IndyCar
Curt Cignetti to drive the Pace Car at the 2026 Indianapolis 500
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (March 17, 2026) — Indiana University head football coach Curt Cignetti will lead the field of 33 drivers to the green flag as the pace car driver for the 110th running of the Indianapolis 500.
Cignetti, who guided the Hoosiers to an undefeated season and national championship in 2025–26, is a Pittsburgh native and the son of the late Hall of Fame coach Frank Cignetti. Frank Cignetti served as head coach at West Virginia University from 1976 to 1979 and at Indiana University of Pennsylvania from 1986 to 2005.
Cignetti will drive the all-new Chevrolet Corvette ZR1X, a 1,250-horsepower hybrid hypercar that began production in December 2025 at the Bowling Green, Kentucky, assembly plant. Additional pace car details, including its one-of-a-kind Indianapolis 500 livery, will be unveiled at a later date.
“Coach Cignetti will lead our field in a special pace lap formation as he brings the stars of the NTT IndyCar Series to the green flag at this year’s Indy 500,” said J. Douglas Boles, president of IndyCar and Indianapolis Motor Speedway. “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 tremendous roar from our crowd.”
Cignetti is the first Division I head coach to start 8–0 or better in consecutive seasons at different institutions and just the third to open back-to-back seasons at 10–0. He and the Hoosiers have compiled a nation-leading 27 victories over the past two seasons, including two College Football Playoff appearances and the program’s national championship.
Cignetti joins an impressive list of Indianapolis 500 pace car drivers that includes Michael Strahan, Ken Griffey Jr., Jim Harbaugh, Robin Roberts, Gen. Colin Powell, Morgan Freeman, Henry Ford II, and Louis Chevrolet.
The 110th running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge will take place Sunday, May 24, 2026, with FOX Sports coverage beginning at 10 a.m. ET.
Tickets for all Month of May activities at Indianapolis Motor Speedway are available at IMS.com/tickets or through the IMS Ticket Office at 317-492-6700.
Cignetti graduated from Morgantown High School and played quarterback at West Virginia University. He began his coaching career as a graduate assistant under Foge Fazio at the University of Pittsburgh from 1983 to 1984, later returning to Pitt to coach quarterbacks and tight ends from 1993 to 1999. He followed in his father’s footsteps as head coach at Indiana University of Pennsylvania from 2011 to 2016.
Football runs deep in the family, as Cignetti’s brother, Frank Jr., has joined Mike McCarthy’s staff with the Pittsburgh Steelers after previous stints as offensive coordinator at IUP and Pitt.
MARKHAM, ONTARIO (August 15, 2026) – The NTT IndyCar Series is making it’s first visit to a new street circuit in Markham, Ontario but a familiar face topped the speed charts after the first practice.
Four-time Series Champion Alex Palou turned the fastest lap around the 12-turn, 2.19-mile temporary street course, a 1-minute, 14.9915-seconds (100.811 mph) lap in the No. 10 DHL Chip Ganassi Racing Honda.
A.J. Foyt Racing rookie Caio Collett was second quick with a 1-minute, 15.0454-seconds (100.739) in the No. 4 Chevrolet.
Louis Foster was third quick in the No. 45 Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Honda at 1:15.0278 (100.702) followed by Team Penske’s Scott McLaughlin 1:15.2981 (100.401). Will Power rounded out the Top 5 at 1:15.3152 (100.378).
Palou’s Chip Ganassi Racing teammates were not as strong. Six-time Series Champion Scott Dixon was 20th at 1:16.4583 (98.877) in the No. 9 PNC Bank Honda. Kyffin Simpson was 24th at 1.17.3893 (97.688) in the No. 8 Sunoco Honda. Simpson made contact with the wall at Turn 6, causing damage to the rear suspension. Simpson limped to pits for repair and returned to action later in the session.
