The 102nd running of the Indianapolis 500 finished with Power on the podium, but it started with a Pacer doing the pacing.
On a sweltering Sunday afternoon, Victor Oladipo became the first-ever Pacers player to have the honor of driving the pace car at the Indianapolis 500, successfully piloting the 2019 Corvette ZR1 around the track as the Greatest Spectacle in Racing got underway.
"It was a crazy experience, they told me I did great," said Oladipo after wrapping up his driving duties. "I think I personally did the best out of any pace car driver in history, but we're just going to keep that between me and y'all."
Oladipo spent the day before the race getting some practice laps in with the 755 horsepower Corvette, which was the fastest pace car in the history of the Indianapolis 500.
"It was very difficult at first, driving the car and trying to get used to the track. But after a while it went pretty smooth," Oladipo said.
When the engines were started and it was Oladipo's time to lead the field, the All-Star Pacers guard executed each lap around the track with the feathery finesse he's become known for on the basketball court.
For Oladipo, who made a name for himself at Indiana University and has now returned to Indiana to play for the Pacers, the chance to drive the pace car was an honor.
"It means the world to me," Oladipo said. "Indiana means the world to me. Being able to come back and play for the Pacers and now being part of this historic event. Being in the pace car is monumental and it's huge for me and my family, and my legacy here in Indiana, and hopefully it continues to grow."