Chevrolet revs up for fall launch of new Stingray with 12th run as Indianapolis 500 Pace Car

By Marcus Amick Published May 3, 2013

While it might be a little earlier to start casting votes just yet, if the performance attributes of the all-new Chevrolet Corvette live up to half of the exposure it’s getting, then consider a lot of those upcoming “Car of the Year” awards a wrap.

Although the new Stingray isn’t set to hit showrooms until Fall, it’s hard to go a week without hearing something about the 2014 Stingray – most recently that the sports car will serve as the Indianapolis 500 Pace Car.

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“It is an honor to help inaugurate the all-new Corvette Stingray at the hallowed Brickyard and further the legacy between Chevrolet and the Indianapolis 500,” said Jim Campbell, GM vice president of Performance Vehicles and Motorsports. “The 2014 Corvette Stingray’s performance was influenced by racing, making this prestigious assignment even more fitting.”

Special features on the Corvette Stingray Pace Car include a Laguna Blue Tintcoat with official Indianapolis 500 graphics on the doors and special track-mandated safety features and strobe lights.

News that the all-new 450-horsepower seventh-generation will lead the field to green at the start of the 97th running of “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” May 26, marks the 12th time the Corvette has served as the Pace Car, a legacy that started in 1978.

Here are a few other Chevrolet Corvette Pace Cars from the past:

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