Chevy Camaros will be Indy 500 Festival cars again

A longtime tradition leading into the Month of May and "The Greatest Spectacle in Racing" was renewed Wednesday when the 33 directors of the 500 Festival received their Indianapolis 500 Chevrolet Camaros on the main straightaway at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

The "Festival cars" have reminded Indianapolis-area residents of the upcoming Indianapolis 500 since the 1960s, and this year's unique cars will capture the attention of many as they are driven around Central Indiana.

"Seeing the Indianapolis 500 Festival cars around the city and state is one of the surest signs every year that the Indianapolis 500 is just around the corner," said J. Douglas Boles, Indianapolis Motor Speedway president. "This year's Chevrolet Camaro SS bears a striking resemblance to the beautiful Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 that will lead the 33 drivers to the green flag on May 25 and once again pays tribute to the longstanding relationship between the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the 500 Festival and Chevrolet."

Each of the 500 Festival cars is a 2014 Chevrolet Camaro SS convertible, equipped with a 400 hp 6.2L V-8 engine with a 6-speed automatic transmission with tap shift.

All of the Camaro SS Festival cars are black with black tops and black interior, and are specially equipped with Chevy-accessory black aluminum wheels to emulate the Camaro Z/28 coupe that will serve as the official pace car for the Indianapolis 500 this year. These special Camaros will be seen throughout the month of May adorned with the Indianapolis 500 event logo on the doors and the iconic IMS winged logo on the quarter panels.

"Chevrolet and Indianapolis Motor Speedway have been long-time partners, and each year our partnership allows civic leaders to be ambassadors of Chevrolet and of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway," said Jeff Chew, Manager of Business Strategy and Operations for Chevy Racing. "The speedway truly embraces the community, and the amount of support in Indianapolis and the surrounding communities is very special and is second to none."

The new front-end appearance on the '14 Camaro SS has a sleeker appearance and incorporates new headlights that create a more serious-looking face. Also, SS models are distinguished by an all-new vent-style hood inspired by the Camaro ZL1.

Two 6.2L V-8 engines are offered in the Camaro SS, including the L99 on automatic-equipped vehicles and the LS3 on manual-equipped models. All convertible models feature a standard rear-vision camera system.

The 98th running of the Indianapolis 500 will take place on Sunday, May 25.