They may bear a passing resemblance to a Toyota Camry, Ford Fusion, or Chevy SS, but NASCAR stock cars share little in common with the road-going sedans they’re supposed to represent. No, if you want to see a real production car during a NASCAR race, you need to look at the front of the pack to the pace car – like this new Camaro ZL1.
Chevy prepared this version of its top muscle car to set the pace at the Daytona 500 this weekend, equipping it with a Whelen LED light bar on the roof and unique graphics on the doors. Otherwise, it’s bone-stock… like a stock car should be, right down to its 6.2-liter supercharged V8 kicking out 650 horsepower (albeit through a ten-speed automatic transmission).
It’s being driven today at the legendary Florida oval by none other than Jeff Gordon – the recently retired NASCAR super-star who has won the Cup four times, the Daytona 500 three times, and the 24 Hours of Daytona just last month.
“Chevrolet and I have a great history at the Daytona 500,” said Gordon, “and it’s an honor to drive the 650-horsepower Camaro ZL1 pace car for the largest, most historic race of the season.”
The ZL1 wasn’t the only pace car Chevy brought to Daytona this year, either. It also set up a bright green Camaro SS to pace the Xfinity series race on Saturday and a suitably silver Silverado for the Camping World truck race.
This weekend marks the fifth time a Camaro has been pressed into service as the official pace car for the Daytona 500, having previously done the same in 2011, 2009, 1969, and 1968.
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