m going to get. But this is pretty awesome.”
The four-time Sprint Cup Series champion is retiring from full-time competition at the end of 2015. He grew up racing open-wheel cars but hasn’t driven a CART or IndyCar Series race in his career. He ran his first Cup Series race in 1992.
He’s won five Brickyard 400s at Indianapolis in the Cup Series, more than any other driver.
“Yeah, it’s one that I always look forward to,” Gordon said of watching the Indianapolis 500. “I’ve never been anywhere else on race day for like 20 something years, so this is going to be quite an experience. It’s one that I’m really looking forward to.
“I’m trying to get Rick Hendrick to come up here as well. I don’t think he’s ever been to an Indy 500. But my wife and kids are very excited. I took my son Leo to a race at Pocono a couple years ago. He thought those cars were the coolest cars ever. He’s pretty excited to come to this race and see these cars on the grid.”
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Nick Bromberg is the editor of From The Marbles on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter!
