IMS STATEMENT ON PASSING OF JAMES GARNER

INDIANAPOLIS, Sunday, July 20, 2014 - A statement from Indianapolis Motor Speedway President J. Douglas Boles about the death of James Garner:

"All of us at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway are saddened by the passing of James Garner. He was a true friend of the Indianapolis 500 and his passion for the event, for the sport, and its fans made his many appearances at the race something to look forward to each year. As a three-time pace car driver for the 500 (1975, 1977 & 1985), Garner was also a skilled driver and will be remembered as one of the first true celebrities to be given the honor of leading the field of 33 to the green flag. Our thoughts and prayers are with Garner's family, friends and fans." 

 

 

 

Message shared by Indianapolis Motor Speedway

2013 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 Receives 2012 Indy 500 Pace Car Honour

Photo Credit: General Motors

Three weeks before the scheduled start of the 2012 Indianapolis 500, we were kept waiting for the announcement of the event’s ceremonial pace car. On Monday, the speedway and the participating car company finally introduced the pace vehicle for the 96^th running of the 500-mile race. Set to serve the 33-car field on May 28^th of this year will be a 2013 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1.

Becoming the 11^th time that the Corvette nameplate will preside in front of the race car pack at Indy, this year’s pace car is a near equal to the 2012 IZOD INDYCAR Series Dallara DW12 racers. Covered by Arctic White paint and Pearl Silver Blue full body dual racing stripes, the Corvette ZR1 pace car pays tribute to the famous sports car’s 60^th anniversary in the 2013 model year. The third time that the Corvette pacing of the Indy 500 will coincide with the celebration of a production anniversary. Previous occasions occurred during the 25^th and 50^th anniversary years of the Corvette.

The composite body of the 2013 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 pace car involves the first significant use of carbon fiber in a production version of the American sports car. The hood, front fenders, front splitter, rocker panels and floor pan are produced by the racing-developed carbon fiber material promoting a lightweight, high performance package.

Powered by a supercharged 6.2 liter LS9 V-8 engine, 2013 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 edition packs the most powerful production engine ever to pace car duties for the Indianapolis 500. The 638-horsepower and 604 pounds-feet of torque, this 2013 edition sports car beats the previous record-setting pace car engine performance of the Corvette Z06 models that led the 2006, 2007 and 2008 Indianapolis Motor Speedway events with an output of 505 horsepower. Delivering power through the rear wheels, the supercharged 6.2 liter LS9 V-8 allows the car to blaze to 0 to 60 time in only 3.4 seconds and a top speed of 205 miles per hour. While the 2013 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 pace car may just be short of speed in making the 2012 Indy 500 field, the street legal sports car is one of the hottest non-race cars to trek at the Brickyard.

Photo Credit: General Motors

Along with being the most powerful Indy 500 pace cars in the 96 races at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the 2013 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 rides on advanced suspension that would be disallowed in competition. Performance Track Management provides catered handling for several adrenaline-charged driving scenarios. The 2013 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 pace car is slowed from its exhilarating drive by Brembo carbon-ceramic disc brakes designed to operate at high performance thresholds. The Corvette ZR1 uses highly-adaptive Magnetic Ride Control for a very disciplined, comfortable travel whether rolling on the smooth, paved distance or over the yard of bricks at the 2.5-mile oval track.

The 11^th consecutive time since 2002, Chevrolet has been the only pace car of the Indianapolis 500. The 2013 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 will be the 23^rd time overall the bowtie badge will lead the Indy car field to green for the memorial day event.

For the first time since 1993 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, a Chevrolet-branded pace car will be present in a race where the auto maker has a competitive presence. Chevrolet’s twin-turbocharged V-6 engine enters the 2.5-mile oval as the winner of the first four IZOD INDYCAR Series events. At least 12 Chevrolet-powered IZOD INDYCAR race cars will attempt to qualify for the 2012 edition of the memorial day event.

2011 Indy 500 to be Paced by Chevrolet Camaro SS Convertible

Photo Credit: General Motors

As the Indianapolis 500 celebrates a centennial year milestone, the history of the famed 2.5-mile Brickyard is realized a little more than usual. Of the 95 races run on the track since 1911, one symbol for every 500-mile race was the honour of one American automobile to led the racers to the green flag. Started when the Indianapolis Motor Speedway's founder Carl G. Fisher chose to feature a Stoddard-Dayton (a car chosen since Fisher was a dealer of soon-to-be flattered automaker) to pace the first Indianapolis 500. Since then, the Indy 500 pace car duties have become merged with that moment of anticipation before every open wheel race set to run at the Brickyard.  

