Donald Trump bows out of Indy 500; won't drive pace car

Donald Trump is no longer this month's Indianapolis 500 pace car driver.

The controversial host of NBC's reality show, The Apprentice, told Indianapolis Motor Speedway officials that continuing with the program conflicts with his possible presidential campaign."I very much appreciate the honor, but time and business constraints make my appearance there, especially with the necessary practice sessions, impossible to fulfill," Trump said. "I look forward to watching the race from New York."

"Donald Trump has been very enthusiastic about the '500' from the beginning of our conversations, and I have appreciated the interaction we have had with him and his staff," Speedway president Jeff Belskus said.

"From my first conversation, I was impressed by his deep understanding of the event and history, and I thank him for being a true fan."

No replacement for the May 29 race has been selected, although fans hope it's a former 500 winner. The pace car is a Chevrolet Camaro.

The news relieves significant pressure Trump created after accepting the Speedway's offer.

In recent weeks, Trump pressed President Obama to prove his birthplace, which created a media firestorm.

Speedway officials felt the backlash and were inundated by complaints on social media, including a Facebook page called "Dump Trump."

The complaint: The 100th-anniversary 500 should be a celebration of the event's history and an honor to past and present troops fighting for democracy.

IMS landed Trump through their mutual partner, Izod. He was announced April 5 in New York.

Earlier Thursday, an aide to the New York real estate developer said Trump would not give up the pace car post and said the criticism was politically motivated.

"Of course it is, of course it is," said Michael Cohen, an executive vice president and special counsel to Trump, said in an interview Thursday morning with The Indianapolis Star.

Cohen said organizers of a Facebook campaign were supporters of Obama.

"They have 11,000 followers, right? There are over 300,000 people coming to the Indy 500," Cohen said. "That sounds like a very small number of people who are probably not even Indy 500 fans."

As for complaints by some Indy 500 fans that Trump has had no connection to the race or to racing, Cohen pointed out that Trump was a partner Affliction Entertainment, which sponsored a car in the NASCAR series three years ago.