Cignetti is taking another victory lap after leading the Hoosiers to an improbable national championship in 2025
By Austin Nivison Mar 18, 2026 at 11:48 am ET • 1 min read 
Getty Images After leading Indiana to its first national championship in program history, Curt Cignetti has received one of the state's highest honors. On Wednesday, the NTT IndyCar Series announced that Cignetti will serve as the honorary Pace Car driver for the 110th Indianapolis 500 on May 24.
Cignetti will get behind the wheel of a Chevrolet Corvette ZR1X as he leads the 33 cars around the track. In doing so, Cignetti will join other sports legends like Ken Griffey Jr., Michael Strahan and Jim Harbaugh who have the distinction of being an Indy 500 Pace Car driver.
"Coach Cignetti will have our field in a special victory lap formation as he leads the stars of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES to the green flag at this year's Indy 500," INDYCAR and IMS President J. Douglas Boles said in a press release. "His Hoosiers have been nothing short of remarkable, and their National Championship run inspired our entire state. He's the perfect choice to drive the Chevrolet Pace Car, and I know his introduction on Race Day will bring out a special roar of appreciation from our crowd."
It's been quite the year for Cignetti, and driving around the track at Indianapolis Motor Speedway will be yet another feather in his cap. After leading the Hoosiers to and 11-2 record and a College Football Playoff appearance in his first year on the job in 2024, he one-upped himself with an undefeated season and a national championship last year.
On top of that national title, Indiana also produced its first Heisman Trophy winner in quarterback Fernando Mendoza, who is expected to be the No. 1 overall pick at the 2026 NFL Draft. Cignetti also won National Coach of the Year for the second consecutive season.
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