After winning with the Hoosiers, head coach Curt Cignetti was given the honor of being the Indy 500's honorary pace car driver. Cignetti embraced the high-profile opportunity.

After the event, Cignetti was interviewed by FOX Sports' Tom Rinaldi about his feelings.

"I like being No 1, so I get to start in front and finish in front," said Cignetti happily.

The comment quickly resonated with the fans. Indiana, under Cignetti, won its first-ever College Football Playoff national title with an undefeated season. They finished the season 16-0, starting in front and not slipping at any moment.

When Tom Allen was coach, Indiana ended their season run with a 3-9 record. The dramatic shift from Allen's tenure highlights Cignetti's immediate impact.

In Curt Cignetti's first year, they made it to the playoffs. Unfortunately, Notre Dame cut their run short. The following year, the mistakes were not repeated, eventually leading to a championship win.

Cignetti has turned himself into an icon since his arrival at Bloomington. Cignetti's 27-2 record since arriving in Bloomington has cemented his status as a local icon. Keep in mind the Hoosiers have not suffered a loss since the opening round of the 2024 college football playoff.

Following this run, Cignetti had the honor of being the pace car driver, for which he was trained by retired race car driver Sarah Fisher, who has driven in seven Indy 500s.

And Cignetti Put That Training to Good Use

Cignetti ran a total of four laps in the pace car, going 75 mph, 90 mph, 90 mph, and then hitting 100 mph on the final lap. But that number was incredibly higher in practice, as Cignetti told FOX. He revealed he hit 166 mph in practice and 177 mph the night before the race.

Talking to FOX before the race, Cignetti added, "I kind of approach it like a game. I’m oblivious to the crowd. When it’s time, you go and you lock in and do your thing."

And when Pat McAfee made a post on X about Cignetti driving a pace car with Black Hawk helicopters following him, Cignetti's had a cheeky response:

"It's time to rip off the rear-view mirror and focus on the target ahead."

The Hoosiers have already found the target once. With another season of college football right around the corner, will he be able to lead his team to the championship once again?

Let us know what you think in the comments!

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Written by

Sourav Ganguly

Edited by

Siddharth Shirwadkar