1979 Indy 500 Pace Car tribute

at SEMA 2017

 

 

 

 

The Goodguys Rod & Custom Association's newly-built 1979 “Fox body” (third generation) Mustang Pace Car was on display at the association's booth at the 2017 SEMA (Specialty Equipment Market Association) Show. Built to showcase the coming wave of next-generation muscle cars, Eric Brockmeyer penned the design which was executed by the team at Jonathan Goolsby Customs.  

 

1979 Ford factory photo of the Pace Car replica sold to the public

 

1979 Ford factory photo of the actual Indianapolis 500 Pace Car

 

The brand-new 1979 Ford Mustang was selected as the Pace Car for the 63rd running of the Indianapolis 500-mile race. Ford had three specially built Mustangs available during the month of May which were easily identifiable due their T-tops, an option not available to the public.

The 1979 Pace Car Mustang powered by a custom engine built by Roush Engineering was driven by Jackie Stewart for the flying start of the race which was won by Rick Mears in the 'Gould Charge' Penske PC-6 who was awarded a copy of the Pace Car.

 

  

This radical build had its original turbocharged 2.3-liter four-cylinder engine replaced by a Ford Performance Aluminator “Coyote” XS crate engine equipped with Mahle hard-anodized forged pistons and Manley H-beam connecting rods. The new engine is conservatively rated at 500 horsepower which passes into a Bowler-prepped Tremec T56 six-speed transmission. The spent exhaust gases pass through custom headers, 3-inch exhaust and Flowmaster mufflers.  

 

 

The car rides on a custom, fully independent suspension Roadster Shop Fast Track chassis fitted with Baer brakes and 18×10- and 19×12-inch Forgeline center-lock wheels shod with Michelin tires. To accommodate the ultra-wide wheels and tires, custom “mini tubs” were built for the rear wheels before the bodywork was finished in a custom yellow mix of PPG Vibrance colors with the paint scheme that uses the striping colors of the 1979 Indianapolis 500 Pace Car.  

 

 

 

Photos by the Author except as noted

 

The author's ride for "The Week of Indy"

 

The author is proud to announce that for the second year in a row he has been invited  to ride as the co-pilot in the GMC pickup pace truck for the "Week of Indy" - three United States Auto Club (USAC) races promoted by Track Enterprises Inc. Driving duties for the pace truck at all three events will be handled by Tom Johnson, "the Racer's Insurance Guy" at Shepherd Insurance.  

May 24 2017 - "The Hulman Classic" at the legendary Terre Haute Action Track in Terre Haute Indiana for the USAC AMSOIL National sprint cars and the Scott's Custom Colors UMP Modifieds

May 25 2017 - "The Hoosier Hundred" at the historic Indiana State Fairgrounds in Indianapolis for the USAC Silver Crown Series and the Mid-American Stock Car Series 

May 26 2017 - the "Carb Night Classic...The Race Before the 500” at Lucas Oil Raceway in Brownsburg Indiana for the USAC  Silver Crown Series and the Mid-American Stock Car Series 

Tickets for the individual races can be purchased through the promoter's website at

http://trackenterprises.com/

Fans can purchase a three-day special Superticket for the full week of races around Indy including the “Tony Hulman Classic” at the Terre Haute Action Track, the “Hoosier Hundred” at the Indiana State Fairgrounds and the “Carb Night Classic” at Lucas Oil Raceway at

https://usacracing.ticketspice.com/2017-week-of-indy.

Additional details are available on Shepherd Insurance's Motorsports Insurance program at 

http://www.shepherdins.com/commercial-insurance/services/5/Niche-Markets/service/27/Motorsports

A confusing 1955 Chevrolet Bel Air convertible

 

photo by the author

Recently the author toured the Pack Automatable Museum owned by Dallas Texas mega-car dealer Sam H. Pack  The museum contained many beautiful cars that included sports cars, hot rods, customs, muscle car race cars, and cars of the fifties. There was one car which left the author puzzled - this black 1955 Chevrolet Bel Air convertible that sported replica Indianapolis '500' Pace Car graphics- except it is black.

The car was purchased by Mr. Pack at the Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale auction in 2011, and the information card with the cars stated “this tribute car was commissioned by the Indianapolis 500 Festival Race Committee to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the small block Chevrolet V8. The car was restored to exact specification of the track-ready cars built in 1955 with one great exception, the track cars were painted two-tone cream and red whereas this car is painted black and is stunning.”

 

 

Charles Keating and Anton 'Tony' Hulman in a posed shot with the pace car.

Note the unique Firestone "500" tires

photo courtesy of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway collection

 in the IUPUI University Library Center for Digital Studies

 

The Chevrolet Pace Car heads the field before the start of the 1955 '500'

photo courtesy of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway collection

 in the IUPUI University Library Center for Digital Studies

 

The original “track cars” were not cream and red but were painted Gypsy Red and India Ivory, For years the author has heard stories of an original turquoise and white 1955 ‘500’ Pace Car but this is the first time he has seen one in black.  It appeared to be a very nicely restored car, with the “Official Pace Car” graphics on the rear quarter panel changed from black to white and the lower slogan “500 mile race” in red. Pack’s car also sported rear fender skirts which with the pace car driven by Chevrolet Sales Manager, Thomas Keating, was not equipped.

The author has been unable to confirm that this car was, as claimed, commissioned by the ‘500’ Festival Inc. in 2005 - can any readers clear up this mystery?