Indianapolis 500 Corvette E-Ray Pace Car And The Rest Of The Corvettes That Served Indy

 

Summary

Corvette and Indy go way back: Corvette has paced the Indianapolis 500 21 times since 1978, more than any other car.

The E-Ray brings a new trick: The 2024 E-Ray combines a 6.2-liter V8 with electric all-wheel drive to make 655 horsepower.

Supercar numbers: With a 0–60 MPH time of 2.5 seconds and a 10.5-second quarter-mile, the E-Ray is seriously quick.

A long line of legends: From the 1978 Corvette to the mid-engine C8s, Indy has used some of Corvette's most memorable performance models as pace cars.

Celebrity drivers: Jim Rathmann, Chuck Yeager, Morgan Freeman, Colin Powell, Lance Armstrong, Patrick Dempsey, Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Danica Patrick, and others have all taken Corvette pace cars around the Brickyard.

2024 adds another chapter: Ken Griffey Jr. got the keys to the E-Ray as Corvette continued its long-running relationship with the Indianapolis 500.

Sunday, May 26, 2024, we will once again see a Corvette running laps as the pace car for the Indianapolis 500. But this won't be just any Corvette—it will be the all-new 2024 Corvette E-Ray, Corvette's first electrified, all-wheel-drive Corvette.

This will mark Corvette's 21st time pacing the Indy 500 since 1978, more than any other car in history. Add in all 35 appearances by Chevrolet vehicles that have paced the event since 1948, and Chevy is by far the leader when it comes to this legendary honor.

How Does the E-Ray Corvette Stack Up to Its Siblings?

The Electric All-Wheel Drive (eAWD) E-Ray is the quickest production Corvette to ever roll off the assembly line at the Corvette Plant in Bowling Green, KY.

Using a 6.2-liter powerhouse V8 running in tandem with an electric motor that adds an additional 160 horsepower and 125 lb.-ft. of torque to the front wheels, this Corvette puts down a combined 655 horsepower.

What do these numbers mean while the Corvette is in motion? How about 0–60 MPH in just 2.5 seconds? If you decide to keep the pedal to the metal, you'll cover the quarter-mile in just 10.5 seconds. The E-Ray can also drive on its electric motor alone for up to four miles at speeds of up to 45 MPH when Stealth Mode is selected.

Who's Going To Be Driving The E-Ray Pace Car?

Piloting the E-Ray at the Indy 500 will be famous former MLB outfielder and All-Star Ken Griffey Jr. If you haven't heard of this guy, even if you don't watch sports, you must have been living under a rock for the past 35 years. All you have to do is punch his name into a search engine, and you'll find a mountain of awards and accomplishments—Gold Glove Awards, All-Star selections, hitting titles, and plenty more.

Here's A Run Down Of The Past Corvettes To Take The Indy Honor

1. May 26, 1978—the 62nd Annual Indianapolis 500 was the first time Corvette graced Indy fans with its presence. It was driven by American race car driver Jim Rathmann.

2. May 25, 1986—the 70th Indianapolis 500 chose this 1986 Corvette because it was the first convertible Corvette put into production in ten years. It was driven by General Chuck Yeager, one of America's finest fighter pilots and the first person to break the sound barrier.

 

3. May 28, 1995—the 79th running of the Indianapolis 500 brought one of the more colorful Corvette Pace Cars to the track. This 1995 Corvette Pace Car was equipped with a five-point safety harness, an onboard fire suppression system, a special "halo" roll bar, and a special strobe-light setup for extra eye appeal. This year, the Corvette was driven by former Chevrolet manager Jim Perkins.

4. May 24, 1998—the 82nd running of the Indianapolis 500 brought even more colorful action. Driven by American race car driver and team owner Parnelli Jones, this Corvette was hard to miss with Radar Blue paint, eye-catching graphics, and bright yellow seats with matching wheels.

5. May 25, 2003—the 86th Indianapolis 500 celebrated the 50th anniversary of Corvette production by once again putting a Corvette at the front of the pack. Actor Jim Caviezel got the honor of driving this special Corvette, complete with a big "50th" badge on the hood.

6. May 30, 2004—the 88th running of the Indianapolis 500 saw Corvette make its first back-to-back appearance. This was also the first time Chevrolet and Corvette decided not to make replicas of the Indy Pace Car. Morgan Freeman took the reins this year, pacing the IndyCar field around the track. The Corvette's patriotic color scheme made this pace car one of the more iconic ones.

   

7. May 29, 2005—the 89th Indianapolis 500 saw its first sixth-generation Corvette leading the IndyCar field. This wasn't just the first time the sixth-gen made it to Indy; it was also the first time the general public was introduced to the car beyond renderings, pictures, and spy photos. General Colin Powell, former U.S. Secretary of State, was put in the driver's seat for pace car duties.

8. May 28, 2006—the official pace car of the 90th Indianapolis 500 was the 2006 Corvette Z06. Back to a patriotic color scheme, the 505-horsepower sports car was driven by seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong.

9. May 27, 2007—the 91st Indianapolis 500 brought Corvette back for pace car duties. Team owner and actor Patrick Dempsey took on the duties in this Atomic Orange LS2-powered, 400-horsepower machine.

