The Camaro Z/28 is set to pace the ‘Greatest Spectacle in Racing’ with recently retired driver Dario Franchitti at the wheel. The three-time Indy 500->ke3200 winner will be leading the field May 25th, as the 98th running takes place at the famed Brickyard.

Franchitti’s career includes wins in 2007, 2010, and again in 2012, taking rank with a very select number of drivers to achieve such an outstanding IndyCar career. Though Franchitti is retired, he’s not slowing down. He now works in a driver development position with Chip Ganassi Racing, who is of course, powering their race cars with Chevrolet engines for the 2014 Indy season.

The Camaro Z/28 is unmodified for its pace car role, save for the decals affixed to the hood, doors, and rear quarter panels. That’s all well and good though. The Z/28 won’t have any issues getting to speed and holding corners with its 505-horsepower, 481-pound-foot 7.0-liter naturally aspirated V-8. The massive 305-series Pirelli PZero Trofeo R tires grip their 19-inch blacked-out wheels that mount to hubs holding huge carbon ceramic rotors squeezed by six-piston Brembo calipers up front and four-piston units out back.

While this will be Franchitti’s first time pacing the Indy 500, it’s old hat for the Camaro. It first did it in 1967 and 2014 will mark its eighth time. The Chevrolet brand, however, has led the field an impressive 24 times with various cars throughout the years. A 2014 Corvette Stingray did the honors last year.

Click past the jump to read more about the 2014 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28.

2014 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28

The Z/28 nameplate has made a return for 2014 after quite a hiatus. Built as the track-killer, the Z/28 takes weight savings, sticky tires, a tunable suspension, tons of downforce, and a naturally aspirated engine to produce some of the most stellar numbers any GM production car has ever laid down. Remember when the Z/28 lapped the Nürburgring in 7:37.47 – in the wet?(!)

Power comes from the LS7, a 7.0-liter, small-block V-8 making 505 horsepower and 481 pound-feet of torque. Just like in the Corvette C6 Z06, the LS7 is naturally aspirated, and though it makes less power than its Camaro ZL1 brother, the Z/28 lays down faster lap times thanks to better grip, improved downforce and aerodynamics, a retuned suspension and some 300 pounds missing from its curb weight.

Pricing for the Z/28 starts at $75,000. It’s expensive, but it will outrun most anything this side of $200,000. Oh, and don’t forget air conditioning is a $1,150 optional extra.