Danica Patrick will pace the 33-car field in an Arctic White Corvette Stingray convertible
The Arctic White pace car will be the first Corvette convertible since 2008 to pace the Indianapolis 500. (Photo by Joe Skibinski/IMS for Chevrolet)
BY MARK MAYNARD
Chevrolet is in its open-wheelhouse battlegrounds for the 105th running of the Indianapolis 500, presented by Gainbridge, on May 30, 2021.
Leading the 33-car field to the green flag will be an Arctic White 2021 Corvette Stingray hardtop convertible. It will be the first Corvette convertible since 2008 to pace “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.”
The Chevrolet Brothers entered two cars in the 1915 Indy 500. (Chevrolet)
The race will be televised live on NBC and the pre-race show will start at 11 a.m. The INDYCAR Radio Network will cover the race for affiliates and on Sirius 211, XM 205, Indycar.com and the INDYCAR app.
Piloting the pace car will be racing icon Danica Patrick — a veteran to the Indy 500. Leading the pack to the green flag is even more special, she said in a release, “because of the past year we have all endured, and it will be so nice to see fans back in the stands.”
Danica Patrick. (Chevrolet)
Patrick, who grew up in Roscoe, Ill., achieved numerous milestones during her eight Indianapolis 500 starts, which took place from 2005-11 and in 2018. According to IMS statistics, she achieved the best starting spot for a female driver, fourth, as a rookie in 2005 and went on to be the first female driver to lead laps in the race. She finished third in 2009 — the best result ever for a woman in the “500” — and holds the race record for laps led by a female, 29.
When not performing pace car duties, Patrick will serve as a studio analyst for NBC’s live race broadcast with host Mike Tirico and fellow analyst Jimmie Johnson.
“We’re happy to welcome back Danica to the place where she made motorsports history as the first female driver to lead ‘The Greatest Spectacle in Racing,’ ” IMS President J. Douglas Boles said.
1948 Chevrolet Fleetmaster Convertible Indy 500 pace car. (Chevrolet)
Pace Car Design
The 2021 race marks the 32nd time Chevrolet has paced the race dating back to 1948, and the 18th time since 1978 for America’s favorite sports car. Chevrolet and Corvette have led the starting field more than any other manufacturer and nameplate, respectively.
The pace car’s Sky Cool Gray and Strike Yellow interior. (Chevrolet)
“From the color scheme to the special race weekend decals and how the safety lighting is skillfully integrated into the nacelles of the hard-top convertible Corvette’s revolutionary appearance, we’re putting Chevrolet’s best on display for the fans,” said Steve Majoros, vice president of Chevrolet Marketing.
The pace-car interior — Sky Cool Gray and Strike Yellow upholstery — influenced the exterior appearance of the pace car, Majoros said. The car is clad in Indianapolis 500 logos, a special stripe package and Stingray decals and the highly visible safety lighting.
Strobe lights are positioned in the headlights, front louvers and taillights. (Chevrolet)
Corvette designers prioritized form and function of the safety lighting by incorporating four lights into each of the tonneau cover nacelles. There also are strobe lights in the headlights, front louvers and taillights. The lighting array eliminates need for a traditional lightbar.
Inspired By Fighter Jets
The mid-engine Stingray was engineered first as a convertible, Chevrolet says. Its architecture maintains the tunnel-dominant structure and high-integrity die-cast parts found in the Stingray coupe.
The Stingray design for both body styles was inspired by fighter jets. The tonneau cover features aerodynamically shaped nacelles influenced by the housing used for jet engines. The nacelles, which were also used as inspiration on the Chevrolet Engineering Research Vehicle (CERV) I and II, and the Corvette SS and SR2 concepts, help reduce air recirculation into the cabin and provide a remarkably exotic profile with the top up or down.
The tonneau integrates a power-adjustable rear window and a vent for engine cooling. The 2021 Stingray convertible is powered by the 6.2-liter small-block V-8 LT2 engine, naturally aspirated. The engine is rated for 495 horsepower with a peak torque of 470 foot-pounds at 5,150 rpm, when equipped with performance exhaust. In stock form, the engine has 490 hp and 465 ft.-lb. torque, also at 5,150 rpm.
The LT2 is paired with Chevrolet’s first eight-speed, dual-clutch automated-manual transmission. The double-paddle de-clutch feature allows the driver to disconnect the clutch by holding both paddles for more manual control.
1955 Chevrolet Bel Air convertible Indianapolis 500 Pace Car. (Chevrolet)
Indianapolis 500 History
General Motors’ Chevrolet division has a storied history at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Chevrolet was founded in 1911, the year of the inaugural 500-mile race. Company co-founder and namesake Louis Chevrolet, along with brothers Arthur and Gaston, competed in early Indy 500s. Arthur competed in the 1911 race and Gaston won in 1920.
Since then, nine drivers with Chevrolet engines have combined to win “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” 11 times — Rick Mears, Emerson Fittipaldi, Arie Luyendyk, Al Unser Jr., Helio Castroneves, Tony Kanaan, Juan Pablo Montoya, Will Power and, most recently, Simon Pagenaud in 2019.
Visit IMS.com for more information about this year’s schedule.
And see more Indy pace cars here.
Archived Pace Car Images
Following are Chevrolet archive photos of significant pace cars. Photos courtesy of Chevrolet.
The 2020 Corvette pace car.
The 2019 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 pace car.
The 2017 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport pace car. (Chris Owens/IMS for Chevy Racing)
The Corvette pace car for 2016.
The 2014 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 pace car was piloted by three-time Indy 500 winner Dario Franchitti for the 98th running of the race.
Retired General Chuck Yeager with the 1986 C4 Corvette pace car he drove for the race.
The 1978 Chevrolet Corvette Pace Car.
The 1969 Camaro Z28.
The first-year 1967 Chevrolet Camaro RS/SS paced the 51st Indianapolis 500.
1993 Chevrolet Camaro Indy 500 Pace Car.
Nine generations of Camaro Indy 500 pace cars. (Indianapolis Motor Speedway for Chevy Racing)
