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A 2023 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 convertible has been named the official pace car of the 2023 Indianapolis 500, the highlight of the IndyCar series.

The car will feature a Red Mist Metallic exterior paint finish and a two-tone Jet Black and Sky Cool Gray interior with Torch Red accents. It will also wear forged aluminum wheels with a Tech Bronze finish.

Like all 2023 Corvette Z06 coupes and convertibles, a 5.5-liter V-8 with a flat-plane crank and a redline of 8,600 rpm will power the pace car. Peak power of 670 hp arrives at 8,400 rpm. The Z06 launches from 0-60 mph in about 2.6 seconds and reaches a top speed of approximately 195 mph.

It will be the first time a Corvette with a retractable hard-top roof will handle pacing duties at the race, which is now in its 107th year. However, Chevrolet and the Corvette are no strangers at the event.

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The 2023 race will mark the 20th time a Corvette has paced the race, and the 34th time a Chevrolet has had the honor. The first Chevy pace car was also a convertible, a Fleetmaster Six, which led the field to the green flag back in 1948.

Chevy, which is also a current power unit supplier to IndyCar (together with Honda), has a history with the Indy 500 that goes back much farther. Brand co-founder Louis Chevrolet, along with brothers Arthur and Gaston, competed in early races. Gaston won the 1920 race.

This year’s Indy 500 is scheduled for May 28 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. A driver for the pace car hasn’t been announced.

A special 2023 Chevrolet Camaro SS convertible was also picked as this year’s Indy 500 Festival Event Car. A total of 50 examples have been built for promotional duties, all of which will be sold to the public after the race.

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