Complete Indy 500 Corvette Pace Car Collection Set for Auction
From 1978 to 2017 the Corvette has been the Indy 500 pace car 14 times. Now, you can own one from each year.
If your heart has ever yearned for a Chevrolet Corvette Indy 500 Pace Car, you’re in a world of luck. Heading to Mecum Auction May 15-20 in Indianapolis, one lot of 16 cars will contain one example from every single year that a Corvette has been the race’s pace keeper.
Keen eyed enthusiasts will note that the Corvette has served as pace car 14 times, yet this lot has 16 cars. That’s because some special editions were available in more than one paint scheme. Corvettes from 2004 make up those extra spots, with three from that specific year in all white, all blue and blue/white paint. That’s just one example of why this collection is unique. All of the Corvettes are extremely low production numbers and even lower mileage. And some of them were never even offered for sale to the public.
What makes this even more of an incredible collection is that it’s the only complete collection in private hands, with several years of Corvette pace cars never being offered for public sale. That makes the 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2017 examples the only ones officially authorized by Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Chevrolet to be reproduced. The lengths of which owner Keith Busse went to make his collection complete took an exhaustive effort, again highlighting how truly special this lot will be.
Busse, 74, a Corvette and Indy 500 enthusiast for many years, now says, “when I made the decision to sell them all, I couldn’t sleep that night.” But ultimately the proceeds — expected to be around $2,000,000 if the whole lot sells — will go to the Keith Busse Automotive and Classic Art Foundation, which helps to financially support higher education efforts in parts of northern Indianapolis.
Join the Chevrolet Forums now!
