Click
HERE
for a PDF file of 2008 Pace Car build information.
As far
as the "real" 2008 Pace Cars used to pace the
race, there were (2) Z-06 E-85 "Gold Rush" Green
(PPG color) "Official Corvettes", one of which
started the 2008 Indy 500 (driven by the Pace Car driver
Emerson Fittipaldi), and (3) Official Pace Cars equipped
with strobe lights. (1Coupe and 2 Convertibles). The Speedway
retained the Coupe, Chevrolet got back the 2 Convertibles.
Each
of the three Pace cars had three sets of tires. They were
shipped with Goodyear's, displayed with Firestone Firehawks,
and then change to Bridgestone Potenza's for use in the
Race.
Total
Production for the 2008 Indy Pace Car replicas sold to the
public was 500. The first replica rolled off the production
line approximately March 4th, and the last was June 6th.
There were 61 Corvettes built and shipped to the Indianapolis
Motor Speedway to be used as "track" and "festival
committee" vehicles which were distributed to their
lucky drivers on April 9th and in use thru May 31st. All
of the Black and Silver Corvettes used at the Speedway had
the Six speed "Paddle Shift" automatic transmissions.
There were 19 Coupes, and 42 Convertibles at the Speedway.
When
these cars arrived at the Speedway, a Silver "Chevrolet"
windshield header decal and assigned track car numbers /
license plate (to match the build sequence numbers) were
added. The Chevrolet windshield header will not be on the
replicas sold as normal "dealer" cars that were
not used at the track. Another item was that this was the
first occasion where a Corvette Pace Car, which offered
replicas to the public, was available in either a Convertible
or a Coupe version.
Chevrolet was able to make their claim good of having Pace
Car replicas in dealer show rooms prior to the race, but
a small amount of the remainder of the production run occurred
just after the Indianapolis 500 was completed, the first
week of June. One surprise item on the Convertible builds
was that the last 44 Convertibles built were given Black
convertible tops!
We have
it on good authority that it was planned late in the build
cycle that all Convertibles built AFTER the Indianapolis
500 race would have Black tops. This was not a supply issue
as some may think, they "Just wanted to do something
different". The intention may have also been to help
Dealers who expected them prior to the race move them off
of their lots, but it may have had an unexpected response
from those who ordered the cars expecting a Gray top.
This
Pace Car was truly a world wide offering, with a total of
fifty one cars leaving the US. Twenty five cars were destined
for Europe, five for the Middle East, and twenty one went
to Canada.
This
year the Pace Car package RPO-Z4Z was a great value! Retail
of the Coupe or Convertible 3LT package was $6,940 but when
you factor in the items that are included, the actual "Pace
Car replica" package is only an additional $1,505 !
Emerson Fittipaldi, the driver for this year's race has
his autograph on the rear quarter decal as well as an authentic
autograph and build sequence number on the inside of the
center console.
Additionally,
a first, you have your choice of Convertible or Coupe. You
could also select transmission type (148 were built with
the manual transmission), National Corvette Museum delivery,
and some other options - we know of at least one car that
was built without the Navigation system.
There
was one more special Pace Car Replica built. That was the
car that was given to the Pace Car driver, Emerson Fittipaldi.
It was the only Z06 model built in the Pace car colors,
shown below making a quick move into one of the Pace Car
garages immediately following the Media day event at the
Speedway. Most of the graphics were hand painted like the
"real" Pace Cars, although it did wear just a
few "decals", such as the event door logo.
Data
gathering is continuing, so this list is a "work in
progress". While we attempt to complete our records,
we are counting on YOU to help us out - REGISTER YOUR CAR
TODAY so that we may gather all the data on all of the cars
and how they were used during Race month !
