GM has announced that a 2013 Chevy Corvette ZR1 will lead the starting field of the 96th Indianapolis 500 to the green flag Sunday, May 27 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The Corvette ZR1 packs a supercharged 6.2L V8 with 638 horsepower, making it the most powerful production car to ever pace the race.
This year marks the 23rd time that a Chevy model has paced “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” and the 11th time a Corvette is serving as the pace car. The 2013 model year will mark the 60th anniversary and the final year of production for the current generation Corvette.
The Corvette ZR1 is also the fastest Chevy ever produced and is capable of reaching 0-60 mph in 3.4 seconds and has a top speed of 205 mph. The ZR1 lapped the famed Nurburgring’ Nordschleife (“north loop”) in 7:19.63.
“Corvette embodies pure performance, so the ZR1 is a perfect car to pace the most prestigious auto race in the world,” said Jeff Belskus, Indianapolis Motor Speedway Corporation president and chief executive officer. “Chevrolet is a great partner of the Speedway, and we share in the excitement of the upcoming 60th anniversary of the iconic Corvette brand. It’s even more meaningful to see a Chevrolet pacing the field at Indy since Chevy has returned as an engine supplier for the IZOD IndyCar Series for the first time since 2005.”
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