Chevrolet has a long history in American motorsport, especially good ol' oval track races like the one coming up in Indy. Chevy is bringing dozens of Camaro Convertibles for the 106th running of the Indianapolis 500, continuing a long tradition of using its cars to promote the race around Indiana and beyond.
The automaker hauled out 50 identical "Festival Event Cars" to Indy, all of which are 2022 Chevrolet Camaro SS Convertibles with unique factory option codes. They're powered by a 6.2-liter V8 with 455 horsepower and 455 lb-ft of torque. All are finished in Wild Cherry Tintcoat with decals commemorating the 106th Indianapolis 500.
Festival Event Cars have been part of the race weekend for decades, and Chevy says the fleet of Camaros will travel around Central Indiana to promote the event. That said, the cars are exhibition vehicles only, and will not participate in the race.
Even so, Chevy's got experience handling pace car duties, having had a Corvette or Camaro as the lead car at Indy every year since 2002, when a 50th Anniversary Corvette lapped the oval. Since then, a variety of cars have held the title, with the 'Vette dominating the last five years. Chevy hasn't announced the 2022 Indy 500 pace car yet, but it wouldn't be surprising to see a C8 Corvette Z06 on track.
The current Camaro is an interesting choice for such a visible role on race weekend. It's been several years since the car got a full overhaul, and though Chevy's updated the car with a new ZL1 1LE package and fresh tech over the years, it's scheduled to be discontinued after 2024. The Camaro's future is uncertain after that, as we don't currently know when or if Chevy will release a new model. Rumors point to a potential Camaro EV, but no official details have been shared to date.
In any other setting, 50 Camaro convertibles would make front-page news, but the spectacle at Indy will certainly be the headline. The full weekend schedule isn't out yet, but in years past there were plenty of activities for the kids and parents alike. Gates open at 6AM on Sunday, May 29 for the 106th Indy 500, with the race scheduled for 12:45PM.