Corvette ZR1X ‘Blows Out’ 250 Candles For America’s Birthday At Indianapolis

There may be some questionable plans on how to celebrate our nation’s 250th birthday, but nobody found any issue with a Corvette blowing out 250 candles at Indianapolis Speedway before the 500 race on Memorial Day weekend. After all, is there any vehicle more American than the Corvette? America’s sports car is built in the heart of the nation in Bowling Green, Kentucky. McFarland Chevrolet gives you the details. 

The Corvette ZR1X, the flagship and most powerful of the Corvette model line, was the official pace car for the 110th running of the Indianapolis 500. The pace car was decked out in the Stars & Steel livery that Chevrolet is offering on Corvette, Silverado 1500, and Silverado HD trucks this year to commemorate the 250th birthday of the U.S. However, there was another Corvette ZR1X on hand in red, and its job was to blow out 250 candles set up on the track’s front straight.  

“Resilience, pride, and work ethic of Americans have driven our nation forward for 250 years. For nearly 115 years, Chevrolet has been ingrained in America’s story,” said Scott Bell, Vice President of Global Chevrolet. “Corvette has long been a symbol of the American dream, so it is a privilege to celebrate this moment at the Racing Capital of the World by having a Corvette ZR1X blow out 250 candles in a display of power and precision.” 

On top of what looked like a very long, narrow red, white, and blue birthday cake were 250 lit candles, all lined up in a straight line. The car was driven by Cody Buckley, the Corvette Senior Controls and Software Engineer, whose job sounds like it rarely allows him to perform vehicle stunts, but in fact has taken the Corvette ice racing and to the One Lap of America, among other events. But on May 23rd, sandwiched between the final practice and race day, he slipped behind the wheel of a red ZR1X equipped with 250 horsepower…plus 1000, and literally blew out the 250 candles by driving very close to them at high speed, letting the vehicle’s wake extinguish the flames.  

Because they were presumably not his tires, Buckley then proceeded to do several donuts on the tarmac before returning to his starting location, and even drank and drenched himself in milk in recognition of the long-held Indy 500 tradition of the winner gulping a bottle of milk after his victory.  

Blowing out candles may not be what you would do with a 1250-horsepower hypercar, but whatever you do with it will likely be a lot of fun. Visit McFarland Chevrolet to check out the entire Corvette model line and/or the full set of Stars & Steel commemorative models.