HOFer Ken Griffey Jr. to take up the wheel of pace car & lead the start for Indianapolis 500
Ken Griffey Jr. has dipped his toes into many new ventures following his successful 22-year career in the big leagues. He has coached, works as a senior adviser to Rob Manfred, and is a professional sports photographer.
Now, the 13-time All-Star is headed to the race track. It was announced on Monday that "The Kid" would lead the pace car on Sunday for the Indianapolis 500.
This will be the 108th running of the historic race, which is always held on Memorial Day weekend. It is shaping up to be another exciting race with how fast the pack looks to be for this upcoming weekend.
For those unfamiliar, the pace car is the car that leads the pack to limit speeds and ensure safety when there is a crash. Expect to see Griffey out there more than just a time or two as this race can get hectic fast.
Ken Griffey Jr. has not stopped since hanging up his cleats
After hanging up his cleats during the 2010 season, Ken Griffey Jr. still had a passion for the game. While he left the Seattle Mariners franchise all of a sudden and retired, he returned as a special consultant.
In 2021, Griffey decided to join the team's ownership group. That same year, he was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame's Board of Directors and became a senior adviser to MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred.
As recent as last season Griffey has worked as a sideline photographer for the NFL. He was also spotted working an MLS match between Miami and Nashville SC in August.
Griffey is a man of many talents, and there is seemingly nothing he cannot do. We will have to tune into Sunday to see just how well his driving skills are, though.