After winning the Indiana Hoosiers’ first-ever natty and backing his “google me, I win” mantra, head honcho Curt Cignetti’s aura has become unparalleled. The word is Curt Cignetti is officially taking a victory lap. In a move for Indiana sports, he has been named the honorary pace car driver for the 110th running of the Indianapolis 500 on May 24.

This has to be one of the greatest moments in college football-Indy crossover. It puts him right at the front of “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.” The head honcho will lead a field of 33 world-class drivers to the green flag. This role is a major part of the pre-race tradition, which includes the singing of “Back Home Again in Indiana” and a flyover that always gets the crowd of over 300,000 people roaring with excitement.

The car Cignetti will be handling is no ordinary ride by any means. He’ll be behind the wheel of the all-new Chevrolet Corvette ZR1X. This American hypercar is already being hailed as one of the most powerful production Corvettes ever made. It features an electrified all-wheel-drive system and a twin-turbo V8 engine that pumps out a staggering 1,250 horsepower. It’s quite capable of launching from 0 to 60 mph in under two seconds.

Being chosen for this is a nod to Cignetti’s status as a local legend. This will place him in an elite club of Indiana icons who have driven the pace car. He follows in the footsteps of recent celebrity drivers like Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton (2023), baseball hall-of-famer Ken Griffey Jr. (2024), and NFL legend Michael Strahan (2025). It’s a tradition that goes all the way back to the very first race in 1911. Cignetti is only the second coach ever to get the call, following Jim Harbaugh back in 2013.

Needless to say, the 2026 race will be historic because it will be the first Indianapolis 500 broadcast by FOX Sports itself. The coverage starts at about 10:00 AM ET, and fans will see new camera angles and technology that make the race feel faster and closer.

For IndyCar fans, this brings something similar to the college football playoff month. The whole month of May is full of events before the big race. This includes the Sonsio Grand Prix on May 9 and the Miller Lite Carb Day on May 22, which has the final practice and the Pit Stop Challenge. These events build excitement for race day.

On race day, Curt Cignetti will drive the car for the opening laps and then head to the pits. After that, the professional drivers will start the race. They will race 500 miles, which is 200 laps of fast and close competition. At the end, the winner celebrates in Victory Lane with a bottle of milk and gets their face added to the famous Borg-Warner Trophy. Boy, Speedway (Indiana) looks like the place to be on the 24th of May.

Curt Cignetti’s legendary honours beyond football

It’s one thing to be a legend after multiple decades of success, but becoming the biggest face of the state within 24 months is unheard of. The state of Indiana knows what they have. Earlier this month, around the 4th, Governor Mike Braun awarded Curt Cignetti with the Sachem Award. This is actually the highest honor the state can give to a citizen.

He also received a prestigious title called a Sagamore of the Wabash. If you aren’t from Indiana, that sounds like a tongue-twister, but it’s actually a legendary service award that goes back decades. It’s a fancy name for a service award that governors give to people who have made a serious impact on Indiana life.

And honestly, you know you’ve truly ‘made it’ when people start making toys out of you. The National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum went all out and released a special talking bobblehead of him. This thing is a total fan favorite because it actually plays his now-legendary “Google me” quote from his very first press conference. It’s become a bit of a local catchphrase for being bold and backing it up.

With this, it’s safe to say, Curt Cignetti is the biggest celebrity in Indiana.