For the first time in a very long time, a major car manufacturer has unveiled a passenger car at Daytona International Speedway in conjunction with the Daytona 500. The much anticipated Chevrolet SS rolled into the DIS Fanzone shortly after 1:00 Eastern today with Jeff Gordon behind the wheel. The car is set to hit the dealerships this fall. This is Chevrolet’s first rear wheel driver sedan to his the market since 1996.
Chevrolet played on its long standing history with the sport – Harley J. Earl, whose name is on the 500 trophy, was a designer for GM – to show off its latest addition to its line. Chevrolet has taken 36 manufacturer championships in NASCAR’s top series, including the last 10 in a row. Mark Royce, the president of GM North America, pointed out that they are the fourth largest global brand.
During the announcement, NASCAR President Mike Helton pointed out that the manufacturers, including Chevrolet, backed NASCAR into a corner and told the sanctioning body what they needed to do. That may have increased the speed of the timeline for rolling out the new car, but it is going to benefit the sport for years to come.
Joie Chitwood drove the SS Pace Car into the fanzone after the unveiling to show off the new SS that will pace the field for the 55th Daytona 500.
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