Dempsey pumped up to drive the pace car for 91st '500' source: indycar.com / Dave Lewandowski Patrick Dempsey - sports car driver, IndyCar Series team co-owner and your favorite TV doctor - will drive the Chevrolet Corvette Convertible Pace Car for the 91st Indianapolis 500 on May 27. The "Grey's Anatomy" star also headlines a long list of celebs who will attend the race, including his hit ABC show co-stars Eric Dane and Ellen Pompeo. He'll ride on the back of one of the ceremonial convertible pace cars in the 500 Festival Parade on May 26 and (hint) get a feel for the real pace car on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway before and after the parade. Indycar.com caught up with the Golden Globe award winner recently on the Los Angeles set of "Made of Honor," which is scheduled for release next year. Have you driven a car around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway? "I've done it a couple of times. Last year, I actually drove the 'Vette around with (Johnny) Rutherford in the car, which was an amazing experience. Mr. Rutherford, I should say. You know, that's the way to do it." Relay the story about the year you took a celebrity parade lap and what you noticed. "You have the opportunity to go around the track during the parade laps and you hear all the different comments from the women screaming in one corner and then the men berating you in the next turn. So it's really funny to hear all the different comments from the people going around the track." Is there more pressure to drive the pace car in front of the largest single-day sporting event audience in the world and a worldwide audience or act in a show that is watched worldwide by millions? "I got a little nervous today on the set, but that was just anticipating everything. No, it's a great honor to be part of the history of the 500, and that's the thing that keeps coming back to me. You look at who has started it with (Carl) Fisher the first pace car driver. Jackie Stewart has done it, which is pretty amazing. Then you look at the list of who has done this, and to then see your name there is a great thing to be part of history." Looking forward to having some time with Rutherford in the pace car this week, learning the ropes on the track? "We'll definitely go to the next level, run around the track some and get a sense and appreciation of what the men and women are doing in the race. It's good to see all the drivers and catch up with some of them. I'd like to stay out when the green flag flies, but that would be a dangerous thing to do."
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