It has been announced that the 2009 Chevy Camaro will pace the 2009 Daytona 500, breaking a two-year streak of Corvettes handling the official duties.
It’s the first time since 1969 that a Camaro will lead the field for the start and during caution laps. This announcement, following on the heels of the announcement that actual cars are rolling off of a Canadian assembly line has awoken us to the fact that the car is really coming and that the multi-year hype machine will finally be behind us soon.
One piece of advice for the guy driving…don’t crash. That would be bad.
Here’s the official release:
Chevy Camaro Returns as Official Pace Car for 51st Daytona 500; Iconic 2010 Model Returns to the “Great American Race” After 40-Year Absence
DAYTONA BEACH, FL (Feb. 7, 2009) — Daytona International Speedway officials announced the return of the Chevy Camaro as the Official Pace Car of the 51st running of the Daytona 500–the first Camaro to pace the field since 1969.
“Chevy has been a great partner of the Daytona 500 for more than 30 years, and the Camaro is an automotive icon,'” said Speedway President Robin Braig. “This 2010 model will set the tone for a 21st century sports car, and that’s a perfect fit to lead the pack at the ‘Great American Race.”
The 426-horsepower vehicle, powered by the 6.2-liter all-aluminum Chevy V-8, carries a PPG Cyber Grey paint scheme with a bold accent design befitting “The World Center of Racing.” A Camaro has paced the field just twice in Dayton 500 history, in 1968 and ’69, and this 2010 model is scheduled to hit showroom floors this spring.
Built on GM’s new global rear-wheel drive architecture, the Camaro also will be offered in V-6-powered LS and LT models. Additional specs of the 2010 model pace car include:
* All-aluminum 6.2-liter V-8
* 426 horsepower and 420 lb-ft of torque
* Fully integrated strobe system, including a GM-designed custom light bar utilizing Whelen 500 series linear strobes
* 27-mpg estimated highway fuel economy
* Fuel-saving Tremec 6-speed manual transmission
