3 Dashing Chevy Pace Cars Decked Out in Blue Will Dominate Daytona Race Weekend

All of us here at Jim Butler Chevy of St Louis are eagerly looking forward to the annual return of racing, as this particular year it will provide a sample taste of outdoor freedom that we are all so hungry for! A perfect solution for cabin fever, even watching on TV will give us an extra-special sense of seasonal victory, as temps have plummeted lately across the nation and snow has blanketed much of the Midwest. Last weekend, Chevy had three matching pace cars ready for high-speed excitement during the thrilling races on tap at Daytona International Speedway.

Each one of the cars runs on the 6.2-liter small-block V8, and will proudly display the C8 Rapid Blue Paint color, a great-looking fan favorite. The first of the trio is a Silverado 1500 RS, with a 420-horsepower EcoTec3 V8 that was on-site during the Camping World Truck Series' NextEra Energy 250 on Friday, February 12. The next day the boisterous and brawny 2021 Camaro SS 1LE was the chosen pace car for the Xfinity Series 300, and the Corvette Stingray had the honors on Valentine's day for the Legendary Daytona 500, leading the way for poised Camaro, Mustang, and Camry stock models eager to cross the famed finish line. 

Numerous times in history pace cars become sought-after collectibles when a manufacturer issues one as a coveted special edition, as the brand we love to represent has done many times in the past. One unforgettable model was the 1978 Indy Pace Car Edition Corvette sporting a two-tone black-over-silver paint job and the 1998 Corvette with the distinct and memorable purple and yellow color scheme. Another of our personal favorites was from many years back cast splendidly as the 1969 Indy 500 Chevy Camaro with orange stripes over a white-on-white convertible body. 

If you are a fan of the Rapid Blue color, you can add it to your very own 2022 Camaro, as it is joining the option list for the new year. On the inside, the current Camaro design is a composite blend of old and new, with the dashboard's design in place over the cluster and chrome interior trim pieces appearing as if they are sourced from our favorite classic muscle car of yesteryear. Opting for a larger 8-inch touchscreen, wireless charging pad, navigation, and premium Bose audio system are ways to excitedly enhance the drive on this car that excitedly brandishes the 6.2-liter V8 that produces 455 horsepower and 455 lb-ft of torque. 

Other trim levels come armed with power under the hood sourced from a turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder that makes 275 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque, a 3.6-liter V6 that provides the next step up generating 335 horsepower and 284 lb-ft of torque, and the hefty supercharged V8 that generates 650 horsepower and 650 lb-ft of torque. The ZL1 is the proper track hound's dream model that physically defines “having everything” over the top, with adaptive dampening, wider tires, manually adjustable front suspension, and its precisely-allocated 650 horsepower. 

2021 Chevy Blazer and Ford Edge Face Off in Red-Hot PostBowl Rankings Showdown

Everyone here at Jim Butler Chevy of St Louis agree that this Is the perfect time of year to be properly fired up with competitive spirit, as the two highest-performing pro football teams in the nation squared off against each other this past weekend on the field. February is also a month when customers are reporting back to us about how their newest purchases have been performing, and which features and trim levels they are benefiting from most. The bloggers at Motor Trend put the two highly-competitive and athletically-stanced Ford Edge and Chevy Blazer crossovers to the test while comparing their features, and letting you know exactly which one figuratively scores the touchdown in the customer's eye. 

They are roughly the same size, both have two rows of seats, and have similar four and six-cylinder engines. Our prized Blazer was revitalized in 2019, and the second-generation Edge came out 4 years earlier. The Edge offered a larger standard infotainment system new for 2021 and offers the now-expected Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capability. Both the Edge and Blazer earn five-star safety ratings from NHTSA, a plus for busy families who want to be sure that every drive offers the highest level of protection and doesn't leave any “what ifs” regarding always arriving intact and sound. 

