Indianapolis 500: Pacers star Victor Oladipo will drive pace car

For the first time, an Indiana Pacer will drive the pace car at the Indianapolis 500.

Victor Oladipo will take a break from his off-season training regimen to drive a Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 ahead of 33 IndyCar drivers May 27 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Today's announcement places Oladipo in the company of Reggie Miller and Peyton Manning as Indianapolis sports icons with roles in Indy 500 pre-race festivities. Miller and Manning waved the green flag to start the 2005 and 2007 races, respectively.

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Oladipo, an NBA All-Star and three-time Eastern Conference player of the week this season, will be on the track guiding the Corvette ZR1 — a new model that boasts 755 horsepower, can go 0-60 in 2.85 seconds and has a top speed of 212 mph.

The former Indiana University standout joins a pre-race roster that includes actor Chris Hemsworth (waving the green flag), Kelly Clarson (singing "The Star-Spangled Banner") and Jim Cornelison (singing "Back Home Again in Indiana").

“This is a tremendous honor for me,” Oladipo said in a statement. “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.”

“Few NBA players drive to the basket with more speed and power than Victor, so he’ll feel right at home behind the wheel of the awesome 2019 Corvette ZR1 on Race Day," Indianapolis Motor Speedway president Doug Boles said.

Previous pace-car drivers range from actors such as Morgan Freeman (2004) and "The Walking Dead's" Jeffrey Dean Morgan (2017) to sports figures Jim Harbaugh (2013) and Jeff Gordon (2015).

The 102nd running of the Indy 500 is scheduled for 12:19 p.m. May 27.

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Call IndyStar reporter David Lindquist at (317) 444-6404. Follow him on Twitter: @317Lindquist.

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