Five-time Brickyard 400 winner and four-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Champion Jeff Gordon will pace this year’s Indianapolis 500 on May 24 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
You’ve probably already guessed what he’ll pilot: A Corvette Z06 with a seven-speed manual. Not bad.
For those keeping score at home, this will be the 13th time a Corvette has paced (it first hit the track in 1978) and the 24th a Chevrolet has led the pack for “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.”
And which Chevrolet has paced the race more than any other car in history? Why you’re friendly neighborhood Spiderman Corvette, of course.
As if pacing the Indianapolis 500 in a Corvette Z06 wasn’t already badass enough, Gordon will also compete at the Coca Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway the very same day. Not too shabby for a day’s work.
“It’s great to have Jeff Gordon serve as this year’s pace car driver,” said Jim Campbell, Chevrolet U.S. vice president of performance vehicles and motorsports. “He is a true champion who has earned the respect and admiration of competitors and race fans alike. It will be very special to have Jeff… lead the behind the wheel of the most powerful and capable production car ever from Chevrolet.”
It’s surely a fitting way for Gordon to cap his final year of full-time Sprint Cup racing.
Comments
Jr was first and best of nascar drivers to race corvette besides his dad/3 , RIP.
To bad Jr couldnt continue with corvette racing as he would make an already awsome team member.
Corvette racing/Jake is the best anywhere bar none. It is definatly better than driving in circles all day and definatly more entertaining And more technology comes out of Corvette racing than from anything else. Americas sports car and its drivers past and present are number one. There are no other cars made here or anywhere that can race and win that the average person can purchase and drive off the lot and do 186mph like my C6 Z51 436hp corvette and they are only getting better with age. Im not a race car driver but i was able to get over 150mph at the glen with my 6 year old vette. I had no expierience racing and nothing had been done to my 6 year old vette except change the oil and filters regularly. I would love to take a Z06 to the track some day.
I didnt do 186mph but i had plenty of peddle left and with more expierience i am posative i could max out the speed.