[PHOTOS] Roger Penske to Drive Camaro SS Pace Car at 100th Indy 500
Roger Penske’s 50th year as a race team owner coincides with the 50-anniversary of the Chevy Camaro
Photo: © General Motors
For NASCAR fans, it might be surprising to find out Roger Penske will be driving a Chevy Camaro SS pace car at the Indianapolis 500, especially when you consider both of his drivers pilot Ford Fusion stock cars in the Sprint Cup Series, but that’s until you take into account that his Chevrolet Indy Racing League team actually picked up the win in last year’s Indy 500.
In total, Team Penske has won the “Greatest Spectacle in Racing” 16 different times and this year marks Penske’s 50th year as a race team owner, which makes it just the right time for him to drive the 2017 Camaro SS 50th Anniversary Edition at the upcoming 100th running of the Indy 500.
“Chevrolet and Roger Penske are inextricably linked to the heritage of the Indianapolis 500,” said President of Indianapolis Motor Speedway J. Douglas Boles. “When he leads the pack on May 29, behind the wheel of the Camaro SS, he will drive the race into its next 100 years and strengthen the bond Chevrolet and Indianapolis forged a century ago.”
Chevrolet has provided the pace car for the Indy 500 on 27 occasions, with the Chevy Camaro being the vehicle of choice nine times. The first Camaro convertible pace car appeared at the 1967 running of the Indy 500 and its most recent appearance came in 2014 with the Z-28 coupe.
A total of four identical Camaro pace cars will appear at next month’s race. All four muscle cars will wear the Abalone White exterior color option and each will feature “100th Running of the Indianapolis 500” graphics along the side of the vehicle.
A special-edition Camaro 50th Anniversary package will be available for production models of the 2LT and 2SS later this summer.
Gallery: 2017 Camaro SS 50th Anniversary Edition
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