The Daytona 500 has been paced by Corvettes the last two years in a row, but there's a new breed of performance car in the bowtie barn; thy name is Camaro. This past weekend Chevy's modern muscle car was officially announced as the pace vehicle for the 51st running of the famous Daytona 500, replacing its big bro' and becoming the first Camaro to earn the honor since 1969 and only the third overall. The pace car will be an SS model brandishing a 426-hp 6.2L V8 and special Cyber Grey (and Orange) paint scheme developed by PPG. It will also be outfitted with a fully integrated strobe system to help light the way for dozens of NASCAR cars that will be following its every left turn. Thanks for the tip, Tim!
[Source: Camaro5]
PRESS 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
* Top speed of xxx mph on the test track
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