Three-time Daytona 500 winner and four-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champ Jeff Gordon will lead the field to the start of Sunday’s Daytona 500 behind the wheel of the new 2017 Camaro ZL1 pace car. Gordon has led the field at Daytona at much higher speeds than the pace car will run at, although the first three cars on the grid behind him are Chevrolets or rather cars that are decaled to look like one. In addition to winning the Daytona 500 in 1997, 1999 and 2005, Gordon shared the overall win last month at the Rolex 24 at Daytona. (Cadillac Wins the 24 Hours of Daytona)
“Chevrolet and I have a great history at the Daytona 500 and it’s an honor to drive the 650-horsepower Camaro ZL1 pace car for the largest, most historic race of the season,” Gordon said. The only difference in the pace car from a production model are unique graphics and an integrated LED safety lighting system. Over all the top ten cars on the grid are 4 Chevys, 4 Fords, and 2 Toyotas.
Chevrolet will also pace the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Nextera Energy Resources 250 with a 2017 Silverado this evening. A 2017 Camaro SS — featuring a new Krypton Green exterior color — will pace the NASCAR XFINITY Series Powershares QQQ 300 on Feb. 25.
All three Chevrolet pace vehicles share the requisite and gimmicky graphic theme highlights in silver and black, along with selected accessories and personalization features.
Camaro ZL1 Daytona 500 pace car
• Silver Ice Metallic exterior color
• LT4 6.2L direct-injected, supercharged V-8
• All-new 10-speed automatic transmission
• Magnetic Ride Control
• Electronic limited-slip differential
• 20-inch forged aluminum wheels
• Goodyear Eagle F1 Supercar tires
• Brembo brakes with six-piston front calipers and two-piece rotors
• 1.02g max cornering
• 0-60 mph in 3.5 seconds
• Performance Data Recorder
Camaro SS pace car
• New, bold Krypton Green exterior color (offered on Camaro LS, LT, SS and ZL1)
• Unique silver and black graphics package
• Accessory 20-inch polished aluminum wheels with Chevrolet Performance center caps
• Accessory ground effects package
• Accessory smoked taillamps
• Accessory black bowtie emblems kit
• Accessory deck lid blackout graphic
• Accessory Brembo brake kit with six-piston front calipers/two-piece rotors and four-piston rear calipers
• Accessory grille in Silver Ice Metallic
• Integrated Whelen LED safety lighting system
Silverado 1500 crew cab 250 pace truck
• Silver Ice Metallic exterior color
• Unique graphics
• Accessory one-piece hard tonneau cover
• Spray-in bed liner
• Chrome tow hooks
• Accessory 22-inch six-split-spoke chrome aluminum wheels
• Accessory performance exhaust system
• Accessory Brembo brake kit with six-piston front calipers and larger rotors
• Integrated Whelen LED safety lighting system
FAST FACT: The 2017 Daytona 500 marks the fifth time a Camaro has served as the official pace car. The previous years were 2011, 2009, 1969 and 1968.
