First-Ever Daytona 500 Pace Truck, a Chevy Silverado, Will Be Driven by Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. will pace the Daytona 500 in this 2019 Chevrolet Silverado
Dale Earnhardt Jr. has won the Daytona 500 twice, and now he’ll lead the way in a different capacity.
The 61st Daytona will be held Feb. 17. To get the event underway, Earnhardt Jr. will drive a 2019 Chevrolet Silverado pace truck. It will be the first time a pickup has paced the field.
“I’ve had a lot of fun and a lot of success at Daytona over the years, and now I can’t wait to get out on that track in a Silverado,” said Earnhardt Jr. “Away from the track I’ve driven Chevy trucks all my life, and I’m excited to have this unique experience of pacing the Daytona 500 with the Silverado.”
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Earnhardt notched Daytona 500 victories in 2004 and 2014. Over his career, he achieved 19 top 10 finishes in 36 races at Daytona International Speedway.
“Dale Earnhardt Jr. was the perfect choice to pace the race because of his enthusiasm for the sport, his long history with Chevrolet, and his love of trucks,” said Jim Campbell, Chevy’s vice president of performance vehicles and motorsports. “It’ll be exciting to have Dale lead the field in the strongest, most advanced Silverado ever.”
Earnhardt Jr.’s Silverado pace truck will carry a production 6.2-liter V8 engine that makes 420 horsepower and 460 lb-ft of torque and is mated to a 10-speed automatic transmission. The Silverado will be joining some elite company — the Camaro has paced the Great American Race seven times and the Corvette has paced it five times.
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