Actor Patrick Dempsey To Drive Indy Pace Car

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) _ Actor Patrick Dempsey, a co-owner of the Vision Racing team, will drive the Chevrolet Corvette pace car for the Indianapolis 500 on May 27. <br/><br/>Dempsey, one of the stars of the

Tuesday, May 1st 2007, 10:41 am

By: News On 6

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) _ Actor Patrick Dempsey, a co-owner of the Vision Racing team, will drive the Chevrolet Corvette pace car for the Indianapolis 500 on May 27.

Dempsey, one of the stars of the ABC-TV hit drama ``Grey's Anatomy,'' will lead the field of 33 drivers to the green flag at the start of the race.

``During recent years he has developed a strong bond with racing and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, so he truly understands and appreciates the pageantry, prestige and tradition of the month of May and the Indianapolis 500,'' Speedway president Joie Chitwood said in a statement Tuesday.

Dempsey has driven in sports car races and off-road events and is a partner in Vision Racing with IRL and Speedway CEO Tony George.

Last year's pace car driver was seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong.

Other celebrity drivers in recent years included actors Morgan Freeman, Anthony Edwards and Jim Caviezel, comic Jay Leno and former Secretary of State Colin Powell.