You could ask just about anyone to name a famous race event and in all likelihood their answer would be the Indianapolis 500. Held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on every Memorial Day long weekend since 1911, the Indy 500 is a huge spectator event. Thousands of racing enthusiasts love this race for its history, traditions, format, and of course, to see the most technologically advanced open-wheel Indy race cars, the Indy pace car, and the world’s best drivers in heated action.
It’s the job of the Indy pace car driver is to lead the race field for a 2 ½ mile lap around the track to warm up engines, tires, and to allow the entire field to position themselves correctly while reaching a prescribed speed so that the race can be started from a flying start. As the field comes to the starting line the pace car peels off into the pit lane and the race is under way!
In the late sixties some pretty awesome American built muscle cars were honored by their selection as an Indy pace car.
Can’t Own An INDY Race Car? You Could Certainly Own An INDY Pace Car!
To avoid the possibility of catastrophic failure on the track, the race day Indy pace car was beefed up mechanically, and more than one “real” Indy pace car was sometimes built to serve as a backup car if needed. Large automaker sponsors typically supplied a number of replica pace cars for race officials and festival driving duties, as seen in the 1969 photo shown above. Then, to satisfy the public’s demand to own an Indy pace car, manufacturers produced and sold pace car replica option packages through their dealerships – which in turn means a fair supply of pace cars were produced. Today, it’s not unrealistic nor out of reach of the semi-serious muscle car aficionado to locate and personally own one of these beauties!
The 1966 Indy 500 pace car – Mercury Comet Cyclone GT
Production numbers, estimates vary by source:
Ford authorized the building of 100 Indy pace car editions of which 33 were official festival cars equipped with flag holders.
Power Train:
390 cubic inches rated @ 335 horsepower
Auction and/or sales samplings (may be pace car replica with or without decal treatment):
Mecum Lot T186 – May 2010 Sold Price: $41,000
Barn Find Classics – August 2010 Sold Price: $38,000
Mecum Lot S145 – July 2012 Sold Price: $22,500
Tales from the track:
In a first lap accident one third (11 cars of the 33 starting field) were unable to continue to race. The winner driver was Graham Hill, although the team of driver Jim Clark contended that a scoring error in completed laps ultimately cost them the title they felt they had won.
The 1967 Indy 500 pace car – Chevrolet Camaro Super Sport
Production numbers, estimates vary by source:
Chevrolet delivered 81 pace cars, 2 of this number to actually pace the race and 1 as a prize award to the race winner. The number of 1967 pace cars and replicas built is guesstimated to be between 350 and 400.
Power Train Offerings:
396 cubic inches – L78 rated @ 375 horsepower, or, L35 rated @ 325 horsepower
350 cubic inches rated @ 295 horsepower
Auction and/or sales samplings (may be pace car replica with or without decal treatment):
Mecum Lot F228 – May 2010 Sold Price: $68,000
Mecum Lot S29 – November 2010 Sold Price: $88,000
Hendrick Cars – August 2012 Asking Price: $75,500
Tales from the track:
The winning driver was A.J. Foyt, who turned down the prize pace car because it didn’t have air conditioning or a power top. Really?! Chevrolet was accommodating and had another pace car replica built for A.J.
The 1968 Indy 500 pace car – Ford Torino GT
Production numbers, estimates vary by source:
1 Pace Car and 43 Festival cars were provided. There were an additional 709 Torino’s ordered through Ford’s “Indianapolis 500 Pace Car Promotion”.
Power Train Offerings:
428 cubic inches rated @ 335 horsepower
390 cubic inches rated @ 325 horsepower
302 cubic inches rated @ 230 horsepower
Auction and/or sales samplings (may be pace car replica with or without decal treatment):
eBay Motors – February 2009 Sold Price: $13,000
Mecum Lot S49.1 – June 2009 Sold Price: $26,000
Francis Motor Sports – February 2012 Asking Price: $24,500
Tales from the track:
During the race month, film crews could be seen at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway shooting action shots and footage of the race proceedings that would be used in the movie “Winning” which starred Paul Newman.
