Global Icon Trump To Drive 100th Anniversary Indianapolis 500 Pace Car
April 05, 2011 | By Paul Kelly
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Global business icon Donald J. Trump will drive the 2011 Chevrolet Camaro Convertible Pace Car to lead the field of 33 drivers to the start of the 100th Anniversary Indianapolis 500 on Sunday, May 29 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
The 100th Anniversary Indianapolis 500, “The Most Important Race in History,” starts at noon (ET) Sunday, May 29 and will be televised on ABC for the 47th consecutive year.
“It’s a great honor to be selected as the Pace Car driver for such an American institution as the 100th anniversary of the Indianapolis 500,” Trump said. “The Indianapolis 500 has been the gold standard of motorsports for a century, and I can’t wait to get behind the wheel of the Camaro and bring the famous field of 33 drivers to the green flag.”
Trump is the very definition of the American success story. He has set new standards of excellence while expanding his interests nationally and internationally, with personal involvement in every one of his ventures.
A native of New York, Trump is the chairman and chief executive officer of the Trump Organization, the pre-eminent developer of quality real estate around the world. Trump is also a world-class golf course developer, best-selling author, successful television producer and star of the hit reality television series, “The Apprentice.”
The Trump signature is synonymous with the most prestigious addresses around the world, including significant holdings in New York. Among them is the world-renowned Fifth Avenue skyscraper, Trump Tower. Luxury residential buildings include Trump World Tower at the United Nations Plaza, Trump Park Avenue at 59th Street and Park Avenue, Trump Place on the Hudson River and Trump Palace.
In 1997, Trump International Hotel & Tower opened its doors to the world, a 52-story super luxury hotel and residential building in New York designed by the famed architect Philip Johnson. The property is one of only three in the country to have received a double Mobil Five-Star rating for both the hotel and its restaurant, Jean-Georges.
The 92-story Trump International Hotel & Tower Chicago opened in 2008 and was touted by Condé Nast Traveler as the “best new hotel in North America.” The Trump Hotel Collection has projects going up around the world.
Trump also has developed award-winning golf courses in New York, New Jersey, Los Angeles (Trump National Golf Clubs), Palm Beach, Fla. (Trump International Golf Club), Canouan Island in the Grenadines, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic, with one in development in Aberdeen, Scotland (Trump International Golf Links Scotland).
An avid golfer, Trump’s latest acquisitions are Trump National Golf Club in Colts Neck, N.J., and Trump National Golf Club in Washington, D.C., which fronts the Potomac River for 3 miles, and Trump National Golf Club Philadelphia. His popular golf show, “Donald Trump’s Fabulous World of Golf,” can be seen on the Golf Channel.
As an accomplished author, Trump has written numerous best sellers, including the business classic “The Art of the Deal,” “The Art of the Comeback,” “The America We Deserve,” “How To Get Rich,” “Think Like a Billionaire,” “Trump 101,” “Why We Want You To Be Rich,” “Think Big,” “Never Give Up” and “Think Like a Champion.”
Trump and the NBC Television Network are partners in the ownership and broadcast rights for the Miss Universe, Miss USA and Miss Teen USA pageants. Miss Universe is broadcast in more than 180 countries.
In January 2004, Trump joined forces with Mark Burnett Productions and NBC to produce and star in “The Apprentice.” The show quickly climbed to No. 1 on television and is in its 11th season, hitting a season high in ratings. Trump’s production company, Trump Productions, is based in Los Angeles.
Trump also had a successful radio program on Clear Channel for several years and is one of the highest-paid speakers in the world. Trump received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2007.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Donald Trump as the driver of the Pace Car for the 100th Anniversary Indianapolis 500,” said Jeff Belskus, Indianapolis Motor Speedway Corporation president and chief executive officer. “He is an iconic American success story, a business leader without peer who is a fitting choice to bring the field for ‘The Most Important Race in History’ to the green flag.”
Equipped with a 400-horsepower V-8 engine and six-speed automatic transmission, the Chevrolet Camaro Convertible Pace Car requires no performance modifications to perform its duty in front of the 33-car racing field. The color combination is similar to the design used on 1969 Camaro Indianapolis 500 Pace Car replicas – cars which have become among the most popular Camaros in the collector world.
“It’s a special honor for the new Camaro Convertible to pace Indianapolis 500, especially this year, which is the 100th anniversary of the founding of both Chevrolet and ‘The Greatest Spectacle in Racing,’” said Rick Scheidt, U.S. vice president of Chevrolet marketing.
Joining Trump ahead of the Indianapolis 500 field on one of the parade laps will be Addison Brown of Scottsdale, Ariz., who will drive a special-edition Chevrolet Camaro SS Convertible 2011 Indianapolis 500 Pace Car replica that she won at the Barrett-Jackson auction Jan. 22.
Chevrolet donated Brown’s winning bid of $225,000 to the David Foster Foundation, a charity devoted to supporting families with children in need of life-saving organ transplants. David Foster, the 16-time Grammy-winning music producer and songwriter, founded the organization in his native Canada.
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2011 Indianapolis 500 tickets: Tickets are on sale for the 100th Anniversary Indianapolis 500, “The Most Important Race in History,” on Sunday, May 29, 2011 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Race Day ticket prices start at just $30. Fans can buy tickets online at www.imstix.com, by calling the IMS ticket office at (317) 492-6700, or (800) 822-INDY outside the Indianapolis area, or by visiting the ticket office at the IMS Administration Building at the corner of Georgetown Road and 16th Street between 8 a.m.-5 p.m. (ET) Monday-Friday.
Children 12 and under will be receive free general admission to any IMS event in 2011 when accompanied by an adult general admission ticket holder.
Tickets for groups of 20 or more also are on sale. Contact the IMS Group Sales Department at (866) 221-8775 for more information.