mobile-menu-icon
GM Authority

National Corvette Museum Opens Indy 500 Exhibit

The National Corvette Museum will pay homage to the Indy 500 with a 12-car exhibit in the Museum’s Exhibit Hall from June 10 through October 14 of this year.

The display will be presented by Intercity Lines, Inc., and aside from the 12 vehicles it will also feature memorabilia, videos, and bits of Indy history to celebrate the iconic racers who are affiliated with both Indianapolis and Chevrolet. The list of names includes the likes of Louis Chevrolet, who had won at the Speedway before the 500-mile race existed, Smokey Yunick, Jim Rathmann, Mark Donohue, A.J. Foyt, the Andretti family, Roger Penske, and more.

Smokey Yunick’s sidecar will be one of the vehicles on display, as will the 1972 Mark Donohoe winning car and Zora Arkus-Duntov’s Corvette SS. Other vehicles include four cars on loan from Bill Akin of Hermitage, TN, that will represent the 1940s and 1950s Indy machinery. You can see a full list of the cars that will be on display below:

  • 1991 Michael Andretti Car, featuring an Ilmor Engine. Andretti took 2nd place in 1991 at the Indy and won the championship in this car.
  • Bardahl car built by Curtis Kraft, finished 3rd in 1955.
  • MidContinent Security car, driven by Don Branson, Tony Bettenhousen and Parnelli Jones in 1959, 1960 and 1962.
  • Bowes Seal Fast Sponsored car, built by Quinn Epperly. Driven by AJ Foyt and Johnny Boyd in 1959, 1960 and 1962.
  • Bryant Heating and Cooling Sponsored car. Driven by Bobby Marshman in 1961, 1962 and 1963. Started in 3rd place, finished in 5th place in 1962.
  • Only remaining car out of three built named Kurtis Kraft 2000 car. Built by Frank Curtis and raced in 1949. Features an Offenhauser engine.
  • Duntov’s Corvette SS
  • Mark Donohoe’s 1972 winning car
  • Smokey Yunick’s Sidecar
  • Jim Rathmann’s car driven in 1963, built by Lindsey Hopkins.
  • 1981 Tom Kalusner car
  • 1986 Indy 500 Corvette Pace Car
  • Indy 500 Winners’ Quilt (quilt is awarded each year in the Winner’s Circle to the winner of the Indy 500)

The work of Jeanetta Holder of Avalton, KY, a.k.a ‘quilt lady’ of the Indy 500, will also be on display – specifically the quilt she just completed for Alex Rossi, winner of the 100th Indy 500. Holder has been gifting her hand-made quilts to Indy 500 winners since 1976, and has been granted access to the Winner’s Circle in order to deliver her gifts in person.

For more information on the exhibit, click here.

A car-loving millennial. We Are!

Subscribe to GM Authority

For around-the-clock GM news coverage

We'll send you one email per day with the latest GM news. It's totally free.

No Comments yet

Leave a comment

Cancel