For the third-straight year, the Chevrolet Camaro SS has been selected as the pace setting vehicle during the Indy 500. However, as a change from the previous 2 years, a newly-released convertible version of the Camaro will lead the 33-field of open wheel IZOD INDYCAR drivers to green. The first time since 1969 that a Chevrolet Camaro SS convertible has been chosen for pace car duties, a strong sense of that past is conveyed in the 2011 Chevrolet Camaro SS convertible. Replicating the image of the Indy 500 pace car (a Chevrolet Camaro considered to be one of the most iconic vehicles of which participated in the Indianapolis Motor Speedway's pace car program), the 2011 Camaro SS convertible wears identical Summit White accented by orange double-stripping. The colour scheme layers the Chevrolet Camaro SS convertible's interior with the orange being dominant over leather seating.

Photo Credit: General Motors

Earning the 2011 Chevrolet Camaro SS convertible some special notoriety this upcoming May, the retro-themed look is joined by modern amenities. StabiliTrak electronic stability control, HID headlights and four-wheel Brembo-supported disc brakes are advancements over the late 1960s pace setter. Also, 20-inch polished aluminum wheels glimmer as the Camaro sails around the 2.5 mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway. 

Running gear for the 96th Indianapolis 500 pace car is also based on 21st century technology but embodies the soul of the muscle car era. The Camaro SS model's 6.2 liter V-8 powerplant mated with a 6-speed automatic transmission for the actual pace car. Unmodified from the production convertible, engine performance for the 2011 Chevrolet Camaro SS convertible pace car is rated at 400 horsepower.

Popularized at the Indy 500, the 1969 Chevrolet Camaro SS convertible enduring fame is created to just under 3,700 dealer-sold replicas. Though there is no announcement of pace car replicas of the 2011 Camaro SS convertible being produced on that scale, at least 1 vehicle of the 50 Festival committee vehicles will be made available to the public. Benefiting of the David Foster Foundation, a 2011 Chevrolet Camaro SS convertible will be sold at the Barrett-Jackson Auction January 22nd.

Countdown to Indy (#6): Five Most Significant Indy 500 Pace Cars

For number 6 to the XSL Speed Reporter Countdown to Indy I would like to direct you to a recent article I wrote for automoblog.net on the Top 5 Most Remarkable Indy 500 Pace Cars. An automotive news website, I have currently stepped up my association with this very promising web publication. Please click on the photo below to be taken to the Automoblog.net article.



Photo Credit: Indianapolis Motor Speedway

Countdown to Indy (#18): 2010 Chevrolet Camaro Indy 500 Pace Car

Photo Credit: General Motors

Thanks to an agreement between the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and General Motors, the Chevrolet division receives Indy 500 pace car honours for the 9th straight event. The 2010 race is also the 2nd year in a row that a Camaro will lead the 33-car field of open wheel competitors. The Chevrolet Camaro has a long prior history of pacing one of America's oldest running auto races. Receiving the honour for the first time on the 1967 introduction of the Chevrolet Camaro, GM's pony car has led the Indy 500 four other years prior to 2010 in 1969, 1982, 1993 and last year in 2009.

Rolling on 20 inch aluminum wheels, the 2010 Chevrolet Camaro SS pace car As opposed to the primarily silver car of 2009 with red striping, this year's Camaro SS edition employs a sizzling Inferno Orange exterior topped with RS package diamond white striping. A GM Accessory-derived front grille insert, flamboyant Indianapolis 500 logos on the cabin doors and badges on the front quarter panels are the only real giveaways that this car is the pace sitter for the memorial day weekend's most lively celebration.

As with the outside, the interior has been largely preserved to the stock Camaro counterpart. Minor stylistic touches include custom floor mats and embroidered Indy 500 logos on the head supports. The safety strobe lighting needed for officiating the Indy 500 is placed behind the rear window differing from the light bar used in the 2009 pace car model. The cabin space will house the most honoured driver for the weekend who is entrusted to lead over 17,000 horsepower around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. ABC Good Day America's personality Robin Roberts will be this person for the 2010 edition taking the IZOD IndyCar field around for pivotal warm-up laps.


Photo Credit: General Motors

Robert's will find more than enough power under the hood of this year's Chevrolet Camaro SS. Revving a 6.2 liter V-8 powerplant, 400 horsepower will be routed through the 6-speed automatic gearbox. The pace car version of the Camaro SS is a pure stock powertrain. In previous Indy 500 events, particularly through the 1970s and 1980s, it was necessary to use performance enhancements to make a vehicle pace car worthy. The most extreme example of engine enhancements occurred for a Cadillac Eldorado convertible that paced the 1973 Indy 500. Choked by primitive emission and smog control systems, engine power from the luxury car's V-8 engine was limited to only paltry 235 horsepower. The considerable size and weight (just under 5,000 pounds) required more powerful engine output. In creating the 1973 Cadillac Eldorado pace car, the engine compartment was stripped of emission controls and even the air conditioning units. Further engine performance parts allowed the Cadillac V-8 to produce 500 horsepower.



Photo Credit: General Motors

When the 2010 Indianapolis 500 has been run, apart from what is guaranteed to be an ecstatic race winner, there will be another elite company. 200 Camaro buyers who will have a chance to purchase a limited run of replica versions of the pace car at 187 dealerships. These cars will carry a suggested retail price of $41,950 less freight, taxes and licensing costs.