CORVETTE'S C5 COUPE TO PACE ROLEX 24 HOURS AT DAYTONA
Click on an image for a larger view

LAS VEGAS - In recognition of Chevrolet's latest-edition Corvette entering the next millennium, the Detroit automaker has incorporated the perfect color into the paint scheme of its 2000 Corvette pace car - Millennium Yellow.

For the second consecutive year a Corvette is slated to pace an international field of world-class sports cars at Daytona International Speedway's famed road course as the C5 coupe will serve as official pace car for the Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona endurance race on Saturday and Sunday, February 5-6, 2000. The Corvette C5 hardtop paced this year's Rolex 24 and coincided with Corvette's debut at Daytona with the C5R Corvette GT2 racer.

Millennium Yellow is a premium, additional cost exterior paint that provides a richer, deeper color utilizing a tinted clear-coat process and is available on the 2000 Corvette coupe and convertible. The color yellow has been on every generation of Corvette and with the C5, the tradition continues.

"The Corvette pace car program has been an important element in support of Corvette's return to racing," Chevrolet Race Shop manager Gary Claudio said. "We're proud to again pace such a prestigious race as the Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona."

Corvette's coupe comes standard with a 345-horsepower, 5.7-liter V-8 LS1 aluminum block engine, automatic transmission, a 2.73 limited-slip rear axle ratio, designed for sanctioned racing competition, and Goodyear Eagle F1 GS run-flat tires.

"Basically the only things we added to the car were optional Corvette high-polished aluminum wheels, a heavy-duty transmission oil cooler, a custom exhaust system, and a 360-degree strobe light package," said Jon Moss, manager of GM Special Vehicles. "The car is that good."

International Speedway Corporation's vice president of marketing, Greg Sullivan, welcomes Corvette's world-class image back to Daytona. "We're excited to have Chevrolet and the Corvette back at Daytona," stated Sullivan. "Partnerships like this demonstrate a serious commitment to our fans to bring our sport to the next level by welcoming premier sponsors like Chevrolet," stated Sullivan.

Corvette's decision to become the official pace car of the Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona is a key component of Chevrolet's strategy to reinforce Corvette's image as "America's Performance Icon." Jim Campbell, Corvette brand manager, is responsible for developing this strategy, and he's the guiding force behind Corvette's return to the racetrack.

The pace car announcement follows Corvette's announcement that it will expand on this year's return to racing by competing at the historic 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2000.