As far as design and appearance, this comparison acknowledges right away how the Blazer is anything but bland and comes strongly out of the gate with pony-inspired design cues. Once inside you are reminded of what it's like to drive its close relative in the form of the Camaro, marking the Blazer as the ideal “passing and running yard gain” dominator in the showdown. For anyone who wants to arrive brandishing a currently-stylish edge and added confidence, we undoubtedly proclaim the Blazer as the compliant and comfortable choice with a perfect dose of fist-pumping aggression.

The Blazer is also priced lower at the viable entry point, and the V6 approaches the pivotal redline interval with an excited and eager attitude that makes the most mundane of errands a blast. This particular cold winter's comparison rendered the Edge as the more sensible commuter's choice, with the Blazer coming in as the sure-fire winner for the buyer whose daydreams tend to wander towards open throttles and taking tight corners with the music cranked. 

Online car experts Edmunds reflected after several test drives that the available Convenience and Driver Package is well worth the addition with heated seats, a programmable power liftgate, auto-dimming side mirrors, and rear cross-traffic alert. As we have sourced the best reviews and expert opinions to keep us up to speed on what is trending and the various traits that make crossovers stand out from the crowd, most who are solidly in the loop of automotive know-how have favored the Blazer's RS Trim: it provides the muscular V6, 20-inch black-painted wheels, a programmable power liftgate, upgraded touchscreen with navigation, 120-volt power port, and heated steering wheel.

Track-Focused and Sizzling Asphalt-Ready Corvette Z06 Due By The Balmy Days of Summer

 

As soon as the 8th-generation Corvette was officially shown to the public in a large California airline hangar, everyone here at Jim Butler Chevy of St Louis watched intently as auto media experts and drivers alike rapidly fell for it. Since it was such a well-received and exhilarating release, there is now an entire array of increasingly powerful Corvettes that will be coming out over the years, and the staff on duty at Gear Patrol suggested quite officially that we could see a brand-new Z06 by July of this year, or even sooner. 

It had circulated in official circles that “it's not a project anymore” regarding its completion, and we would be led to believe that the Z06 model could see the fast-track regarding production. A finely-honed focus on-track performance and power would be the exhilarating result of a 5.5-liter naturally-aspirated V8 with a flat-plane crank similar to what is found in the Ferrari as well as Shelby GT350. The Stingray is a valuable benchmark to use as an entry point illustrating just how much the entire Corvette line has to offer, and the Z06 is where the delicately-prepared supercar racing numerous laps around the track shines through with a fervor. 

As the seasoned crew on duty at Car And Driver reported last week, the anticipation is building in massive amounts for this mightier Z06, as the flat-crank V8 on board is going to sound unlike anything that has come before it. With close attention paid to the aerodynamic factors that adjust to provide maximum downforce and cornering ability, it is pretty much guaranteed to be lightning-fast when navigating a straight line. As soon as the C8 came out drivers were excited about the characteristics of the cabin layout that made it so driver-focused, and the Z06 will include a 12.0-inch fully digital gauge cluster, a heads-up display, heated and ventilated seats, and wireless charging.

The 8.0-inch touchscreen on board supports Chevy's Infotainment 3 Plus system, and there will be the choice of a standard 10-speaker or 14-speaker Bose system to properly amp up the driving mood in an already-potent and longstanding classic that is the king of the highway and track continuously in its own rite. Years ago drivers would re-live every hairpin turn and straightaway acceleration jaunt by telling stories to their friends who may or may have not always believed them, and now the Performance Data Recorder can stake the ultimate proof and claim to the majority of your exploits. 

A few images captured at Grattan Raceway snagged up recently just outside of Grand Rapids, Michigan provided a close-up look at the side of the car, where we fully admit that Chevy was pretty adamant about hiding the brake package residing behind the actual design. It has also been disclosed to us that the engineering team is considering making the telltale sound of the exhaust pipes even more resonant with a center-mounted exhaust option, guaranteed to provide the greatest and most dedicated fans of the Z06 even more to savor every single time it bellows up after turning over!