Definition

Noun: A specially marked or designated car that leads the field of competing race cars around the track at a controlled, safe speed under cautionary conditions (such as during a caution period, at the start of a race, or for a rolling start), before exiting the track and allowing the race to resume.

Usage

The term "pace car" is used specifically in the context of motorsports, particularly auto racing series like NASCAR or IndyCar. It refers to the official vehicle that controls the speed of the race cars on the track when normal racing conditions are not in effect.

Examples

• The safety car, often called the pace car, entered the track after the multi-car collision.
• The race leader must follow the pace car and cannot pass it until the green flag is waved.
• During the caution period, all cars bunched up behind the pace car.

Advanced Usage

• "To bunch up behind the pace car": This phrase describes the race cars grouping together closely in a line behind the pace car during a caution period.
• "Pace car driver": Refers to the person who drives the official pace car, often a notable figure from the racing world.

Variants and Related Words

• Safety Car: A synonymous term used in Formula One and other international racing series. While functionally identical to a pace car, "safety car" is the preferred term in many global racing contexts.

Synonyms

• Safety Car
• Course Car (less common)

Related Phrases

• Pace lap: The lap(s) driven under the control of the pace car, especially at the beginning of a race before the green flag.
• Caution period / Yellow flag conditions: The situation during a race that necessitates the use of the pace car.

Noun

1. a high-performance car that leads a parade of competing cars through the pace lap and then pulls off the course