The 110th Indianapolis 500 takes place this coming weekend. Pacing this year's race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway - the 2026 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1X. It will lead the field of 33 drivers to the green flag in an exclusive livery that celebrates America's 250th Anniversary.
Designed in tandem with the Stars and Steel Collection, the ZR1X features the stars and stripes decals running across the car. A custom paint job features Arctic White from the driver side and Admiral Blue on the passenger side. Red striping runs down the ZR1X’s carbon fiber spine on the rear hatch. Inside, the performance-driven cabin features Santorini Blue seats paired with red accent seat belts and red stitched floor mats.
“As we celebrate America’s 250th anniversary, this pace car design reflects both where we’ve been and where we’re headed,” Chevrolet Global Executive Design Director Phil Zak said. “Every element – from the badging to the colors – were deliberately crafted to honor this milestone while expressing a forward-looking vision of Chevrolet design.”
At the wheel, Indiana University Head Football Coach Curt Cignetti. He was named honorary Pace Car driver in celebration of IU Football’s undefeated National Championship season.
“America’s hypercar will be front and center at the Indianapolis 500, and it has the speed to stay there,” Corvette Executive Chief Engineer Tony Roma said. “The ZR1X is made for the racetrack. This Corvette, inspired by America’s 250th anniversary, will absolutely give Coach Cignetti and the fans a thrill.”
A true hypercar, the ZR1X delivers 1,250 horsepower across all four wheels, combining a 186 hp electric motor on the front axle with a 5.5L twin-turbo V8 putting 1,064 hp to the rear wheels. All that power means it can rocket zero to 60 mph in under 2 seconds – and can reach 233 mph, approaching speeds seen by race cars in the field.
For Pace Car duty, the ZR1X is equipped with the Carbon Aero package, including dive planes on the front bumper, underbody aero strakes and the rear wing, which creates more than 1,200 pounds of downforce at top speed.
The Corvette has paced “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” more times than any car. The 2026 race marks the 37th time for Chevrolet to pace dating back to 1948 and the 23rd time overall, all since 1978, for America’s favorite sports car.
Photo: Chevrolet.