Jeff Gordon to Drive Corvette Z06 Pace Car at Indy 500
Jeff Gordon has made it clear that he loves Chevy, and as one might expect, Chevy loves him right back. That’s why the brand is honoring the retiring five-time Brickyard 400 winner this year, by having him drive the Corvette Z06 pace car at the 99th running of the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on May 24, 2015.
According to Chevy, this will be the 13th time that a Corvette has served as the official Indy 500 pace car, which is more than any other vehicle in the history of “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.”
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“It’s great to have Jeff Gordon serve as this year’s pace car driver,” said Jim Campbell, Chevrolet U.S. vice president of performance vehicles and motorsports. “He is a true champion who has earned the respect and admiration of competitors and race fans alike. It will be very special to have Jeff lead the Indy 500 field to the green flag, behind the wheel of the most powerful and capable production car ever from Chevrolet – on a day he’ll also be competing in the Coca Cola 600 NASCAR race at Charlotte Motor Speedway.”
The production-spec Corvette Z06 features a seven-speed manual transmission, track-capable chassis system, and 650 supercharged horsepower. The sports car features an Adrenaline Red interior and Arctic White exterior, decked out with a unique Indy graphics package and safety strobe lights.
“Indy is hallowed ground for racers like me and I couldn’t be more thrilled to drive the Corvette Z06 pace car around the track that helped drive my success over the years,” said Gordon. ”The Indianapolis 500 is one of the most celebrated races of the year and an event I always dreamed of racing while growing up in California and in nearby Pittsboro. I’ve won five NASCAR races at IMS and the track will always be a special place for me, so to be able to participate in such a historic day will be something I remember for the rest of my life.”
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