Blackhawks Goaltender Corey Crawford Set to Drive Pace Car at IndyCar Grand Prix

Chicago Blackhawks goaltender Corey Crawford mostly gets to stay in one place while he’s on the ice, but this weekend he’ll have a much more mobile role as he will drive the pace car for the IndyCar Grand Prix at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Crawford, a well-known car enthusiast who has developed a reputation for restoring vehicles, is excited for the role, which will put him on the historic track before Saturday’s race.

“I’ve never really gotten a chance to do that sort of thing, so it’ll be cool for me,” he said. “I’ve never driven a Corvette, so I’ll get a chance to do that, and also to maybe meet some of the people around racing.”

Crawford will also get a chance to experience the circuit with a motorsports legend, as he’ll go on a ride-along with legendary driver Mario Andretti.

“He’s obviously done a lot in the sport, so to get a chance to meet him, I’m hoping he can push it a little bit and show me a thing or two,” he said. “There’s not many people who get to do that.”

Crawford is also excited to have an offseason to rest and recover from the grind of an NHL campaign, and he’s looking forward to going into the break in good health after the concussion issues he was dealing with last summer.

“We still have some potential here,” he said. “We want to win another Stanley Cup, so we’ve got to be ready.”

Actor Justin Hartley will drop the green flag for the race Saturday, as the Grand Prix will get underway at 3:50 p.m. with Felix Rosenqvist taking the pole position over teammate Scott Dixon.

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