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2019 Chevrolet Silverado to Become First Pickup to Pace Daytona 500 Race

On Sunday, February 17, the 61st edition of the Daytona 500 NASCAR race kicks off in Daytona Beach, Florida. Part of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, the event is one of the most highly anticipated ones in American motorsport.
Chevrolet Silverado Daytona 500 pace car 11 photos
Photo: Chevrolet
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For next year’s race, one of the competition’s oldest brands, Chevrolet, will be offering one of their new 2019 Silverado pickups to act as a pace car. It will be the first time in the history of the race a pickup is used to lead the field to green and the 12th time Chevy gets this honor.

Behind the wheel of the Silverado will sit two-time Daytona 500 winner Dale Earnhardt Jr. His machine will be powered by a production 6.2-liter V8 engine paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission that delivers 420 hp and 460 lb-ft of torque.

“I’ve had a lot of fun and a lot of success at Daytona over the years, and now I can’t wait to get out on that track in a Silverado,” said in a statement Earnhardt Jr.

“Away from the track I’ve driven Chevy trucks all my life, and I’m excited to have this unique experience of pacing the Daytona 500 with the Silverado.”


The new iteration of the Silverado was launched on the market this year as Chevy’s contender in an increasingly crowded segment of pickup trucks. For next year, an even more powerful version, the Heavy Duty, is scheduled to be launched.

The use of a truck as pace car for the Daytona race marks a major departure from the usual cars Chevy used over the years. Both the Camaro and the Corvette have had their share of fame over the years, starting with the 1968 Camaro and ending with the 2017 Camaro.

This year’s Daytona 500 race was paced by another heavy-weight of NASCAR, Toyota Camry, driven by former American football quarterback Peyton Manning.
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About the author: Daniel Patrascu
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Daniel loves writing (or so he claims), and he uses this skill to offer readers a "behind the scenes" look at the automotive industry. He also enjoys talking about space exploration and robots, because in his view the only way forward for humanity is away from this planet, in metal bodies.
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