The Ford Mustang first served as the Indianapolis 500 pace car in 1964.
The Mustang paced the 48th running of the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on May 30, 1964. Benson Ford, a member of the Ford family and a company executive, drove the pace car as the field prepared for the race. A.J. Foyt won the event, which was also remembered for a serious seven-car crash that killed drivers Eddie Sachs and Dave MacDonald.
The timing gave Ford valuable publicity during the Mustang’s first year on the market. The car had been publicly introduced at the New York World’s Fair on April 17, 1964, and quickly became a major sales success. The Indianapolis appearance placed the new model in front of a huge motor-racing audience.
Later Mustang pace-car appearances can cause confusion. The Mustang returned as an Indianapolis 500 pace car in 1979 and again in 1994. The 1965 race instead used a Plymouth Sport Fury, while 1966 featured a Mercury Comet Cyclone GT.