Story By: JUDY KOUBA DOMINICK / CHEVROLET – INDIANAPOLIS, IN – Michael Strahan, a Pro Football Hall of Fame member, two-time Daytime Emmy Award winner, longtime “FOX NFL Sunday” analyst and “Good Morning America” co-host, has been named honorary Pace Car driver for the 109th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge on Sunday, May 25 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, live on FOX.
The announcement was made during Sunday’s “FOX NFL Sunday.”
Strahan, who was inducted into the National Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame alongside the entire “FOX NFL Sunday” cast, will drive the 1,064-horsepower 2025 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 coupe – capable of 233 mph, the highest top speed of any car ever made in America by an auto manufacturer – and lead the field of 33 drivers to the start of the “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.” Exact Pace Car details, including the livery, will be announced at a later date.
“Michael is an impressive addition to the lineup of all-star athletes and celebrities to serve as honorary Pace Car driver for the Indianapolis 500,” IMS President J. Douglas Boles said. “From the gridiron to the broadcast studio, Michael is no stranger to leading a fast-paced field. As we kick off a new era of INDYCAR and the Indy 500 on FOX, Michael will have one of the best seats in the house for the start of the world’s greatest race.”
Previous recent Pace Car drivers include Morgan Freeman, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Robin Roberts, Patrick Dempsey, Ken Griffey Jr., Tyrese Haliburton and many others.
FOX Sports is the new exclusive home of all INDYCAR action, with all 17 NTT INDYCAR SERIES races set to broadcast on network television via FOX in 2025. This includes the world-famous Indianapolis 500, annually the largest single-day spectator sporting event on the globe. Coverage of “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” will be extensive for fans across the country, with a five-hour Race Day window on FOX.
The Pace Car driver announcement continues FOX’s promotional kickoff for the NTT INDYCAR SERIES season and the Indianapolis 500. The announcement of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES Grand Prix of Arlington, coming in March 2026, was featured during FOX’s “America’s Game of the Week.” In addition, FOX College Football analyst and Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram arrived for FOX’s “Big Noon Kickoff” in Bloomington, Indiana, in an INDYCAR SERIES car, continuing to deliver the message that INDYCAR’s home in 2025 will be FOX.
More surprises to come with the official pace car livery to be unveiled at a later date.