2013 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 will pace this month's Indianapolis 500

Rekindling a long-term relationship with the Brickyard, Chevrolet will be back in force at this year's Indianapolis 500. In addition to returning as an engine provider for the first time since 2005, a 2013 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 will handle race-pacing duties for the 96th annual running of "The Greatest Spectacle in Racing." Its appearance marks the record 11th time a Corvette has been tabbed for this high-profile job, as well as a record 23rd appearance for its parent division.

As a suitable flourish to help celebrate the 60th anniversary of this iconic American sports car -- and the last model year of the current "C6" iteration -- the 2013 Corvette ZR1 that will lead the field of 33 to the green flag on Memorial Day features the same key exterior and interior cosmetic elements with the 60th Anniversary Package that's available on all 2013 models. It consist of an Arctic White exterior with full-length Blue Silver Pearl blue racing stripes set off by and an interior trimmed in Blue Diamond leather. The ZR1 also packs more firepower than any previous Indy 500 pace car, thanks to its 638-horse/6.2-liter supercharged LS6 V8.

"This is a truly momentous year for Chevrolet when it comes to performance, with our continued success on and off track, and especially with our return to the IndyCar Series, powering some of the fastest cars on the circuit," said Jim Campbell, GM vice president of Performance Vehicles and Motorsports. "I can't think of a better way to mark the 60th Anniversary of Corvette than having it lead the starting field of the Indianapolis 500."