John Force Debuts 2016 Camaro SS Funny Car

For Release: Tuesday, May
17, 2016, 11 a.m. EDT John Force Debuts 2016 Camaro SS Funny CarAero-optimized
body developed for downforce, stability INDIANAPOLIS – Today Chevrolet and 16-time NHRA champion John
Force introduced the all-new 2016 Camaro SS Funny Car that he’ll race this
weekend at the NHRA Kansas Nationals, in Topeka, Kan. The new Funny Car body is
the first based on the sixth-generation Camaro SS. Force’s teammates Courtney
Force and Robert Hight will introduce new Camaro SS Funny Cars later this
season.“I started my career in a
Chevrolet and I couldn’t be more excited to put this new Camaro SS Funny Car on
the track,�?? said Force. “With all the assistance from Chevrolet, it not only
looks great, it’s designed to perform better than anything we’ve had before,
with a shape that should help us get down the track quicker and with greater
stability.�??  The team conducted computational
analysis and scale-model wind tunnel testing to help give the new body the airflow
management qualities necessary to deliver the downforce required by the
10,000-horsepower supercharged race car, as it accelerates from 0 to 330 mph in
less than 4 seconds – and in a mere 1,000 feet.Among the unique
aerodynamic elements is a new, integrated front splitter that helps direct more
air over the body to increase downforce. The design also incorporates new, dual
blow-out – or “burst�?? – panels, safety devices that relieve underbody pressure
to help keep the body on the chassis in the event of an engine failure.Additionally, the new
body, which is lighter than John Force Racing’s previous Camaro Funny Car
bodies, carries the distinctive styling signatures of the 2016 Camaro SS’s
front- and rear-end designs.“The 2016 Camaro has been
a great success in the showroom and Chevrolet is proud to contribute to its
debut in NHRA’s Funny Car class,�?? said Jim
Campbell, Chevrolet U.S. vice president of performance vehicles and motorsports. “It joins the 2016 COPO Camaro in the Sportsman
classes, strengthening Chevrolet’s presence in drag racing, which dates back
nearly 60 years.�??Camaro at the drag stripCamaro’s legacy in drag
racing dates back to 1967, when longtime Chevy racers such as Dave Strickler
and Bill “Grumpy�?? Jenkins, pushed the new pony car up through the Super Stock
ranks. Jenkins would go on to pioneer the new Pro Stock class, giving the
Camaro its first win there in 1970. Enterprising racers and
dealers used Chevrolet’s COPO (Central Office Production Order) special order
system to create high-performance Camaro models intended for one thing only:
winning on the drag strip. That included the legendary 1969 Camaro ZL-1,
powered by an all-aluminum 427 originally developed for the Can-Am road racing
series.Camaro Funny Cars also
began appearing on strips shortly after the car’s introduction, shaking up the
burgeoning class with Chevy power. Bruce Larson and Dick Harrell were leaders,
pushing their blown fuel “floppers�?? into the 7-second range.Texan Lee Shepherd lead
Camaro into the 1980s, with four consecutive Pro Stock titles, his performance
enabled by the groundbreaking Big Block engines developed by his partners David
Reher and Charles “Buddy�?? Morrison.More recently, Camaro has
become a fixture of the Pro and Sportsman ranks. Behind the Pro tree, John Force
Racing has returned Camaro to the Funny Car class, while Camaro drivers have
dominated the Pro Stock field – including consecutive championships in 2014 and
2015.The Sportsman classes are
driven by the COPO Camaro, Chevrolet’s factory-built race car that uses a
production body and specially developed Chevrolet racing engines. New 2016 COPO
Camaro models are hitting the strip this season, advancing the COPO legacy and
pushing Chevrolet drivers farther and faster.“Racing improves the
breed and that’s why Chevrolet races,�?? said Campbell. “The wins we record on
the track help us design better cars customers will buy in the showroom.�??Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world's
largest car brands, doing business in more than 115 countries and selling
around 4.0 million cars and trucks a year. Chevrolet provides customers with
fuel-efficient vehicles that feature engaging performance, design that makes
the heart beat, passive and active safety features and easy-to-use technology,
all at a value. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.# # #                      CONTACT:Randy FoxChevrolet Communications313-378-5872" ="">randal.l.fox@gm.com" ="">" ="">