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2007
Daytona 500 Pace Car
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Photo
used with permission. © 2007. Photo by
James Mankowski.
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DAYTONA
BEACH, Fla. - NEXTEL Cup drivers Tony Raines and Jeff
Green, along with hundreds of fans in Daytona International
Speedway's acclaimed NEXTEL FANZONE, got the first
look at the 2007 Daytona 500 pace car with a special
unveiling during the NASCAR Jackson Hewitt Preseason
Thunder Fan Fest.
Raines,
driver of the No. 96 Chevrolet for Hall of Fame Racing,
and Green, driver of the No.66 Chevrolet for Haas
CNC Racing, helped unveil the Chevrolet Corvette that
will pace the field for the 49th annual Daytona 500
on Sunday, Feb. 18. Speedway President Robin Braig
and Jeff Chew, Marketing Manager, NASCAR Chevy racing
also helped unveil the car which dons the 2007 Daytona
500 logo and is highlighted by red, white and blue
accents on each side and the Chevrolet logo on the
hood.
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Cal
Ripken, who displayed remarkable drive during
his Hall of Fame baseball career, drove the
pace car during this year's Daytona 500.
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Ripken
drove the Chevrolet Corvette pace car that led the
field of 43 to the starting line for the 49th Daytona
500 on February 18. Baseball's iron man with a record
2,632 consecutive games played, Ripken was elected
to the Baseball Hall of Fame earlier this month.
"The
Daytona 500 is one of the most storied sporting events
in the country and I am thrilled and honored to be
a part of it," Ripken said. "NASCAR drivers
are tremendous athletes and I look forward to being
in that environment."
"Cal
Ripken joins an outstanding list of celebrities who
will be at this year's Daytona 500," Daytona
International Speedway president Robin Braig said.
"NASCAR's most prestigious event has a history
of attracting high-profile athletes and entertainers,
and this year is no different."
2007
marks the fourth straight year that a Corvette has
paced the field and the 35th straight year a GM has
paced the field.
Kevin
Harvick nipped Mark Martin at the start/finish line
to capture the 49th annual Daytona 500 - and yet another
race win for the Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS - the closest
Daytona 500 finish since the advent of computer scoring.
Harvick,
who started seventh on the green-white-checkered finish,
got drafting help on the outside from Matt Kenseth
on the final lap and edged Martin at the start/finish
line by less than a half a car length while a multi-car
accident broke out behind.
Corvettes
were also used as Track cars and other support vehicles
during the event activities at this year's Daytona
Speed Weeks. Some photo highlights follow.
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