As part of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway's celebration of the 30th anniversary of the inaugural Brickyard 400 won by Jeff Gordon and Hendrick Motorsports, the team's namesake Rick Hendrick will serve as the honorary pace car driver for this weekend's edition of NASCAR's crown jewel Cup race at the Racing Capital of the World.

“Time goes by fast,” said Hendrick, who serves as the owner of Hendrick Motorsports and chairman and CEO or Hendrick Automotive Group.. “I can’t believe it’s been four decades since we started Hendrick Motorsports and 30 years since Jeff (Gordon) won the inaugural Brickyard 400.

"I’ll never forget the excitement around that event and the thrill of winning a race at Indianapolis. I’m grateful to our 40-year partners at Chevrolet for the opportunity to drive a pace car for the first time. I also want to thank my great friend Roger Penske and everyone at the track. Taking the field to green on Sunday will be something I’ll always remember.”

The owner of NASCAR's winningest Cup series team in the sport's history, with well over 300 wins and counting, celebrated another 'first' earlier this year, attending the Indianapolis 500 as a co-entrant for Kyle Larson's No. 17 Chevy he partnered on with Arrow McLaren. Though the day didn't quite go how Hendrick, Larson and company planned due to a lengthy weather delay at IMS, Hendrick spent the last 18 months preparing his team of 600 employees to take part in 'The Double' for the first time.

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Larson was unable to run NASCAR's Coke 600 that day, but he did lead laps as a rookie, completed all 200 laps and finished 18th to take home Rookie of the Year honors after qualifying 5th.

Launched in 1984, Hendrick Motorsports runs four full-time Cup teams and holds every major statistical record for the Cup series, including championships, wins, poles and laps led. During the team's history, Hendrick has won at least a single race in a record 40 total seasons, including a current streak for 39 in-a-row. Most recently, Larson won a Cup title for Hendrick in 2021, and the team currently has Larson and 2020 champ Chase Elliott sitting 1-2 in the regular season points race entering Sunday's Brickyard 400.

The legendary team owner, who will lead the Cup field to green Sunday in Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2017, as well as the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in 2013.

“For all of us at GM and Chevrolet, as well as for our partners at IMS, it’s an honor to have Rick Hendrick lead the NASCAR Cup series field to the green flag at this year’s Brickyard 400,” General Motors president Mark Reuss said. in a release. “Chevrolet and Hendrick Motorsports have had a storied history together over the past 40 years. Having Rick pace the 30th anniversary of this prestigious race is a special way to celebrate our partnership and the legacy he has built in NASCAR.”

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Rick Hendrick Brickyard 400 pace car driver as NASCAR back on IMS oval