Pace Cars Used To Embarrass Themselves On The Oval. Chevy Just Sent A Hypercar

Corvettes have paced every Indianapolis 500 race since 2017, and plenty before that, but there’s something different about this year’s car. For the first time it’s almost as fast as the single seaters it’ll be leading around the Brickyard.

That’s because this year’s Corvette pace car is the top-line ZR1X. With a top speed of 233 mph (375 kmh), the all-wheel drive, hybrid-assisted weapon is surprisingly close to the 230 to 240 mph (370 to 386 kmh) speeds IndyCar racers hit on the oval during qualifying.

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That doesn’t mean it could keep up over a lap. The Indy cars run slick tyres, oval-specific geometry and weigh half as much as the hottest C8. But it does underline just how extreme Chevrolet’s latest flagship really is. This isn’t your typical pace car, it’s a bargain hypercar with numbers that would have sounded impossible not long ago.

Power comes from a twin turbocharged 5.5 liter V8 sending 1,064 hp (1,079 PS) to the rear wheels, paired with a front mounted electric motor adding another 186 hp (189 PS). Combined output lands at a bonkers 1,250 hp (1,267 PS) delivered through all four wheels for maximum traction.

Performance is just as outrageous as the headline figure suggests. Chevrolet says the ZR1X can hit 60 mph (96 km/h) in under 2 seconds, which puts it firmly in hypercar territory, and is probably enough to throw some shade on the open wheeler cars.

Optional Aero A Wise Choice

For its pace car duties at the Indianapolis 500, the ZR1X is fitted with the Carbon Aero package. That includes dive planes, underbody aero strakes, and a large rear wing that together generate more than 1,200 pounds (544 kg) of downforce at speed.

It’s not just about performance, though. The Corvette’s livery works the patriot angle, celebrating America’s 250th anniversary. One side is finished in Arctic White, the other in Admiral Blue, while red accents and stars and stripes graphics tie the whole theme together. Inside, the “USA!” vibe continues with Santorini Blue seats, red seat belts, and matching stitched floor mats. It’s subtle compared to the exterior, but still very much on message.

Indiana University football coach Curt Cignetti will handle pace car driving duties for the 110th race, leading the 33 car field to the green flag. Corvette has a long history at Indy, but never has the gap between pace car and race car felt quite this small, at least when it comes to straight line speed.

GM