06-24-2010, 11:31 PM | #1 |
Drives: 10 SS,11 SS Pace, 13 ZL1 IOM Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Pennsylvania
Posts: 1,733
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Picked up a New Pace Car Festival Car!!!!
I was looking to possibly buy a 2010 Pace Car. I kind of forgot about it until the week before the race. The Wednesday before the Race I sent a text message to a friend that was out at Indy for the race. I told him I was looking to buy a Pace Car Replica, and asked if he could maybe talk to one of his connections at GM for me. I did not get an answer immediately, and after a week or so went by after the race, I assumed nothing was going to happen.
I started my own search for a Pace Car. I found multiple cars on Cars.com at dealerships and a few on ebay. None of these were numbered Festival or Parade Cars. I tried to buy one from a dealer in Texas, but after getting the double talk about what my trade was worth, I decided to abort that deal. I talked to Becky at Rodgers, and told me she had a line on another one for me. She went above and beyond trying to help, but again, nobody (their Used car manager or wholesaler) ever wants to put proper money into a trade, so that deal was off as well. It was around this time I learned of the Numbered Festival/Parade Cars. I located a few and while I was very close to closing a deal on car #17, I received a phone call from Craig at GM. He is an Engineering Group Manager for GM Performance Division and their group is responsible for the Pace Car Program. He proceeds to tell me my friend called him during the race weekend and personally asked for them to set me up with a car, and they have one set aside for me. I was given the name of the Regional Sales manager of Chevrolet for the Indianapolis area, and he directed me to the person that is in charge of distributing the Festival/Parade Cars. At this time, I still do not know where the car is or if it is a Dealer Car or a Festival Car. I was directed to get in touch with Bill Estes Chevrolet in Indianapolis. Upon calling them, I got hooked up with Damon Smith who is their ebay/Internet Sales Manager. He made a few phone calls and called me back. He proceeds to tell me the car is still at the Speedway and is in fact a Festival Car #45 with 1831 miles on it. I cannot believe this is happening! Shortly thereafter, he sent me an email stating this car has my name on it, and I can have it delivered through any Chevrolet Dealership I choose and that I am to be treated as a VIP. If they did not make the deal I wanted, I could go to a different dealership. I told him I had a trade, and that I wanted to pay invoice for the Camaro and the amount I wanted for the trade. 1/2 Hour later I get a call back saying everything is fine, when do I want to pick it up? He then went to the Speedway and made a video of the car for me. I made arrangements to trailer my '94 Corvette Trade 625 miles to Indianapolis and bring #45 home. We drove out Sunday 6/20. Left Allentown PA at 10 AM and arrived at the dealership at 9 PM. Unloaded the Vette and crashed at a Red Roof Inn across the street. Got up Monday morning, went to the dealership and picked up #45. Stopped at the Speedway on the way home and took some pics in front of the Museum. Oh, I almost forgot, a HUGE THANKS to my friend that set this up for me. The worlds Greatest Race Car Driver Ever, and one of the nicest people I have had the honor to meet..........And the '69 Indy 500 Champion!!!! The one and Only...Mario Andretti! Last edited by autoguy; 04-11-2018 at 11:20 PM. |
06-25-2010, 12:15 AM | #2 |
Account Suspended
Drives: SuperCharged 2SS/RS IOM MN6 Join Date: May 2009
Location: CA
Posts: 5,094
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you lucky guy you!!!! Congrats!
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06-25-2010, 12:23 AM | #3 |
CamaroFans.com
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Super Nice! Welcome to the club...
Be sure and check in here.. http://www.camaro5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=89978 |
06-25-2010, 12:31 AM | #4 |
Drives: IOM 2SS/RS 2010 Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Blue Crab Heaven
Posts: 926
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Awesome ride and Congrats!!!!!
__________________
Inferno Orange 2SS/RS
2000 4/21/2010 3000 4/28/2010 TPW 5/10/2010 3300 5/5/2010 3400 5/10/2010 3800 5/11/2010 HOME 5/28/2010!!!!! |
06-25-2010, 12:42 AM | #5 |
HWAY STR
Drives: 2010 RJT VIN#7085 & 2014 CRT C7 Join Date: May 2009
Location: New York
Posts: 13,118
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Thanks for sharing...love the picture of the 'one and only' Mario Andretti!!!
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~ HWAY STR ~
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06-25-2010, 12:52 AM | #6 | |
RED JEWEL inthe BLUEGRASS
Drives: 2010 RJT 2SS/RS, 01 S-10 Xtreme Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Northern Kentucky
Posts: 728
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[QUOTE=autoguy;2024535]I was looking to possibly buy a 2010 Pace Car. I kind of forgot about it until the week before the race. The Wednesday before the Race I sent a text message to a friend that was out at Indy for the race. I told him I was looking to buy a Pace Car Replica, and asked if he could maybe talk to one of his connections at GM for me. I did not get an answer immediately, and after a week or so went by after the race, I assumed nothing was going to happen.
