Post by Aurora40 on Jan 2, 2006 15:05:40 GMT -6
NEW 2001 AURORA TO PACE INDIANAPOLIS 500 The Greatest Spectacle in Racing Will Showcase Next-Generation Aurora on May 28, 2000
LAS VEGAS - For the second time in three years and the tenth time since 1949, Oldsmobile will set the pace at the Indianapolis 500. When the words “Gentlemen, start your engines!” reverberate through the immense Indianapolis Motor Speedway on May 28th,Oldsmobile’s new 2001 Aurora will start something big the world’s largest single-day sporting event. The driver of the Aurora Pace Car will be announced at a later date.
The next-generation Aurora will lead 33 adrenaline-charged drivers, propelled by more than 20,000 collective horsepower, to the start of the 84th running of the world’s most famous auto race. The flagship brand of Oldsmobile’s product portfolio will be in good company on the massive 2.5-mile oval: Oldsmobile’s IRL Aurora V8, the racing counterpart of the production Aurora V8, is the dominant powerplant in the Indy Racing League. Oldsmobile engines have won every race (including three consecutive Indy 500 titles), every pole, and every championship in IRL competition for three straight years.
Tenth Time Since 1949
Dominant Powerplant
More than 300,000 spectators and a worldwide television audience will see the stunning new Aurora in action at the famed Brickyard. “The all-new Aurora has everything consumers demand from an entry luxury sedan,” said John Gatt, brand manager, Aurora. “We’ve improved on everything that defines the Aurora’s heritage exhilarating power and performance, precise ride and handling, and an overall presence that is incredibly distinctive.”
The start of the Indianapolis 500 is one of the most stirring moments in sports. The Oldsmobile design brand character center created a special car for this very special occasion. A unique graphics treatment with a checkered flag motif will provide a strong visual impact for the people in the grandstands and the TV cameras.
The Aurora Pace Car paint treatment blends from solid orange paint at the front of the car into orange-and-white checkers at the rear with an Oldsmobile logo on the hood, Aurora emblems on the fenders, and Indianapolis 500 logos on the doors. The car’s signals, tail lamps, and light bar in the rear window make it very visible to the drivers but doesn’t detract from the Aurora’s fine lines. The Aurora Pace Car rolls on production six-spoke brushed aluminum wheels.
The Aurora Pace Car will be powered by a modified 4.0L DOHC V8. It will include Indy Racing League required safety equipment such as strobe lights, seat harnesses, and a roll bar. In-car television cameras will give viewers an up-close look at the starting field during ABC Sports’ live broadcast of the race.
Distinctive Presence
Checkered Flag Motif
Modified 4.0L DOHC V8
The production and racing versions of the Aurora V8 engine share similar “architecture” and technology, including lightweight aluminum construction, four-valve combustion chamber design, dual chain-driven overhead camshafts, and electronic engine management. A new 3.5-liter version of the methanol-burning IRL Aurora V8 racing engine to be introduced next season is expected to produce 650 horsepower and rev to 11,000 rpm.
“We are delighted that Oldsmobile will pace the 84th Indianapolis 500 in the landmark year of 2000 with a car for the next millennium, the all-new 2001 Aurora,” said Tony George, Indianapolis Motor Speedway president. “This is yet another milestone in the long relationship between Oldsmobile and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and we appreciate Oldsmobile’s continued commitment to racing. We are proud of the performance of the Aurora engine in the Indy Racing League and look forward to having a new 3.5 liter Aurora V8 engine on the track next year.”
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway is steeped in tradition. Oldsmobile made history there in 1997 when it paced, raced, and won with the same engine design. On Memorial Day weekend, a pace car named Aurora will again lead 33 single-minded drivers around auto racing’s most hallowed ground.
