Victor Oladipo Will Drive 2018 Pace Car At Indianapolis 500

INDIANAPOLIS, IN — Indiana Pacer and NBA All-Star Victor Oladipo will take a break from the court when he heads to the track on May 27, where he'll serve as the 2019 Corvette ZR1 Pace Car driver at the 102nd Indianapolis 500. The Indiana Pacers announced Thursday that the former IU Basketball star and Hoosier favorite will lead the 33 drivers to the start of the "Greatest Spectacle in Racing" at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

This Pace Car driver title comes after Oladipo averaged 23.1 points per game this past season with the Pacers after he was traded from Oklahoma City, the Pacers said in a release. The team adds that Oladipo is up for another title at the end of June, as he's the leading candidate for the 2017-18 NBA Most Improved Player Award.

It was nothing but an exciting arrival when Oladipo returned to Indiana last year, as he was a fan favorite during his three seasons at IU from 2010-2013 before being drafted by the Orlando Magic.

"This is a tremendous honor for me," Oladipo said, in a release. "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."

In addition to Oladipo's Pace Car driving, IMS recently announced that actor Chris Hemsworth will wave the green flag, Grammy Award-winning superstar Kelly Clarkson will be this year's National Anthem performer, in addition to Jim Cornelison returning to sing "Back Home Again in Indiana" before the race.

Oladipo, a guard, was named to the NBA All-Star team for the first time in the 2017-18 season while leading the Pacers to a 48-34 record – the team’s best season since 2013-14 – and the No. 5 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs under Pacers Head Coach Nate McMillan.

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"It's a great honor to welcome Victor Oladipo, one of the most popular recent sports figures in Indiana, to lead the field to the start of 'The Greatest Spectacle in Racing,'" IMS President J. Douglas Boles said, in a release. "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."

Patch reported back in April when the 2018 Pace Car was revealed by IMS, that Sunday, May 27 will be the 15th time a Corvette has served as the official Pace Car since 1978, and the 29th time a Chevrolet has led the field since 1948. No other vehicle has served as the Pace Car more times than the Corvette, and the ZR1 is the most powerful and fastest Corvette ever made.

More: nba.com/pacers

(Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)