2006 Brickyard 400 Corvette Pace Car
A 2006 specially outfitted Corvette Z06 served as the Official Pace Car of the 13th Allstate 400 at the Brickyard on Sunday, Aug. 6 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Chevrolet cars have paced the prestigious NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series race at each of the 12 previous events, but the Corvette has never before been the Chevy brand chosen to lead the field to the green flag at the historic 25-mile IMS oval
“We’re excited to have the 505-horsepower Corvette Z06 back at the world-famous Brickyard as the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard pace car.” said Ed Peper, Chevrolet’s general manager. ‘The Corvette is 50 racing-ready that all we do is add
strobe lights, racing safety belts and a fun paint scheme, and it’s ready to pound the bricks.”
The Corvette Z06 also served as the Official Pace Car of the 90th running of the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race in the month of May.
While all Corvettes are considered high-performance machines, the Corvette Z06 stands out as the fastest vehicle ever offered by Chevrolet and General Motors. The Corvette Z06 is capable of accelerating from 0-60 mph in 3.7 seconds and has a top speed of 198 mph. With a dry-sump lubrication system, the Z06’s engine is ‘equipped to handle the highest comering forces when traveling around Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s 9-degree banked tums.
It also differs from previous production Corvette models with extensive use of lightweight materials, including carbon fiber front fenders and a chassis comprised of aluminum and magnesium. A racing-ready suspension and large, 18-inch front wheels and 19-inch rear wheels provide superior handing.
Aside from the added safety package of strobes and the racing safety belts, the 2006 Allstate 400 at the Brickyard Corvette Z06 Pace Car did not require drivetrain modifications to satisfy ts role in front of the 43-car race field, and was mechanically identical to Corvette Z06s available at Chevrolet dealerships.
The car carried a unique paint scheme, featuring broad stripes of yellow, white and blue which complement the Allstate 400 logo and resemble banners that accentuate the car’s sense of speed. The 13th annual Allstate 400 at the Brickyard ‘opened with a variety of exciting, fan-friendly activities, including NASCAR NEXTEL Cup driver autograph sessions at Chevy Day at the Brickyard on Friday, Aug. 4.
Highlights of Chevy Day at the Brickyard included ‘appearances by Chevrolet-sponsored NASCAR drivers in question-and-answer sessions on the Chevy Stage in the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame Museum parking lot, and autograph sessions with Chevy drivers and team owners in the Pagoda Plaza.
For this year’s running, Jeff Burton, driving the Cingular Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS, started from the pole and led a race-high 87 laps, eventually finishing a disappointing 12th after fading late.
Jimmie Johnson, driving the Lowe’s Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS, pulled off a gritty win at the Brickyard, batting back from an early tire problem 10 take the lead, only to see it evaporate when a late debris caution bunched up the field. It
dropped him from first to eighth and forced him to slice his way to the front in the final 14 laps.
