2016 INDY 500 PREVIEW: ROGER PENSKE & CAMARO SS PACE CAR ON THE TRACK

by Bader Media Group
in Automotive, Featured, Sports
on April 20, 2016

Indianapolis IN: April 2016 Automotive history is on the track at Indianapolis!

As the Indianapolis 500 celebrates its 100th running, racing legend Roger Penske, who also celebrates his 50th year as a team owner, gets behind the wheel of the 2017 Camaro SS 50th Anniversary Edition pace car in preparation for “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” on May 29, 2016.

Honored with his first chance to drive in the celebrity pace car, Roger Penske holds the owner’s record for Indianapolis 500 victories with 16. A former racer, Penske was named Sports Car Club of America Driver of the Year by Sports Illustrated in 1961.

Four identically prepared pace cars will support the race, all with exclusive Abalone White exteriors featuring “100th Running of the Indianapolis 500” graphics on the doors and the iconic Indianapolis Motor Speedway wing-and-wheel logo on the quarter panels. They also incorporate the exterior cues and graphics that are unique to the Camaro 50th Anniversary package that goes on sale this summer.

Camaro Indy Pace Cars at a Glance: It’s the 9th time Camaro has served as the pace car and the 27th time for Chevrolet, dating back to 1948. The Camaro SS pace car, with 455 horsepower on tap, will not require any performance modifications to lead the racing field at the Brickyard.

Chevy Indy History: Chevrolet co-founder Louis Chevrolet drove in four Indianapolis 500 races. His brother Arthur competed in the very first Indy 500, in 1911, and brother Gaston Chevrolet won the race in 1920.

Camaro 50th Anniversary Edition: The production 50th Anniversary Edition honors the distinctive looks and performance that have always set the Camaro apart. It is offered on 2LT and 2SS coupe and convertible models.

The Camaro 2LT comes standard with a 2.0L Turbo rated at 275 hp (205 kW) and a 335-hp (250 kW) 3.6L V-6 is available. The Camaro 2SS features the LT1 6.2L V-8, which offers 455 hp (339), making it the most powerful Camaro SS ever. Each engine is available with a six-speed manual or eight-speed automatic transmission.