Chevy drivers to appear at Detroit Auto Show

The weather may be cold and the calendar may say January, but it will feel like race time in Detroit this Friday as seven drivers that will be competing in the Chevrolet Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix will visit the city to promote the June 1-3, 2012 event.

Some of the top road racers in the world will cruise into the Motor City on Jan. 20 and they will meet with media and fans at the 2012 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) at Cobo Center. IZOD IndyCar Series drivers Will Power and Ryan Briscoe of Team Penske and JR Hildebrand of Panther Racing will visit the show along with GRAND-AM Rolex Series drivers (and brothers) Ricky Taylor of SunTrust Racing and Jordan Taylor of Autohaus Motorsports. Two of the top drivers from the Pirelli World Challenge Championship Series – Johnny O’Connell and Andy Pilgrim of Cadillac Racing – will also be in attendance on Friday.

All of the drivers will compete in their respective series when world-class auto racing returns to Detroit for the first time in four years on the first weekend in June.

This Friday morning, the drivers will appear at the Chevrolet Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix (CDBIGP) display at the show on the main concourse of Cobo Center as they celebrate Family Day at the NAIAS. The CDBIGP display features a 2012 Chevrolet DP12 IndyCar, set to make its debut in competition this season – the only new generation IndyCar that is featured at the auto show.

From 12-1 p.m. on Friday, all of the drivers will be available to sign autographs for fans at the WXYZ-TV autograph area located on the main show floor. All auto show ticket holders will be able to access this area. After the signing, all of the drivers will participate in a Chevrolet Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix panel discussion on the WXYZ-TV stage. This discussion and Q&A session with fans will also include GM Racing Director Mark Kent, Cadillac Global Marketing Director Jim Vurpillat and Grand Prix Event Chairman Bud Denker.

“We are proud of the diverse racing series lineup that will be competing at the 2012 Chevrolet Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix and we’re excited to welcome some of the top drivers in each series to Detroit this Friday," said Denker. “This is truly a world-class lineup of racers and we look forward to hosting them at the North American International Auto Show as we build the excitement for our event in June."