General Colin L. Powell, former U.S. Secretary of State, will drive a 2005 Chevrolet Corvette convertible pace car to lead the field to the start of the 89 th running of the Indianapolis 500 on May 29, 2005.

For a record seventh time, Corvette will pace the Indianapolis 500, and Powell owns a 2005 Corvette coupe. This race will be the track debut of the sixth-generation Corvette convertible and it marks the fourth consecutive year and 16 th time overall that a Chevrolet has served as the official pace vehicle–the most appearances by any brand. "I am very excited and looking forward to driving the Corvette pace car to lead the field at the Indy 500. It is a great American tradition and I am honored to be a part of it," said General Powell. "We’re proud that this year’s Indianapolis 500 will showcase the new sixth-generation Corvette convertible and honored that it will be driven by the highly distinguished and decorated General Powell at this Memorial Day classic," said Rick Scheidt, Chevrolet Executive Director for product and brand development. The 2005 Corvette convertible pace car features a “Victory Red” paint treatment with a bright “Machine Silver Metallic” primary stripe down the center, flanked by titanium and black accent stripes. The 2005 Indy 500 logo is on each door and is embroidered on the headrests while the Chevy red racing Bowtie appears at the top of the hood. The windshield also displays Chevy’s "An American Revolution" slogan. The race will be broadcast live on May 29 by ABC Sports and the IMS Radio Network. The green flag drops at 1 p.m. EDT.