New Mid-Engined Corvette Stingray Will Pace This Year's Indianapolis 500

The Indianapolis Motor Speedway unveiled Chevrolet's new mid-engined Corvette Stingray coupe Wednesday as the official pace car of this year's Indianapolis 500. 

This is the 17th time a Corvette has served as the pace car, starting with the 1978 Corvette. A Chevrolet has led the field of 33 to the start of the race 31 times, dating back to the 1948 Fleetmaster Six convertible.

General Motors President Mark Reuss will drive the pace car. 

Read More: Corvette Goes Mid-Engine For First Time To Raise Performance

Practice for this year's Indianapolis 500 began Wednesday. The race will be held outside of May for the first time – Sunday, Aug. 23 – with live coverage beginning at 2:30 p.m. on NBC. The traditional blackout of the live television broadcast in the Indianapolis market was lifted after the coronavirus pandemic forced IMS to run the race without fans in attendance.

By the numbers

The Torch Red 2020 Corvette Stingray Pace Car features:

• Mid-engine LT2 6.2L V8 engine
• 8-Speed Dual Clutch transmission
• 495 horsepower
• 0-60 in 2.9 seconds
• Top speed194 mph

From the beginning

Chevrolet has a storied history at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Chevrolet was founded in 1911, the year of the inaugural 500-mile race. Company co-founder Louis Chevrolet, along with brothers Arthur and Gaston, competed in early Indy 500s. Arthur competed in 1911 and Gaston won in 1920.