Super Bowl champion Michael Strahan named as the 109th Indianapolis 500’s pace car driver

NFL Super Bowl Champion Michael Strahan is set to drive the honorary pace car in the Indy 500 in May 2025. The Fox Sports squad made the official announcement on Fox NFL Sunday on November 24, where he serves as a co-host.

Strahan is a retired American Pro Football player who played for the New York Giants as a defensive end for his entire 15-year career. In 2014, seven years after winning the Super Bowl and retiring, he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Strahan's post-NFL career in the world of entertainment was as successful, winning two Daytime Emmy awards for co-hosting Live! with Kelly and Michael with Kelly Ripa.

After FOX NFL Sunday host Curt Menefee announced Strahan's participation in 2025's Indy 500, the man of the moment was all smiles. As the five hosts walked towards the 1,064-horsepower 2025 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 coupe on set, Strahan said:

"This is what I’m going to drive fellas, the Corvette XR1. This is my ride, right here. I’m going to drive the Pace Car. I love this car. This is rad."

On co-host Howie Long's cue, Strahan also joked about how he planned to drive the beast of a car all the way back to New York once he was done leading the 33 drivers.

This NFL-IndyCar crossover comes as a part of FOX Sports becoming the latest exclusive broadcaster of the racing series from 2025 onwards.

Michael Strahan's Indy 500 participation is a pivotal cog in FOX Sports' promotion of IndyCar

AUTO: AUG 17 NTT IndyCar Series Bommarito Automotive Group 500 - Source: Getty

Though IndyCar's viewership continues to rise year-on-year, it lags compared to NASCAR and Formula 1's growth. According to IndyCar CEO Mark Miles, the 2025 FOX Sports deal promised more exposure than the ongoing NBC deal, which eased the decision to switch broadcasters.

The promotional efforts began during the announcement of the Grand Prix of Arlington, set to arrive in March 2026, which was featured on FOX’s 'America’s Game of the Week'.

Explaining the rationale behind choosing Michael Strahan as the Indy 500 pace car driver, IMS President J. Douglas Boles said:

"Michael is an impressive addition to the lineup of all-star athletes and celebrities to serve as honorary Pace Car driver for the Indianapolis 500. From the gridiron to the broadcast studio, Michael is no stranger to leading a fast-paced field. As we kick off a new era of IndyCar and the Indy 500 on FOX, Michael will have one of the best seats in the house for the start of the world’s greatest race."

While Strahan is only the second NFL player after Jim Harbaugh to be given this opportunity, he succeeds Hollywood celebrities like Patrick Dempsey, Morgan Freeman, Jay Leno, Josh Duhamel, and Jeffrey Dean Morgan among others to kick off the "Greatest Spectacle in Racing."