Chevrolet Honors Historic Team Anniversaries
Chevy Monte Carlo SS pace cars will recognize Hendrick Motorsports and Richard Childress Racing at the UAW - GM Quality 500 in Charlotte DETROIT - Chevrolet announced today that two Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS cars will share pace duties at the UAW - GM Quality 500 at Lowe's Motor Speedway on October 16. The pace cars will feature unique paint schemes honoring the 20th anniversary of Hendrick Motorsports and 35th anniversary of Richard Childress Racing. "Chevrolet is proud to be the only manufacturer that Hendrick Motorsports and Richard Childress Racing has raced with during their 55 combined years in the sport," said Brent Dewar, Chevrolet general manager. "The specially designed pace cars are an opportunity for us to recognize the anniversaries of both teams and celebrate their racing success." Each Monte Carlo SS will pace the field and alternate pace duties throughout the UAW - GM Quality 500, airing at 7 p.m. Saturday evening on NBC. Both pace vehicles are standard 2005 Monte Carlo SS models that incorporate the same powertrain used in the production version, a supercharged 3800 V6 engine that develops 240 horsepower at 5,200 rpm. Features unique to the pace vehicle are its roof and deck lid spoilers as well as custom 17-inch aluminum wheels. The Hendrick Motorsports 20th Anniversary Monte Carlo SS pace vehicle sports a black and galaxy silver design with the team's 20th anniversary logo prominently displayed on the hood. Other design elements include the UAW - GM Quality 500 logo on both door panels, a black Chevy bowtie on the roof and victory red accents complimenting a subtle black and silver checkered flag background. In 20 years of competition, Hendrick Motorsports has garnered five NASCAR Cup Series championships, three NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series titles and one NASCAR Busch Series crown - all with Chevrolets. The Hendrick Motorsports portfolio includes 126 wins to date in the NASCAR Cup Series with the Chevy Lumina and Monte Carlo, including a record four consecutive series titles from 1995 to 1998. Hendrick Motorsports has also taken the checkered flag with a Chevy 22 times in the Busch Series and 25 times in the Craftsman Truck Series including three driver's championships. "Our performance over the last 20 years could not have been achieved without the strong relationship we have with Chevrolet," said Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports. "Chevy has been a huge part of our success, and it's an honor to be recognized with a special pace car this weekend." The second of the two pace vehicles -- the Richard Childress Racing 35th Anniversary Monte Carlo SS -- features a three color paint scheme with an all black hood, roof and deck lid, a victory red painted body and galaxy silver detailing along the bottom of the car. The Richard Childress Racing 35th anniversary logo in identical colors is located on the hood. The side panels display the UAW - GM Quality 500 race logo and a white Chevy bowtie adorns the roof. Richard Childress Racing has captured 76 career wins in NASCAR Cup Series competition. Sixty-seven of those wins and six NASCAR titles were achieved by the late Dale Earnhardt in the famed No. 3 Chevrolet. In 1995 Richard Childress Racing won the inaugural NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series title with Mike Skinner piloting a Chevrolet and in 2001 Kevin Harvick helped Richard Childress become the first owner to win a title in each of NASCAR's three divisions by winning the NASCAR Busch Series title in a Chevy Monte Carlo. "The hard work and determination of the Richard Childress Racing organization combined with the power of our Chevrolet race vehicles has been instrumental in our 35 years of success," said Richard Childress, president and CEO of Richard Childress Racing. "We are honored that Chevy has chosen to dedicate a Richard Childress Racing pace vehicle and pleased it will pace the field in our home state." The Chevrolet Monte Carlo is the Official Pace Vehicle for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series. During the 2004 race season Chevrolet will pace 57 national NASCAR events including 26 in the Nextel Cup Series, 18 in the Busch Series and 13 in the Craftsman Truck Series. General Motors Corp. , the world's largest vehicle manufacturer, employs about 325,000 people globally. Founded in 1908, GM has been the global automotive sales leader since 1931. GM today has manufacturing operations in 32 countries and its vehicles are sold in 192 countries. In 2003, GM sold nearly 8.6 million cars and trucks, about 15 percent of the global vehicle market. GM's global headquarters is at the GM Renaissance Center in Detroit. More information on GM and its products can be found on the company's consumer website at www.gm.com <http://www.gm.com/> .