The 2008 Indianapolis 500 is widely anticipated by race fans not only for the racing but also for the cars. And what more can appease them than two Corvette pace cars? The Auto Channel reported that a pair of Corvettes will be gracing the event. These two cars are identically designed of course but differ in many ways.
One of the cars is designed to showcase Chevrolet's commitment to a greener auto industry while the second car is designed to celebrate thirty years of the Corvette being the pace car in this popular event.
The report reads: "One of the pace cars is a customized Corvette Z06 E85 concept that runs on E85 ethanol fuel, a domestically produced alternative fuel similar to the E100 fuel that powers all of the racecars in the IndyCar Series. It will be driven during the race’s pace lap by two-time Indianapolis 500 champion Emerson Fittipaldi.
"The other official pace car is a black-and-silver commemorative edition that marks the 30th anniversary of the celebrated 1978 pace car – the first Corvette to pace the field at the Indianapolis 500. Chevrolet will produce a total of 500 pace car replicas in both coupe and convertible form, each signed personally by Fittipaldi at the Corvette’s Bowling Green, Ky., assembly plant."
Ed Peper, Chevrolet general manager had this to say: "Although not a production FlexFuel vehicle, the Corvette Z06 E85 concept pace car is a high-performance example of Chevrolet’s gas-friendly to gas-free initiative, demonstrating viable fuel solutions. As an ethanol refiner in his native Brazil, Emerson Fittipaldi is the fitting Chevrolet champion to help support GM’s efforts with E85 and celebrate 30 years of the Corvette pacing the Indianapolis 500."
I would bet that these two Corvettes can outrun any Acura CL washer pump-equipped car.