It turns out a 755-horsepower Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 might be even harder to handle than GM's top execs expected.
The Detroit Grand Prix is a marquee event for General Motors its headquarters almost constantly visible in the background and Chevrolet's name plastered all over the track. This year's race, however, proved newsworthy for different reasons after the 2019 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 pace car crashed before the race leading to a 30-minute delay.
The crash occurred with GM exec Mark Ruess behind the wheel and a Verizon IndyCar official riding shotgun. Coming out of Turn 2 going into a long straightaway, the ZR1 lost control and spun hard into the retaining wall hard enough to cause the airbags to go off. Both occupants were uninjured.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eNoMcL5Zsw8&w=560&h=315]
There are two likely causes to the crash. Perhaps the most likely is that Reuss began accelerating too soon in the turn causing the rear end to brake loose, but another possibly cause is that he suddenly let off the gas. This latter scenario would make sense due to the unexpected presence of the slower racecar. Either way, the spin was aided by the fact that the car's traction control had been deactivated. Instead of blaming it on anything else, though, Reuss issued this apology.
"I want to thank you all for your well wishes today. I am ok. I have driven this course many many many times. I have paced this race in the wet, cold, hot, and calm. On Z06's, Grand Sports, and other things. It is never a casual thing for me, but an honor to be asked. Today, I let down my friends, my family, IndyCar, our city and my company. Sorry does not describe it. I want to thank our engineers for providing me the safety I know is the best in the world."
If nothing else, this incident shows how well the 2019 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 can take a lick.
NEXT: Suped-Up Video Game "Project Cars" is Coming to Mobile
Watch
