As the former owner of a pace car from Dover Downs, I tend to take a liking to pace cars and the replicas sold to the public. I know that I am not alone, as Chevrolet‘s Heritage Collection has amassed an admirable assortment of pace cars from two popular NASCAR racing events. Twenty-one of them will be crossing the block at the Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale Fall Auction on October 10-13, 2024, at WestWorld.
Though the most famous pace cars come from the Indianapolis 500, the below selection is from Indy’s Brickyard 400, a race that has been part of the NASCAR series since 1994. Though not officially road-worthy, the below selection features horsepower and bespoke livery that distinguish them from mainstream models sold to the public.
2007 Chevrolet Corvette Z06
The 2007 Corvette Z06 needs no introduction but, in case you need to be reminded, it’s an homologation C6 powered by a 505-horsepower LS7 7.0-liter small-block paired to a six-speed manual. For 2007, the Z06 was anointed to pace Indianapolis’ Allstate 400 at the Brickyard (the official name of the Brickyard 400 from 2005-09).
Of course, the engine needed no modifications for its duties on the track. What makes this car different, of course, is its pace car livery consisting of red/white/blue checker-flagged imagery.
2004 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
Remember the Monte Carlo? These used to be everywhere, yet today this Chevrolet seems to be a quaint footnote. The sixth-generation Monte was based on the “Intimidator” concept car from 1997, and you know what that is in reference to, right? If you were into NASCAR, the Monte Carlo was your car of choice, with several limited pace car editions built from 2000-03.
However, none of those can compare with this Brickyard 400 example that features custom paint with unique graphics and the strobe lights mounted on the roof and decklid. Power comes from a supercharged 3.8-liter V6, an engine that was available for 2004-05. Before the Camaro was revived for 2010, Chevy enthusiasts had this as their go-to four-seater.
2017 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1
Of course, the Camaro returned for 2010 as a Transformers-esque take on Chevrolet’s 1969 pony car, but the “Hugger” was back. Chevrolet introduced a new generation for 2016, with the top dog ZL1 featuring a supercharged LT4 small-block based on the Corvette Z06’s. Horsepower was 650, much higher than any Camaro from the glory days, including the ZL1’s namesake.
This 2017 Camaro ZL1 rises above all other ZL1s not only because it was the pace car at that year’s Brickyard 400, but also because Jeff Gordon served as honorary driver. Custom graphics, a 10-speed automatic, and integrated safety strobe lighting system are other features that define this Bow Tie.
Registering to bid at the Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale Fall Auction is easy—simply visit here and follow the prompts.
Source: www.classiccars.com