We will see Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 taking actively part in the Indianapolis 500 race in May. However, the car will not be competing, but instead will be the official Indy 500 Pace Car.
In addition, Chevrolet also announced the driver behind the wheel of Z/28 – the three-time Indianapolis 500 winner Dario Franchitti. It will be the eight time that a Camaro becomes the official pace car for the event. Its first appearance was in 1967.
Moreover, Franchitti has become popular with its winnings of the Indy 500 in 2007, 2010 and 2012. This means that his appearance in the Z/28 pace car will points towards a new start in his career.
Of course, the pace car is based on the brand new Camaro Z/28, which according to Chevrolet is its most track-capable model. The design of the car is just like a race car in order to generate downforce that delivers greater grip – up to 1.08 g in cornering acceleration, as well as faster lap times.
Greater stopping power is need for such event, thus the engineers equipped the Z/28 with Brembo carbon ceramic brakes capable of 1.5 g in deceleration, and has also reduced car’s curb weight. The pace Camaro weighs around 300 pounds less than the supercharged ZL1.
The emblematic muscle car is driven by a 7.0L LS7 power plant, which is responsible for generating 505 horsepower (376 kW) and 652 Nm (481 lb-ft) of maximum torque. The engine is hand-built and is mated to a six-speed manual transmission.
Source: Chevrolet