The rumors are true: the 2014 Corvette Stingray will serve as the Indianapolis 500 Pace Car according to a press release issued by General Motors.

The highly anticipated vehicle will lead the field to green at the start of the 97th Indy 500 on Sunday, May 26 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

This historic occasion will mark the 12th time the Corvette has served as the Pace Car since 1978. This will be the 24th time that Chevrolet has served as the official Pace Car for the Indy 500, more than any other brand.

"It is an honor to help inaugurate the all-new Corvette Stingray at the hallowed Brickyard and further the legacy between Chevrolet and the Indianapolis 500," said Jim Campbell, GM vice president of Performance Vehicles and Motorsports according to GM. "The 2014 Corvette Stingray's performance was influenced by racing, making this prestigious assignment even more fitting."

The new model will be decked out in Laguna Blue Tintcoat with official Indy 500 graphics on the doors according to GM.

The main difference between the Pace Car and the model that goes on sale this fall is track-mandated safety features and strobe lights. No powertrain upgrades were required to run in front of the IndyCar pack due to the vehicle's all-new 6.2L LT1 engine.

The new engine features advanced technologies like direct fuel injection, variable valve timing, and Active Fuel Management. The car is expected to produce 450 horsepower according to GM.

"Chevrolet is a great partner of the Speedway," said Jeff Belskus, Indianapolis Motor Speedway Corporation president and chief executive officer according to GM. "That connection is heightened this year with the next-generation Corvette in front of a very talented field of racers." 

 Chevrolet was founded in 1911, the same year of the first 500-mile race, and the Chevrolet brothers, Louis, Arthur and Gaston, all competed in early Indy 500 races according to GM.

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