Final IRL Pace Car - 2001

[Aurora Rancher]

I have owned 4 Auroras. What a wonderful car. We have owned a 1996, '97, '99. My most recent and favorite Aurora is the most unusual - The 2001 IRL Pace Car - this was driven by Johnny Rutherford during the 2001 Indy Racing Season. Yes, the Indy 500 was paced by an '01 Bravada, yet this car had the pace car Duty for the remainder of the season. This was the car that handed off the Baton of pacing IRL races to the Chevy Corvette at the end of the season in Texas late in 2001. My wife and I were at the Chicagoland Motor Speedway, Joliet, IL race on Sept 2, 2001. Country Singer Jodi Messina rode around the track with Johnny prior to the race. She had given a concert just prior to the race at Joliet. It has been in the "Journey With Olds", OCA club magazine, too.

If anyone has more info or Pictures, please forward, thanks. I am missing the history of this car from Oct 6, 2001 to Labor Day, 2005 when I acquired the car from F.C.Kerbeck of Palmyra, NJ, via a Barrett Jackson Auction. Also any other Race day pics will be accepted for the 2001 race season.

[rschoyen]

Very SWEET! What's the odo mileage? Gotta be fairly low. Looks like its also in top condition, bet the interior is sweet, too. Nice car, Rancher.

[johna]

Rancher, that is quite a car and piece of history you've got there. Bet you'll get lots of questions, esp. from the 2nd. Gen. owners.
Welcome!

[aldrichd]

Welcome. You gotta' love something special.

[Mr. Javi]

That is cool. Gotta love the Pace cars. Glad to have you here at ACNA.

Someone here once thought of doing those graphics on their 2nd Gen Aurora.

[Oldsnut]

You need to bring that car to our meet on June 21st. There is a thread in the Local Meets section.

[95mushroom]

Awesome! I was watching the Jackson auctions when they did the GM sell offs, and remembering hoping that one would mind up here. Very cool to have one!

[white2002aurora]

Welcome and that's a VERY nice car. It's always nice to see a pice of history in the right hands.

[unirok]

Nice car and welcome to ACNA. Is there anything special about that car other than the paint job?

[Deleted]

That's the only one I don't have any pictures of
Thanks for a lifetime supply of background images

BEAUTY of a car you have there! I am very jealous of your acquisition!
Welcome!

[Superdemon]

sexy

[kaykirk]

Welcome Back! It's been a while.

Apr 22, 2008 7:25:49 GMT -6 Oldsnut said:

You need to bring that car to our meet on June 21st. There is a thread in the Local Meets section.

yes, hope you can come to the meet....in Aurora, Illinois, where else! ;D

[jason]

Very cool!

[Aurora40]

Awesome! Does your car have the Corsa exhaust? The Indy 500 Pace Car had one that was the internal assembly, but without the casing around it to make it look like a normal muffler. It had stock looking tips, and I wondered what it sounded like.

[Aurora Rancher]

To “unirok”,
To describe this special one a little further, the added options were the Heated Seats, Bose Stereo System and I have an extra set of Chromed (4.0) 17" wheels (as seen in the pictures) that it came delivered to me with. The tires and wheels that were in use on Race days are "Z" rated and 16". The wheels were custom made Magnesium and engraved with the Aurora insignia. Of course, it has no limiters on speed, personally tested, to NOT have the 109 mph, NOR the 139 mph Autobahn governors. There is also Simpson Racing seat belts, a light bar in the rear window and strobes in all four corners for safety. There is also a special Emissions Exemption sticker under the hood from the factory.

To “rschoyen”,
The mileage question, it now has 4,892 miles on the odometer as of 4-27-2008. It had 2900 miles when I took delivery, as I believe approximately 1700 of those were turning left in front of the Indy cars throughout the 2001 IRL season.

To “aurora40”,
It May Have the Corsa Exhaust. I do not know for sure, help me out, please. It is more responsive than my other Auroras and when it is running, it has a very Low, Throaty exhaust Rumble akin to a ’70 W-30 442.

To every one else,
The paint is something to see, and the interior still smells, well you know, beautifully NEW, still. I will try to get to some car shows this summer. We’ll see, as I am currently working in Southern Florida and I make it back to Illinois every other weekend or sooner.

