Donald Trump No Longer in Driver’s Seat at Indy 500

[Gerald]

Donald J. Trump sits with Jeff Belksus, the chief executive of Indianapolis Motor Speedway, in the special-edition Chevrolet Camaro Indy 500 pace car at Trump Tower on April 5.

Donald J. Trump apparently has more important things to do than to drive the pace car in the Indianapolis 500 on May 29.

Mr. Trump, who may soon announce his intention to run for president, told speedway officials Thursday it would be inappropriate to participate in the race, which was celebrating its 100th anniversary this year.

“I very much appreciate the honor, but time and business constraints make my appearance there, especially with the necessary practice sessions, impossible to fulfill,” Mr. Trump, selected a month ago to be the pace-car driver, said in a speedway news release. ” I look forward to watching the race from New York.”

The replacement driver of the pace car, a special-edition Chevrolet Camaro convertible, will be announced later this month, the release said. The pace car, which provides the field of 33 cars with a rolling instead of a standing start, has been used since the first Indy 500 in 1911. Johnny Rutherford, the three-time Indy 500 champion, has driven the pace car in the last five runnings of the race.

http://wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/2011...t-indy-500/?hp


Note: May 5, 2011, 3:11 pm