Practice 2 is set for 2:30 p.m. as delayed track construction forced officials to cancel Friday’s activities and condense Saturday’s schedule. NTT P1 Pole Qualifying is set for 6:30 p.m. ET
MARKHAM, ONTARIO (August 14, 2026) – Issues with the completion of the temporary street circuit in Markham Ontario has forced the NTT INDYCAR SERIES first practice to be moved to Saturday as all of Friday’s on-track activity had to be scrubbed from the schedule.
“INDYCAR is incredibly disappointed that our promoter was not able to complete the track build on time, despite significant support from our team on site,” INDYCAR President J. Douglas Boles said. “Ontario has always been a magnificent market for our sport and the number of spectators that attended today is a shining example of that. New events can always pose logistical challenges and we join in the frustration of our loyal fans and apologize.”
Green Savoree Promotions also issued a statement.
“Ensuring the safety of the drivers and the completion of the certification process of competing on a brand-new racetrack delayed all on-track activities today. Today’s sessions have been rescheduled to Saturday, August 15, to allow for further track preparations.”
“We greatly appreciate all the fans who made it out to the Ontario Honda Dealers Indy at Markham today and chose to spend the day with us. The attendance and support were overwhelming.”
The revamped schedule calls for the first practice to take place at 10:00 a.m. followed by a second practice at 2:30 p.m. and P1 Pole Qualifying at 6:30 p.m.
PORTLAND, OR (August 9, 2026) – Alex Palou and Chip Ganassi Racing are closing in on another NTT IndyCar Series Championship after winning Sunday’s Only Bulls Portland Grand Prix.
Palou started second and passed Felix Rosenqvist during the first round of pit stops by staying out an extra lap and using the ‘overcut’ to get the lead and then dominated, leading 60 of 110-laps to grab his sixth victory of 2026.
“Everybody at CGR and Honda did an incredible job,” said Palou, who started second. “I had an absolute rocket ship today. It was very, very nice to drive every single lap.”
“We had to do something different than Felix,” said Barry Wanser, team manager for the No. 10 Honda. “We had to go longer than him. It takes a lot of performance by Alex and certainly the Honda engine to give us the fuel mileage to jump in one more and do the overcut. That helped us. We had a pretty smooth pit stop and got the jump there.”
Rosenqvist, who started on the pole in the No. 60 Meyer Shank Racing Grateful Dead Honda, closed to within a second late but couldn’t get back to the front.
“He got us in a sequence,” said Rosenqvist, the 2026 Indianapolis 500 winner. “I got kind of twisted up leaving my box because I was so close to the Schumacher crew. I think between the overcut and that, we kind of lost the position. From there on we just sat in second.”
Andretti Global’s Will Power finished third in the No. 26 TWG Honda to lockout the podium for the manufacturer.
“Great day for us,” said Power. “Great day for Andretti. Didn’t quite have the pace I think the top two guys. Probably about a tenth off. Just seriously fast pace all day. Qualifying laps, really good quality. Such a quality field now.”
The victory for Palou increased his Championship lead to 110 points over Kyle Kirkwood of Andretti Global, a gap of more than two races with just five races remaining this season.
“Chip puts the best guys around me, but then also everybody is just executing,” said Palou. “That car is a rocket ship, and I’m just lucky enough to drive it.”
The next NTT IndyCar Series race is the inaugural Ontario Honda Dealers Indy at Markham on Sunday, Aug. 16 on the streets of Markham, Ontario.
Palou quickest in first Markham practice
Troutman Gets First Win For Foster In Schaltenbrand Memorial At Lernerville; Cipriano, Flick, and Schneider Also Win.
Incomplete race track moves IndyCar Markham practice to Saturday
Williamson Cashes In At Ryder Memorial
Alex Palou and Chip Ganassi Racing win Portland Grand Prix
Kirkwood fastest; Malukas crashes in first Nashville IndyCar Practice
Ferree, Krummert, Flick, and McPherson All Score Wins at Lernerville Speedway
Michael Norris wins his 5th Jook George Steel City Classic
Racing Notebook: Riggs wins Truck Series pole; Wright looks to keep Top 20 streak going and more!
