2005 Chevrolet SSR Pace Vehicle

(from GM Press Release)  A Chevrolet ssR will perform pace duties for the Auto Club 500 at California Speedway on Sunday, Feb. 27, and continue those duties for a total of 20 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup races this season. This weekend will be the first time the Chevy ssR, a unique blend of an open-air roadster with pick-up truck functionality, will pace the field during the 2005 race season.

"The Chevrolet ssR pace vehicle makes a bold statement on the track-just like our Chevy NASCAR drivers," said Brent Dewar, Chevrolet general manager. "Pacing the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup series provides a good opportunity to showcase the unique style and performance of the ssR, which now offers 390 horsepower."

The 2005 Chevy ssR pace vehicle has a four-color paint scheme with a "Sling Shot Yellow" nose blending into hot orange and "Torch Red" racing flames throughout the body and ultimately transitioning to a "Kinetic Blue" truck bed. The event logo for each race will be featured on both door panels with a red Chevy bowtie displayed on the hood.

The Chevy ssR pacing the field is nearly identical to the vehicles available in dealer showrooms. The production version of the 2005 Chevy ssR offers a new 6.0-liter LS2 small-block V-8 engine with 390 horsepower and the option of a six-speed manual transmission, which delivers a 0-60 mph time of 5.29 seconds. The ssR includes the standard one-button, power-operated retractable hardtop that stows vertically and out of sight in its own compartment without reducing cargo carrying capacity. The 2005 ssR starts at $42,555.

As the Official Pace Vehicle of NASCAR, Chevrolet will perform pace duties for 60 NASCAR events in 2005, including 28 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup, 17 Busch Series and 15 Craftsman Truck Series races, featuring vehicles such as Corvette, Monte Carlo and Silverado.