1976 Buick Century Pace Car

Providing pace cars for the Indianapolis 500 has always been a favorite way for car makers to advertise their automobiles. Buick provided pace cars for both the 1975 and 1976 Indianapolis 500. Buick was the first automaker to provide consecutive pace cars to Indianapolis since Packard in 1916 and 1917.

Buick's 1976 Indianapolis 500 pace car was the first to be powered by a V-6 engine. However, getting the car to meet the speed requirements for the race required the addition of a turbocharger, a modified ignition, special spark plugs, a specially calibrated carburetor, and modified camshaft and cylinder heads.

Buick built two Century pace cars in 1976. This is the back-up vehicle to the car used at the Indianapolis 500. Marty Robbins was the driver of the car used. Later that year, Parnelli Jones drove this car in the Pikes Peak Hill Climb.

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