pace car

American

[peys] / peɪs /

noun

(in auto racing) an automobile that leads the competing cars through a pace lap or laps and leaves the course before the actual start of the race.

Etymology

Origin of pace car

First recorded in 1960–65

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

pace car

So once again, the field lined up behind the pace car, unable to do any passing.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 25, 2026

The lengthy yellows took such a toll on the race that the pace car ran out of gas and needed to be refueled with more than 30 laps remaining.

From Washington Times ● Sep. 10, 2023

Robinson had gone from snowplow to pace car.

From Washington Post ● Nov. 27, 2022

Race organizers announced Tuesday they selected the IndyCar veteran and local fan favorite to be the celebrity pace car driver for the May 29 race.

From Seattle Times ● May 10, 2022

It was raining the day Burgemeister took her first pace car ride.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 10, 2022

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023