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.
Super Bowl champion and Pro Football Hall of Famer Michael Strahan will drive the pace car in the Indy 500, and FOX NFL analyst Rob Gronkowski will take the role of Grand Marshal. Lydia Mee, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 May 2025 Supplying the pace car is an honor for manufacturers, which also have used the opportunity to show off their latest and greatest cars. Erik Shilling, Robb Report, 1 May 2025 The first Corvette Indy 500 pace car was in 1978 with a C3 driven by former Indy winner Jim Rathmann. Erik Shilling, Robb Report, 1 May 2025 He was joined by Carl Edwards as the guest of honor, along with the Wood Brothers Racing family, who waved the green flag as Biffle drove the pace car. Gordon G. Chang, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Apr. 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 23 May. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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