Last week during the Annual Indy Spring Classic, the Mecum Auctions saw for the 35th time over 2,500 vehicles cross its legendary block. The total revenue for the event topped over $126 million, with the claim to the third most expensive lot sold excitedly made for the Chevy Corvette Pace Car Collection that changed hands for $1,375,000. Any diehard Corvette fan here at Jim Butler Chevy of St Louis would be amazed by this collection of 19 Corvette Pace Cars, with the Corvette namesake enjoying Indy 500 pace car status more times than any other model.
Several of these very special and memorable pace cars were reproduced and refined as replicas as the public was allowed in on the bidding war, and others were built specifically with this legendary and historic event in mind. Owner Dr. Richard Foster has long been a dedicated fan of the Corvette Pace Cars, and his collection included six Corvette Pace Car Editions, 8 Indy Motor Speedway authorized replicas, and two Official Pace Cars.
Four of the six Corvette Pace Car Editions have now received honors from Bloomington Gold or the National Corvette Restorers Society, with one model in particular showing less than one hundred miles on the odometer. The earliest car in this lot was a 1978 model with less than fifty miles on the odometer, shining brightly as a Bloomington Gold Benchmark Certified unrestored example. As you move up through the 1980’s, the 1986 Chevy Corvette Pace Car convertible in very memorable bright yellow with a black cloth top was the second oldest entry in the group.
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Then, you move up the line to a Bloomington Gold Benchmark Certified 1995 Chevy Corvette Pace Car Edition, boasting a Dark Purple finish along with Arctic While with only 121 miles on it as new. This one has an awesome maroon hue and is simply one of a kind as far as the spirit of the ‘Vette that we have all long had much love for!
Another amazing number from this arsenal with only TEN miles on the odometer is the 2003 Corvette Pace Car 50th Anniversary Coupe, which is painted in Anniversary Red, and is also Bloomington Gold Certified.
One of the most classic scenes of any Corvette group ever is also included in this troupe: it's’ the 2006 Chevy Corvette Pace Car, with Arctic White paint dip and red and blue stripes, as one of only six official Pace Cars built for this occasion.
2013 marked the end for C6 Generation Corvettes and the flagship 50th Anniversary ZR1 present in this sold lot boasts 638 horsepower and a six-speed manual. As a 60th Anniversary version, it was finished in Arctic White with Blue Diamond leather interior and has just 34 miles driven, another modern marvel that lives and breathes every single amazing and noteworthy essence the Corvette was meant to mirror.
Another one of the unforgettable and picturesque numbers in the collection was the C7 Corvette finished in Laguna Blue, with only 9 miles on the odometer. This is one Corvette that in every single way emulates what a track car should appear as: positioned, prime, and glistening at every single visual angle!