© General Motors
2020 Indy 500 Pace Car
The all-new eighth generation Chevrolet Corvette Stingray will lead the 2020 Indianapolis 500 field to the green flag on Sunday, August 23 — the first time the race has ever been held outside of May. A specially prepared Torch Red 2020 Corvette Stingray coupe driven by GM President Mark Reuss will pace a field of 33 IndyCars to a rolling start for the 104th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge, marking the 17th time that a Chevrolet Corvette has held this enviable honor.
© General Motors
2020 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray
“It’s truly an honor to have the opportunity to be behind the wheel of the mid-engine Corvette Pace Car at such a historic race as the Indy 500,” said GM President Mark Reuss. “The 2020 Corvette Stingray is the result of a close collaboration between the Corvette Racing and production engineering teams, setting a new benchmark for supercars around the world.”
© General Motors
2020 Indy 500 Pace Car
The first-ever mid-engine Corvette, the 2020 Corvette Stingray Pace car is powered by a new LT2 6.2-liter V8 engine producing 495 horsepower and 470 lb-ft of torque, delivered through an 8-speed dual-clutch transmission. The 2020 Corvette Stingray Pace Car is further equipped with the Z51 Performance Package, a Corvette accessory spoiler, a ground effects package, Carbon Flash exterior accents, GT2 Bucket Seats and a unique Indy 500 livery.
© General Motors
2019 Indy Pace Car
A Corvette has paced the Indy 500 field 16 times in the past — more than any other model — and 2020 marks the 31st time a Chevrolet will lead the field, beginning in 1948 with a Chevrolet Fleetmaster Six convertible. Last year, the final year of the seventh-generation Corvette, the pace car was the 2019 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport driven by retired NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. The following photos document the generations of Corvette pace cars that have led 11 rows of race cars to the green flag for the start of a grueling 500-mile event known as “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.”