The 1969 Indy 500 pace car – Chevrolet Camaro Super Sport
Production numbers, estimates vary by source:
Chevrolet delivered 130 pace Cars, 2 of this number to actually pace the race, 1 as a prize awarded to the race festival queen, and 1 as a prize awarded to the race winner.
There were an additional 3,675 pace car replicas ordered with a new Chevrolet RPO Z11 option code, and these were sold through dealerships. The Indy door decals were part of the Z11 option shipped in the trunk so that the new owner could install or not install the decals by choice.
Power Train Offerings:
396 cubic inches – L78 rated @ 375 horsepower, or, L34 rated @ 350 horsepower
350 cubic inches rated @ 300 horsepower
Auction and/or sales samplings (may be pace car replica with or without decal treatment):
Mecum Lot S54.1 – December 2011 Sold Price: $57,500
eBay Item 150904076781 – September 2012 Buy it Now Price: $75,500
eBay Item 130763655782 – September 2012 Buy it Now Price: $59,900
Tales from the track:
In a gutsy display of determination, Mario Andretti returns on race day to win in a backup car – only two weeks after suffering burns in a practice accident!
The 1970 Indy 500 pace car – Oldsmobile 442
Production numbers, estimates vary by source:
There were 268 Oldsmobile 442 pace car convertibles produced. A combination of 442’s and the Oldsmobile Cutlass made up for an additional 631 pace car replicas.
Power Train Offerings:
455 cubic inches – rated @ 365 horsepower, or, 370 horsepower with W30 package
350 cubic inches – rated @ 310 horsepower
Auction and/or sales samplings (may be pace car replica with or without decal treatment):
Mecum Lot S255 – May 2010 Sold Price: $32,500
Mecum Lot F5 – January 2012 Sold Price: $43,000
Cats Exotics – September 2012 Asking Price: $69,888
Tales from the track:
Rain on race morning delayed the start by about thirty minutes. On the pace lap driver Jim Malloy hit the outside wall in turn four, which delayed the start further.
The 1971 Indy 500 pace car – Dodge Challenger
Production numbers, estimates vary by source:
There is a list of vehicle identification numbers for the 50 Challenger convertible pace cars that served during the 1971 race week activities.
During the model year, a total of 1,774 Challenger convertibles engine were built, and some of these have undoubtedly received paint and decal treatment to give them a pace car appearance.
Power Train Offerings:
383 cubic inches rated @ 300 horsepower
340 cubic inches rated @ 275 horsepower
318 cubic inches rated @ 230 horsepower
Auction and/or sales samplings (may be pace car replica with or without decal treatment):
RM Auctions – July 2009 Sold Price: $25,300
500 Classic Auto Sales – November 2010 Asking Price: $44,900
Howden Classic Cars – September 2012 Bid Price: $39,600, reserve not met.
Tales from the track:
A local Dodge dealer, Eldon Palmer, was chosen to drive the pace car since he had been instrumental in organizing and supplying the pace car fleet. Palmer came off the track and down the pit lane too fast, locked up the brakes in an attempt to stop, and ended up crashing into a photographers’ stand. Riding in the pace car with Palmer at the time were some famous passengers. ABC broadcaster Chris Schenkel and astronaut John Glenn were badly shaken in the accident but uninjured. Not so lucky were 19 photographers in the stands who were injured.
Fade out… as a younger “Miss Hurst Shifter” Linda Vaughn bids us farewell from track side.
“Everything comes to those who wait…except a cat.” Mario Andretti, Indy 500 winner
I’d have to agree with Mario about the cat, but, if you want to get your own pace car – Gentlemen, start your (search) engines!
See yah! -Diamond Don
Another great article guys!
Thanks Jonny.