Top 10 Indy 500 Chevy Pace Cars Of All Time: #4 Chevrolet SSR

The Indianapolis 500 race started the tradition of using a pace car to keep the starting field in order to begin the race from a rolling start. Prior to 1911, almost every auto race utilized a standing start to begin the race. The pace car is required to collect the field back up at a reduced speed for an organized restart after a caution. For all intent and purposes, the pace car is a safety car.

It has also become part of the winner’s booty. Since 1936, the winner of the Indianapolis 500 has been presented with one of that year’s pace cars, or an expact replica of the pace car. Another time honored tradition of the pace car experience has been that a celebrity or former racer, was invited to drive the pace car to start the race. Auto manufacturers fight for the privilege of supplying the pace car to showcase the latest model or special car in their lineup. Several have gone on to become legendary classics, and we count down the top ten Indianapolis 500 Chevy pace cars of all time.

2003 Indianapolis Pace Car

Everything surrounding the 87th running of America’s great race was a big story in 2003. The ongoing IRL and CART split cast a giant shadow over the event with several high-powered CART teams defecting to the IRL which included the Penske, Andretti-Green, Gnassi and Rahal Letterman teams.

Amid the IRL/CART split, several drivers were injured which led to strange occurrences like Mario Andretti’s practice sessions. Filling in for an injured Tony Kanaan, the elder Andretti helped the team by testing Kanaan’s car at Indy. Andretti did extremely well, considering his age and retiring from the sport 9-years earlier. During one of the later test sessions, Andretti hit crash debris from a wreck that happened in front of his car, summersaulting several times through the air and landing on all four wheels.

Mario Andretti’s Amazing Flip During Testing:

There was a fear that the event might fall short of the traditional 33 starting field because of a shortage of engines and drivers. That fear was eliminated on the last day of qualifying when the field was filled with Airton Dare’ taking the final spot.

Despite the controversy of the field filling experience, the race got underway as the field was led to the green flag for the first time by a two-door truck. Chevrolet’s SSR was tabbed as the 2003 Indianapolis pace car with an early production version of the SSR taking the track. Powered by GM’s Vortec 5300 engine – a 5.3L mill that produced over 300 hp – the SSR was capable of high 15 seconds in a quarter mile run.

Video of the 2003 Chevrolet SSR Indianapolis 500 Pace Car:

The official violet colored pace car was one of 26 that was built as an Indianapolis 500 pace vehicle. Five of the signature series vehicles were done in the ultra violet with silver ghost flames that were the official pace cars. Chevrolet still owns the actual car that was used to pace the field that day. The other four official pace vehicles were auctioned off for charity with the same person buying all four of them.

About the author

Bobby Kimbrough

Bobby grew up in the heart of Illinois, becoming an avid dirt track race fan which has developed into a life long passion. Taking a break from the Midwest dirt tracks to fight evil doers in the world, he completed a full 21 year career in the Marine Corps.
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