I started my own search for a Pace Car. I found multiple cars on Cars.com at dealerships and a few on ebay. None of these were numbered Festival or Parade Cars. I tried to buy one from a dealer in Texas, but after getting the double talk about what my trade was worth, I decided to abort that deal. I then hooked up with a woman that worked at a Chevy Dealership near Detroit. She owns a Pace Car Replica and told me she had a line on another one for me. Again, nobody ever wants to put proper money into a trade, so that deal was off as well. It was around this time I learned of the Numbered Festival/Parade Cars. I located a few and while I was very close to closing a deal on car #17, I received a phone call from Craig at GM. He is an Engineering Group Manager for Chevy and their group is responsible for the Pace Car Program. He proceeds to tell me my friend called him during the race weekend and personally asked for them to set me up with a car, and they have one set aside for me. I was given the name of the Regional Sales manager of Chevrolet for the Indianapolis area, and he directed me to the person that is in charge of distributing the Festival/Parade Cars. At this time, I still do not know where the car is or if it is a Dealer Car or a Festival Car. I was directed to get in touch with Bill Estes Chevrolet in Indianapolis. Upon calling them, I got hooked up with Damon Smith who is their ebay/Internet Sales Manager. He made a few phone calls and called me back. He proceeds to tell me the car is still at the Speedway and is in fact a Festival Car #45 with 1831 miles on it. I cannot believe this is happening! Shortly thereafter, he sends me an email stating this car has my name on it, and I can have it delivered through any Chevrolet Dealership I choose and that I am to be treated as a VIP. If they did not make the deal I wanted, I could go to a different dealership. I told him I had a trade, and that I wanted to pay invoice for the Camaro and the amount I wanted for the trade. 1/2 Hour later I get a call back saying everything is fine, when do I want to pick it up? He then went to the Speedway and proceeded to make a video of the car for me. I proceeded to make arrangements to trailer my '94 Corvette Trade 625 miles to Indianapolis and bring #45 home. We drove out Sunday 6/20. Left Allentown PA at 10 AM and arrived at the dealership at 9 PM. Unloaded the Vette and crashed at a Red Roof Inn across the street. Got up Monday morning, went to the dealership and picked up #45. Stopped at the Speedway on the way home and took some pics in front of the Museum. Did you in fact pick it up at Bill Estes Chevrolet? I drove 2 hours (not as long as yours of course) to pick up my Camaro from Bill Estes. I cannot believe how this dealership made me feel. They treated this out of town guy like a king. When they knew I was coming up, they put this car up, so as to not have anyone else look at it. I have never been treated like this by any of my local dealerships. I couldn't get up to Becky or Camaro Scotty's places, so I am so damn glad I found this dealership |
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06-25-2010, 12:53 AM | #7 |
Don't Like it? Suggit.
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BEAST. Nice find
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"Tops off, tach up baby- loud and proud!" A Camaro lover from day one- 1996 3.8 V6 Camaro, to 1996 5.7 LT1 Camaro Z28, to the sold 2002 5.7 LS1 Camaro SS, and NOW, a [I]6.2 L99 VR 2SS/RS: XS Power stainless full exhaust, Airaid CAI, BMR drop springs and sways, custom tune by Cal Speed- 411rwhp |
06-25-2010, 01:12 AM | #8 | |
Drives: 10 SS,11 SS Pace, 13 ZL1 IOM Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Pennsylvania
Posts: 1,733
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Quote:
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06-25-2010, 01:57 AM | #9 | |
Drives: 2010 Camaro 2LT/RS ABM Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Sugar Land, TX
Posts: 13,075
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Congrats!
__________________
2LT, RS, AT6 ABM, Gray Leather
Quote:
1100 Order accepted at dealer: 9/15/2009 - NPGV41. 2000 Order accepted by GM: 9/29/2009 3000 Accepted By Production Control: 9/30/2009 - TPW 10/26/09 3100 Sequenced:10/12/09 3300 Scheduled For Production:10/13/09 3400 Broadcast:10/22/09 3800 Produced:10/27/09 4000 Available To Ship:10/28/09 4200 Shipped:10/29/09 5000 Delivered To The Dealer:11/09/09 6000 Delivered To Customer:11/12/09 |
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06-25-2010, 02:29 AM | #10 |
Congrats and enjoy the new car, great story I really enjoyed it.
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06-25-2010, 06:33 AM | #11 |
Iatefiberglassinsulation
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Congrats, good luck...
Any pics of the number plaque (is there one??)
__________________
2010 Chevrolet Camaro SS - was daily driver, now toy
2020 Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio - Daily Driver 2017 Mercedes Benz GLE 350 - Wifes Car 2008 Chevy Silverado 2500 HD LT 6.0 - Tow Vehicle 1991 Alfa Romeo 164S - Project Car 1994 Volkswagen Golf - Race Car "Like" my race team on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/farfrumwinnin |
06-25-2010, 07:04 AM | #12 |
Drives: 2017 SS A8 Hyper Blue/White Stripes Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Arlington, TN.
Posts: 1,874
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Congrats!!! You lucky dog..
I've been to several Indy 500 races. That has got to be one of the nicest tracks in the country.
__________________
2017 Camaro 2SS Hyper Blue
2011 Camaro 2SS 2004 Corvette CE SOLD |
06-25-2010, 07:10 AM | #13 |
CiscoVet
Drives: 2010 1SS/RS/6mt Black Join Date: May 2010
Location: Spring Hill, FL
Posts: 67
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Sorry for my ignorance but is there any modifications to the car? What is so special about the car? Is it driven in the race and then handed over to you? I'm obviously new to this.
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06-25-2010, 08:02 AM | #14 |
Drives: SS,PaceCar,ZL1,1LE,C7Z51,Z06,17-ZL1 Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Detroit, Mich
Posts: 68,623
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Awesome car and a great history to go with it. It will look great with your collection of fine cars. Welcome to the Pace Car family.
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