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Armstrong to drive pace car at Indy 500
<!-- end pagetitle --><!-- begin bylinebox --> INDIANAPOLIS -- Legendary cyclist Lance Armstrong will have the honor of leading the field to the start of the 2006 Indianapolis 500.
<!---------------------INLINE TABLE (BEGIN)-------------------->
<table id="inlinetable" align="right" border="0" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1" width="240"> <tbody><tr><th colspan="3" style="background-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><center>Indianapolis 500 pace cars, since 2000</center></th> </tr><tr style="background-color: rgb(236, 236, 236);" valign="top"> <td> 2006 </td> <td> Lance Armstrong </td> <td> Chevrolet Corvette Z06 </td> </tr> <tr style="background-color: rgb(236, 236, 236);" valign="top"> <td> 2005 </td> <td> Gen. Colin Powell </td> <td> Chevrolet Corvette </td> </tr> <tr style="background-color: rgb(236, 236, 236);" valign="top"> <td> 2004 </td> <td> Morgan Freeman </td> <td> Chevrolet Corvette C5 </td> </tr> <tr style="background-color: rgb(236, 236, 236);" valign="top"> <td> 2003 </td> <td> Herb Fishel </td> <td> Chevrolet SSR </td> </tr> <tr style="background-color: rgb(236, 236, 236);" valign="top"> <td> 2002 </td> <td> Jim Caviezel </td> <td> Chevrolet Corvette </td> </tr> <tr style="background-color: rgb(236, 236, 236);" valign="top"> <td> 2001 </td> <td> Elaine Irwin-Mellencamp </td> <td> Oldsmobile Bravada </td> </tr> <tr style="background-color: rgb(236, 236, 236);" valign="top"> <td> 2000 </td> <td> Anthony Edwards </td> <td> Oldsmobile Aurora </td> </tr> <tr style="background-color: rgb(236, 236, 236);" valign="top"> <td colspan="3">Carl G. Fisher drove the first Indy pace car -- a Stoddard-Dayton -- in 1911. Sam Hanks (1958-63) and Jim Rathmann (1969, 72-74, 78, 82) share the honor of being selected to drive the pace car six times, the most in the history of the race. </td></tr> </tbody></table> <!---------------------INLINE TABLE (END)--------------------> A seven-time winner of the Tour de France, Armstrong will drive the Chevrolet Corvette Pace Car in the May 28 event.
"We're proud that this year's Indianapolis 500 will showcase the new 505-horsepower Corvette Z06 and honored that it will be driven by another racing icon -- Lance Armstrong," Chevrolet general manager Ed Peper said.
Armstrong first beat cancer before winning the first of a record seven straight Tour de France titles in 1999. He retired following the 2005 race and continues to be a leader and activist on behalf of cancer survivors around the world.
"All I can say is that when we got a phone call to ask if I was interested in driving the Pace Car at Indy, it was a very short conversation," the 34-year-old Armstrong said. "It was like, 'Are you kidding? Of course.' It's a huge honor and something that I am very excited to do. Hopefully I cannot mess things up, if that's possible."
General Colin Powell, actor Morgan Freeman and comedian Jay Leno are among those who have driven the Pace Car at the Indianapolis 500.
<!-- end pagetitle --><!-- begin bylinebox --> INDIANAPOLIS -- Legendary cyclist Lance Armstrong will have the honor of leading the field to the start of the 2006 Indianapolis 500.
<!---------------------INLINE TABLE (BEGIN)-------------------->
<table id="inlinetable" align="right" border="0" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1" width="240"> <tbody><tr><th colspan="3" style="background-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><center>Indianapolis 500 pace cars, since 2000</center></th> </tr><tr style="background-color: rgb(236, 236, 236);" valign="top"> <td> 2006 </td> <td> Lance Armstrong </td> <td> Chevrolet Corvette Z06 </td> </tr> <tr style="background-color: rgb(236, 236, 236);" valign="top"> <td> 2005 </td> <td> Gen. Colin Powell </td> <td> Chevrolet Corvette </td> </tr> <tr style="background-color: rgb(236, 236, 236);" valign="top"> <td> 2004 </td> <td> Morgan Freeman </td> <td> Chevrolet Corvette C5 </td> </tr> <tr style="background-color: rgb(236, 236, 236);" valign="top"> <td> 2003 </td> <td> Herb Fishel </td> <td> Chevrolet SSR </td> </tr> <tr style="background-color: rgb(236, 236, 236);" valign="top"> <td> 2002 </td> <td> Jim Caviezel </td> <td> Chevrolet Corvette </td> </tr> <tr style="background-color: rgb(236, 236, 236);" valign="top"> <td> 2001 </td> <td> Elaine Irwin-Mellencamp </td> <td> Oldsmobile Bravada </td> </tr> <tr style="background-color: rgb(236, 236, 236);" valign="top"> <td> 2000 </td> <td> Anthony Edwards </td> <td> Oldsmobile Aurora </td> </tr> <tr style="background-color: rgb(236, 236, 236);" valign="top"> <td colspan="3">Carl G. Fisher drove the first Indy pace car -- a Stoddard-Dayton -- in 1911. Sam Hanks (1958-63) and Jim Rathmann (1969, 72-74, 78, 82) share the honor of being selected to drive the pace car six times, the most in the history of the race. </td></tr> </tbody></table> <!---------------------INLINE TABLE (END)--------------------> A seven-time winner of the Tour de France, Armstrong will drive the Chevrolet Corvette Pace Car in the May 28 event.
"We're proud that this year's Indianapolis 500 will showcase the new 505-horsepower Corvette Z06 and honored that it will be driven by another racing icon -- Lance Armstrong," Chevrolet general manager Ed Peper said.
Armstrong first beat cancer before winning the first of a record seven straight Tour de France titles in 1999. He retired following the 2005 race and continues to be a leader and activist on behalf of cancer survivors around the world.
"All I can say is that when we got a phone call to ask if I was interested in driving the Pace Car at Indy, it was a very short conversation," the 34-year-old Armstrong said. "It was like, 'Are you kidding? Of course.' It's a huge honor and something that I am very excited to do. Hopefully I cannot mess things up, if that's possible."
General Colin Powell, actor Morgan Freeman and comedian Jay Leno are among those who have driven the Pace Car at the Indianapolis 500.