This bright blue Corvette is the 2021 Daytona 500 pace car

This, fine people of the internet, is a mid-engined Corvette Stingray pace car. It’ll lead the competitors at the Daytona 500. It’s the sixth time a Corvette has been on duty, though the first since 2008 when a C6-gen ‘Vette got the gig. The C7 never got a look in.

It’s also a stark change from 2020, when the opening lap of Daytona International Speedway by The Beast - aka the US presential limo - was with a man currently amidst an impeachment trial. Time flies, huh.

A bright blue ‘Vette with a big V8 is a welcome return to simple form, then. Chevrolet is providing two other pace cars this weekend, too, with the main image above containing a combined 1,370 horsepower.

So while the ‘Vette gets headline duty on February 14, the Silverado 1500 RST leads the ‘NASCAR Camping World Truck Series’ NextEra Energy 250’ two days earlier, and the Camaro SS 1LE is pacing the ‘Xfinity Series’ Beef, It’s What’s For Dinner 300’ on the eve of the Daytona 500. We promise we’re not making those names up…