Production and Racing Commonalities
Long Relationship Between Oldsmobile and IMS
Continuing Tradition
OLDSMOBILE PACES INDY 500 FOR TENTH TIME IN 2000[/b]
LAS VEGAS - Oldsmobile will pace the Indianapolis 500 for the tenth time when the 2001 Aurora Pace Car leads the pack of 33 Indy cars to the green flag on May 28, 2000. Oldsmobile pace cars of the past reflect changes in both automotive taste and technology. The following are highlights of Oldsmobile’s previous Indy 500 pacesetters:
1949 Oldsmobile 88 Driver: Wilbur Shaw Engine: 303ci/135hp Rocket V8 Color: Red Notes: Oldsmobile celebrated the introduction of the Rocket V8, America’s first high-compression, high-performance overhead valve V8 with its first Indy 500 pace car appearance by combining a lightweight “76” chassis with the powerful new Rocket V8 engine. Oldsmobile created an affordable and potent performance car that established the division as a leader in powertrain technology. The Rocket V8 powered Oldsmobiles won five of eight NASCAR Grand National races in 1949.
1960 Oldsmobile 98
Driver: Sam Hanks
Engine: 394ci/315hp Oldsmobile V8
Color: White
Notes: The long and low Oldsmobile 98 was selected for Oldsmobile’s second pace car appearance. The five-passenger convertible weighed 4,412 pounds and had a 126.3 inch wheelbase. The pace car was equipped with power-assisted drum brakes and 14 x 9 tubeless tires.
1970 Oldsmobile 442 Driver: Rodger Ward Engine: 455ci/365hp Oldsmobile V8 Color: Pearl white with black and red stripes Notes: The legendary 442 was one of the strongest of the muscle cars. The pace car was outfitted with a heavy-duty three-speed transmission, a Hurst shifter, heavy-duty suspension, and a fiberglass hood with functional scoops.
1972 Hurst/Olds Cutlass
Driver: Jim Rathmann
Engine: 455ci/300hp Oldsmobile V8
Color: Cameo white with gold stripes and black accents
Notes: Olds returned to the Brickyard with the new Hurst/Olds convertible. Unleaded gas required a lower compression ratio. A dual-gate Hurst shifter controlled the Hydramatic transmission. 130 replica H/O convertibles and 499 coupes were produced.
1974 Hurst/Olds Cutlass
Driver: Jim Rathmann
Engine: 455ci/230hp Oldsmobile V8
Color: Cameo white, trimmed in gold and black
Notes: Oldsmobile created an open-roof pace car by removing the top from a coupe. The design incorporated an integral roll bar and special equipment included a heavy-duty Rallye suspension and modified Hydramatic transmission. 380 Hurst/Olds coupes were produced with the W-30 designation.
1977 Oldsmobile Delta 88
Driver: James Garner
Engine: 403ci Oldsmobile V8
Color: Metallic silver with black and red accents
Notes: A Delta 88 Royale coupe was modified for pace car duty with a removable glass top and quarter windows. The engine was modified with a high-performance valvetrain, ported cylinder heads, and dual exhausts. The interior was upholstered in Firethorn red velour. Actor/pace car driver James Garner also raced a Cutlass in off-road events.
1985 Oldsmobile Calais
Driver: James Garner
Engine: 2.7-liter/215hp Quad 4
Color: Fiesta red metallic
Notes: First Oldsmobile pace car with four cylinders and front-wheel drive. Powered by a modified version of the DOHC Quad 4 engine. Engine mounts and drivetrain were upgraded to accommodate the increased power. The open-top pace car was created by removing the roof from a coupe.
1988 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme
Driver: General Chuck Yeager
Engine: 2.3-liter/250hp Quad 4
Color: Black metallic with silver trim
Notes: Turbocharged Quad 4 produced 250 horsepower from 138 cubic inches. The pace car was equipped with FE3 suspension and anti-lock brake system. An air dam and rocker panel extensions improved high-speed aerodynamics. A special “Head Up Display” projected data on the windshield. Black leather seats were trimmed with red piping.
1997 Aurora
Driver: Johnny Rutherford
Engine: 4.0-liter/250hp Aurora V8
Color: White diamond metallic with gold and black accents
Notes: The Aurora pace car was a stock production vehicle with USAC-required safety equipment. The graphite gray leather interior was augmented with a roll bar and safety harnesses. The IRL Aurora V8 racing engine that won the Indianapolis 500 in its first appearance was based on the design of the production Aurora V8 used in the pace car.
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