 

10. May 25, 2008—the 92nd running of the Indianapolis 500 would see two pace cars for the first time. First, there was a 2008 Corvette Z06 engineered to run on E85 ethanol fuel. Then there was another pace car dressed in a black-and-silver color scheme to celebrate the anniversary of the first Corvette Indy 500 car, which debuted 30 years earlier. Both pace cars were driven by legendary racer Emerson Fittipaldi.

11. After a little break from the action, Corvette returned to Indy. May 27, 2012—the 96th running of the Indianapolis 500—saw its first sixth-generation ZR1. This car took Americans by storm with supercar-like performance. Famous Emmy Award-winning television cook and personality Guy Fieri received the honor of driving this LS9-powered beast around the track—too bad he wasn't able to reach its 205-MPH top speed in pace-car mode.

12. May 26, 2013—the 97th running of the Indy 500 brought the all-new seventh-generation Corvette Stingray. San Francisco 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh was asked to take on pace car duties for the year, and he happily obliged.

 

13. May 24, 2015—the 99th running of the Indianapolis 500 brought NASCAR superstar Jeff Gordon to the driver's seat of the 2015 Corvette Z06 Pace Car. Gordon won his first NASCAR race in Indianapolis before going on to become a legend in the sport. Although he wouldn't be going as fast as he's used to on the track, this supercharged, 650-horsepower sports car was certainly capable of high speeds.

14. May 28, 2017—the 101st running of the Indianapolis 500 saw the new 2017 Corvette Grand Sport take over pace car duties. This was the first year the Indy 500 Corvette Pace Car didn't change much in its color scheme from the year before, but the Vette itself was different. Actor Jeffrey Dean Morgan took the wheel and paced the IndyCar field around the famous track.

15. May 27, 2018—the 102nd Indianapolis 500 pace car would be another ZR1, but this 2019 Corvette ZR1 would boast 755 horsepower, a 0–60 time of 2.85 seconds, and a top speed of 212 MPH. This powerful supercharged Corvette would be driven by Victor Oladipo, an Indiana University and Indiana Pacers basketball player.

  

16. May 26, 2019—the 103rd running of the Indianapolis 500 saw another 2019 Corvette take on pace car duties. Following the previous year's '19 ZR1 pace car, the Corvette Grand Sport took center stage. Getting to have some non-competitive fun on the track was Dale Earnhardt Jr., who paced the IndyCar field.

 

17. On to the unveiling of the mid-engine Corvette. It was a long-time coming, and that made it an obvious choice to become the official Pace Car for the 2020 Indianapolis 500. GM President Mark Reuss was honored to be the driver who paced the track for this Indy 500.

 

18. May 30, 2021—the 105th Indianapolis 500 brought another mid-engine Corvette to the pace car role. Its white exterior with yellow accents and black wheels made the Corvette stand out. Chosen to take this beautiful ride around the track was legendary open-wheel racer Danica Patrick.

19. May 29, 2022—the 106th running of the Indianapolis 500 brought a masterpiece: the 2023 Corvette Z06. This 70th-anniversary Vette was powered by a naturally aspirated, flat-plane-crank 5.5-liter V8. This sports car was a beast all on its own. Chosen to pilot this Corvette was former IndyCar driver and three-time podium finisher Sarah Fisher.

20. May 28, 2023—Corvette paced the Indianapolis 500 with its first-ever convertible hardtop Z06. This badass-looking ride is something anyone can fall in love with. So who got to drive this fine sports car on the big day? Tyrese Haliburton, an Indiana Pacers basketball point guard.

And the Corvette years of domination keep ticking!

65th Anniversary Corvette Carbon 65 Edition

If you like your cars decked out in carbon fiber, then you will really like what Corvette has in store for their 65th anniversary edition. To celebrate 65 years of being the baddest American sports car ever put into mass production, Corvette will offer 650 2018 Corvette Carbon 65 limited edition cars.

These limited edition 2018 Corvettes will be offered on the Grand Sport and Z06 models. Both convertible and coupe versions will be available, and all Carbon 65 editions will come with a unique VIN and an interior plaque highlighting the build number.

Like with most special edition cars, the big changes for the 2018 Corvette Carbon 65 are visual upgrades. A new exterior color is introduced. The Ceramic Matrix Gray looks more like a white then a gray but still looks great trimmed in carbon fiber with blue brake caliper covers and unique blue Carbon 65 fender decals.

Blue Convertible Top

Carbon fiber exterior parts include hood, ground effects, spoiler, roof, or tonneau inserts if it’s a convertible, wheel center caps and more. All Corvette Grand Sport models will come with cup-style wheels while Corvette Z06 models will come with blade-style wheels.  

On to the interior, as you open the door, you will notice special edition Carbon 65 door sill plates with the Corvette flag emblems on them. The seats are competition units with carbon fiber inserts in the head rest. You will also have a carbon fiber steering wheel ring among other carbon fiber inserts. Much of the rest of the interior will be wrapped in jet black suede with blue stitching giving the interior its usual elegant sporty feel.

To get a closer look at the 2018 Corvette Carbon 65 edition, some dealerships might have one on hand, but there will definitely be a few at the SEMA show. Pricing is unannounced for the time being, but they will go on sale sometime in the first quarter of 2018.