pace car

noun

: an automobile that leads the field of competitors through a pace lap but does not participate in the race

Examples of pace car in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
This year's celebrity pace car driver was Pro Football Hall of Famer and television host Michael Strahan. Hannah Hudnall, IndyStar, 2 July 2025 Their solution for the final race was to have a pace car driving in front of the runners, shining lasers on the ground to show the pacers exactly where their feet needed to be for each stride of the race. Alex Hutchinson, Outside Online, 30 June 2025 Each track has a manufacturer alliance, like a pace car branding, all that stuff. Saajan Jogia, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 June 2025 Villeneuve drives to victory after fellow Canadian Scott Goodyear is penalized for passing the pace car on the final restart. Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 28 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for pace car

Word History

First Known Use

1936, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of pace car was in 1936

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Cite this Entry

“Pace car.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pace%20car. Accessed 21 Jul. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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