Blackhawks goalie Corey Crawford drives the pace car at the IndyCar Grand Prix in Indianapolis

Blackhawks goalie Corey Crawford drove the pace car ahead of the field Saturday at the IndyCar Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Crawford, a sports car enthusiast, drove a Corvette to lead the pack around the historic venue’s infield course before the green flag signaled the start of the race. The starting goalie for the Stanley Cup champions in 2013 and 2015 was presented with a white helmet decorated with the Blackhawks’ feather pattern.

The Grand Prix is the start of a big month at the race track in preparation for the Indianapolis 500 on May 26.

“I’m honored to have been selected to drive this year’s pace car at a place as famous as the Brickyard,” Crawford said in a press release before the race. “Indianapolis is an incredibly passionate sports city, and I couldn’t be more excited to represent the Blackhawks and see their love for IndyCar racing in person.”

Earlier this year, Crawford completed the restoration of a 1970 Chevy Chevelle and donated it to a charity raffle.

In the race, Simon Pagenaud passed five-time series champ Scott Dixon on the second-to-last lap and pulled away for his third IndyCar Grand Prix victory as rooster tails from the wet track flew behind him as he crossed the famed yard of bricks.

The Frenchman won for the first time since the 2017 season finale at Sonoma, finishing 2.0469 seconds ahead of Dixon.

Dixon led most of the second half of the race but Pagenaud made an inside move on the seventh turn of Lap 84, bumped wheels with Dixon in the eight turn and sped away through the ninth.

Jack Harvey finished third for Meyer Shank Racing. He had a career-best finish in his first race in the rain, which forced all 24 drivers to change to rain tires over the final 20 laps.

The Associated Press contributed.

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