New Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 to Pace the Indy 500 - Here’s Why It Gets the Honor!

Corvette ZR1 Indy 500 Pace Car

With its aggressive look and big bold front end and rear spoiler, this Corvette looks like it’s ready to take on every supercar on the planet, and with its overwhelming power and handling abilities, it is.

Let’s take a look at some of the 2019 Corvette ZR1 hard hitting numbers and influential features that helped it earn its right to be this years Indy 500 Pacecar.

The monster 6.2-liter supercharged V8 that sits under the aggressive looking hood of the Corvette ZR1 cranks out 755 horsepower. That horsepower combined with an eight-speed automatic transmission or a seven-speed rev-matching manual transmission pushes this ZR1 from 0-60 in just 2.8 seconds and covers the quarter-mile in 10.6 seconds at 134 mph. If that still leaves you a little under impressed, then maybe the 212 mph average top speed at the track in Papenburg, Germany can open your eyes to just how well this Corvette performs.  

What makes this LT5 ZR1 6.2-liter engine so much more potent than the Corvette Z06 6.2-liter V8? The engine the ZR1 gets has been upgraded with a bigger Eaton supercharger, bigger throttle body, a beefier camshaft and uses both port-and-direct fuel injection for an increase of 105 ponies over the Z06.

Helping this massive LT5 engine perform well even at high speeds for long periods of time is a much larger front fascia than the average Corvette. The ZR1 front fascia includes huge air dams and fender vents to help push as much cool air into the 13 radiators as possible. The ZR1 also offers plenty of other large exterior features. The front splitter is noticeably bigger than the Z06 front splitter and the ZR1 rear spoiler just dwarfs the ZO6 rear spoiler. Along with some other awesome carbon fiber add-ons, the 2019 ZR1 Corvette creates 950 pounds of downforce. Now it should be noted that if you don’t plan on doing any major competition circuit racing, you probably won’t need the massive rear spoiler, and if you think it looks intrusive, you can order your new ZR1 with a Z06 rear spoiler for a more reasonable look.    

So how does this turn-key race car drive as a daily driver with an average driver behind the wheel? When the Corvette is switched to Touring mode, you will get to enjoy a quieter exhaust, looser steering characteristics and a softer suspension. Outside of being very careful with the aggressive acceleration, this new 2019 Corvette ZR1 has the ability to offer you a very easy driving powerful supercar that leaves you confident in your driving abilities. And if you do want to test your driving skills at high speeds, the Michelin Super Sports tires and magnetic suspension offers you the same easy handling attributes at high speeds as it does in everyday driving situations. For a car that can reach 200+ mph and go 10 seconds in the quarter-mile, its ability to let you handle the car at ease at any speed is incredible. And of course, stopping has never been an issue with Corvette’s high performers. Six-piston carbon ceramic Brembo brake calipers are used in the front and four-piston calipers are used in the rear.  

Obviously, the interior of the Corvette ZR1 cabin is just as high-tech as the exterior and drivetrain. An eight-inch touchscreen infotainment center host all of the goodies and connectivity capabilities you would expect out of a high-end General Motors vehicle. Included with that system is a rearview backup camera, a front end camera so you don’t mash up your front splitter, and a powerful Bose system so you can jam away on long car cruises.

Coming Soon
The most powerful and capable Corvette ever built is now available at select dealerships. The full load of the 2019 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 coupes and convertibles should be coming to all qualifying dealerships later this year/early next.

So what can you expect to pay for this 2019 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1? Around $122,095 for the coupe and $126,095 for the convertible (no word on the extra cost for the Indy 500 Special Edition).

To see this 2019 Corvette ZR1 in action, tune into ABC, Sunday, May 27 for the official Indy 500 Race.

The 2014 Indianapolis 500 Pace Car

 2014 Corvette Stingray

Indy 500 Pace Car

When the 2014 Stingray was introduced at the North American Auto Show it made a huge buzz,

and now to keep that buzz going it will appear as the Pace Car for the Indy 500.

Chevrolet also got the honors for the festival car with their Special Edition Hot Wheels Convertible Camaro.

This is a nice boost for Chevrolet and their sports car division.

Camaro Holds the Honor For the INDY 500 Festival Car

The 2013 Hot Wheels Limited Edition Convertible Camaro 2SS will be the INDY 500 Festival Car for the 97th Indianapolis 500. As tradition, there will be 33 given to Indianapolis official, personnel, media etc. to drive around for the week to help promote the INDY 500 and also promote the Camaro.

The Hot Wheels Convertible Camaro will be a one time only production run. Coming this spring, you will only have to shell out a little over six thousand dollars more to get the Hot Wheels package and due to it's limited edition status it should be a true collectors edition.


The Hot Wheels Edition will be available in both 2LT and 2SS trims and will feature the Hot Wheels grille and deck lid logos, sill plates, bright blue metallic paint job, red accents and special rims and red line tires.

So if you do get a chance to purchase one, holding on to it would be a smart thing to do for it will probably double, triple and quadruple in wroth.