As one might guess, “Pacers” stems from its connections to racing – both auto and horse. A group of investors in the original franchise, which began its existence in the old American Basketball Association, selected the nickname as a way of recognizing the Indianapolis 500 and its pace cars and the pacers at the state’s harness racing tracks. This dual tribute probably explains why the team has never used a race-car logo and instead has used a stylized “P” with a basketball.
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