The 1st picture uploaded this time was from an ad for the for the cars showing the custom wheels. The second picture is from Sept 2, 2001, coming out of turn #2 at the Chicagoland Speedway. I believe the hand waving out the passenger window is of Jodi Massena's (Country singer).

[Aurora40]

May 1, 2008 3:11:24 GMT -6 Aurora Rancher said:

To “aurora40”,
It May Have the Corsa Exhaust. I do not know for sure, help me out, please. It is more responsive than my other Auroras and when it is running, it has a very Low, Throaty exhaust Rumble akin to a ’70 W-30 442.

You could snap a picture of the muffler and I could probably tell you. But if it's a round cylinder vs the usual OEM wide oval muffler, then it's likely the Corsa system.

[98black]

Emissions Exempt. does that mean that it packs more than 250hp?

[latenight72]

Where in Southern Florida are you? Is the Pace Car here with you?

[Aurora Rancher]

Just to give you guys a little more history of Oldsmobile. The last year of Oldsmobile to pace the Indy Car races, on May 27, 2001, a model year 2002, Bravada. Here it is from the Indy 500 photo collection of the last Olds to pace the Indy 500. Yes it is the only SUV to ever pace the Indy 500. Standing there in front of that one is Elaine Erwin, also known as Mrs. John 'Cougar' Mellencamp. She had the privilege of starting the Indy 500 in 2001. In the next photo does anyone recognize who they are? In the last photo, I guessing from the countdown clock above the grandstands at Indianapolis, it is May 4th, 2001.

[macadamiaman]

No 139mph governor - how fast have you gotten it to?

[Poindexter]

Hey Aurora Rancher that is a gorgous Aurora. You must be very proud to own such a rare car; good luck on the history search. Hey, I recognize those two... I toured with them for a few months last year. Elaine was very beautiful and sweet, John... not so much.

[Aurora Rancher]

Took it up to 141 mph, and still had pedal left. I still had the stock tires and wheels on and didn't want to test the construction of those any further. I do have the Z Rated tires that were used on race days and some day I will get to a Super Speedway to test the true top speed. ;D

[macadamiaman]

Hmm.. ~139mph limiter could have still been active, possibly? on a downhill slope or something, I know some classics with the "108" limiter have gotten over 110. I want to see 145-150+

[Aurora Rancher]

I am hoping for 165+. I need a straight away and banked corners to get to that. I am hoping to get it back on the track we first saw it at. Chicagoland Speedway.
I have a lot of memories south of Joliet, IL. That is where I grew up. I literally mean right where the track it built. They took out a 1 mile section of Rowell Ave, where I road my bicycle & walked the bean fields for weeds to hoe. (One of those jobs that they say only the illegals will do Today. Sorry I have kids that do that. They were all born in Joliet and we are not Mexican nor illegal.)

By the way we were on a level straight road, no down hill slopes at all.

[aj]

That is one beautiful car, well all Aurora's are. I always had wanted to get my hands on that, I never knew you could buy the official pace car. You sure are lucky.

[Aurora Rancher]

I consider myself very lucky to have found this car.

Also, I consider myself lucky to have a best friend ;D (My Wife, My Baby Doll) that had no problem letting me purchase it.

Actually she loves to drive it, also.

Oh, I just let my oldest daughter, just 15 with a permit, drive it around the neighborhood and over to the school. She thought it was cool. Dad/daughter bonding, WOW.

My oldest son (21) wants to take it to the Rt 66 Drag strip & Test 'n Tune it.

I have 3 more kids that look forward to driving it some day.

[unirok]

May 5, 2008 21:37:39 GMT -6 Aurora Rancher said:

Took it up to 141 mph, and still had pedal left. ]

Umm...okay then

Where did you find enough road to reach that speed? I have had 2 classics with the Autobahn and even going from 110 to 120 took forever.

[Aurora Rancher]

If I told you, the state a MI might send me a Ticket, tow truck, and possibly extradition papers from IL.

But it was ......... Fun!

[kaykirk]

May 9, 2008 0:11:50 GMT -6 Aurora Rancher said:

If I told you, the state a MI might send me a Ticket, tow truck, and possibly extradition papers from IL.

But it was ......... Fun!

;D ;D

[Wacko]

Slick car. Almost looks lowered. Perhaps an optical illusion. Are you aware of any suspension modifications?