Source: General Motors

Chevrolet Camaro SS Convertible to Pace Indianapolis 500

For the third year in a row a Chevy Camaro will lead the field of 33 drivers at the Indy 500.  This year's pace car is a special edition Chevy Camaro SS convertible.  The 2011 Camaro Convertible is the 22nd Chevrolet and the seventh Camaro to serve as the official pace car.

The 2011 pace car features a color scheme and door decals similar to the 1969 Camaro SS pace car, one of the most popular and recognizable pace cars in Indy 500 history.

Chevrolet will produce 500 pace car replicas for sale to the public, including 50 cars that will be used by the Indy 500 Festival Committee.  The pace car and replicas feature a Summit White exterior accented with orange stripes and door graphics. The interior is trimmed in orange leather, with front-seat headrests embossed with the Indy 500 logo, along with white door panels and instrument panel trim. The instrument panel trim also features extensions of the orange exterior stripes.  All the Indy Pace Car convertibles will be Camaro SS models equipped with the 6.2L V-8 engine, and the choice of a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission, and equipped with the 2SS and RS equipment packages.

The first of the 50 festival cars was sold $225,000 at the Barrett-Jackson auction in Scottsdale, Arizona on January 22.  The winning bidder also received the opportunity to drive the car on a parade lap immediately preceding the start of the race.

Four-time Indianapolis 500 winner A.J. Foyt will drive the official pace car for the start of the 100th Anniversary race.  Foyt was not chosen as this year's driver until early May after the speedway's original choice, Donald Trump, decided to give up the honor due to his potential candidacy for President of the United States.  This is A.J. Foyt's first time driving the Indy pace car.

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