---
title: "Olympic Champion Lilly King Will Pace the 2018 IndyCar Grand Prix at Indianapolis"
description: "The competitive swimmer for Indiana University will get a chance to pilot the 460-horsepower Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport."
date: "2018-05-12"
modified: "2018-05-12"
authors:
  - name: "Jerry Perez"
    job_title: "Deputy Editor"
    link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/jerry-perez"
url: "https://www.thedrive.com/accelerator/20804/olympic-champion-lilly-king-will-pace-the-2018-indycar-grand-prix-at-indianapolis"
categories:
  - "News"
tags:
  - "College"
  - "Indianapolis Motor Speedway"
  - "Indy 500"
  - "Indycar Series"
  - "olympics"
  - "racing"
  - "Racing News"
---

# Olympic Champion Lilly King Will Pace the 2018 IndyCar Grand Prix at Indianapolis

![](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/images-by-url-td/content/2018/05/dsc09025.jpg>)
*\<em\>www.thedrive.com</em>*

Olympic gold medal-winning swimmer Lilly King will have the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to drive the Chevy Corvette pace car during Saturday's IndyCar Grand Prix at the [Indianapolis Motor Speedway](<https://www.thedrive.com/accelerator/20763/indycar-champ-scott-dixon-wheels-a-police-car-at-indianapolis-motor-speedway>).

As an Evansville, Indiana native, King isn't a complete stranger to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway or [IndyCar](<https://www.thedrive.com/accelerator/19660/the-casual-fans-2018-indycar-spotters-guide>). That being said, her idea of racing is just a bit different than what she'll witness today when 24 daredevils fight it out wheel-to-wheel around the 2.4-mile road course nestled within the iconic 2.5-mile oval.

![message-editor%2F1526083823645-dsc09019.jpg](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/message-editor/1526083823645-dsc09019.jpg>)
*Doug Boles, IMS President chats with Olympian Lilly King at the yard of bricks., *DrivesWGirls**

King, who competes for Indiana University, won two gold medals in the 2016 Summer [Olympics](<https://www.thedrive.com/tech/18234/convoy-of-autonomous-hyundais-drives-from-seoul-to-pyeongchang>) in Rio de Janeiro in the 100-meter breaststroke and as a member of Team USA's 4x100 medley relay team. She also is the world-record holder in the 50-meter and 100-meter breaststroke and is an eight-time gold medal winner in the FINA World Championships.

"We've never had a female [pace the IndyCar Grand Prix](<https://www.thedrive.com/news/20354/entire-collection-of-indy-500-corvette-pace-cars-headed-to-auction>), as we've never felt that we've found the right fit," Douglas Boles, Indianapolis Motor Speedway President, told *The Drive*. "It's the IndyCar Grand Prix, it's all about Indiana, it's about kicking off the month that leads to the Indy 500, so when we thought of Lilly we realized she was a perfect fit. She represents Indiana on the world stage, so we decided to ask her not knowing if she'd be interested at all."

![message-editor%2F1526083885645-dsc09022.jpg](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/message-editor/1526083885645-dsc09022.jpg>)
*The 2018 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport, *DrivesWGirls**

Because slipping rapidly and skillfully through the water is a bit different than driving a 460-horsepower Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport, King has been [putting in quite a few practice laps](<https://www.thedrive.com/accelerator/20654/six-former-champions-will-fight-for-the-victory-at-this-years-indy-500>) at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, which is where we caught up with her recently.

"I was so excited when they asked me to do this! I get a lot of requests from my agent, but they typically don't involve driving a pace car," King told *The Drive*. "I'm super excited, it's going to be a lot of fun."

"I've never done anything like this before and I never realized how hard it would be," King continued. "Most people would think it's just like driving around normally around a track, but there's a lot of work to put in to do it properly. It certainly makes me appreciate this sport even more."

## Author
Jerry is responsible for upholding The Drive's ethos as an audience-first, enthusiast-driven car blog that serves up industry-leading news, reviews, culture, and motorsport coverage. Overseeing a staff of writers and editors from his home base in Indianapolis, he helps curate the site's daily rundown, as well as its medium- and long-term content strategies. Jerry joined The Drive in 2018 as a writer and worked as news editor and managing editor before becoming the deputy in 2023. As a lifelong car enthusiast and racing fan, Jerry believes that all cars are cool, but the people behind the machines are even cooler. This belief often gives The Drive a slightly different focus from most other car sites, where we explore the humanity behind the machines. When he's not obsessing over the day's biggest stories or hanging out at a race track, Jerry can be found behind the wheel of a car, most likely sharing a laugh with his teenage son or daughter.

### Author social links  
[Instagram](<https://www.instagram.com/drive_jerry/>)