GM Designed Spirit of Detroit-inspired Trophy and 1,250-hp Corvette Pace Car to Honor Detroit’s Automotive Legacy
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – This weekend’s Chevrolet Detroit Sports Car Classic will feature two distinct Detroit items as part of the weekend proceedings, announced Wednesday by the event promoters.
The Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix presented by Lear unveiled a striking new race trophy and announced the 2026 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1X as the official pace car for this weekend’s Grand Prix, May 29-31 on the Streets of Downtown Detroit.
Blending Detroit’s heritage with a contemporary vision, the newly introduced winner’s trophy, designed in-house by GM’s Industrial Design team, draws inspiration from General Motors’ new global headquarters at Hudson’s Detroit and the iconic “Spirit of Detroit” monument that has long symbolized the city’s identity. Created by sculptor Marshall Fredericks and commissioned in 1955, the 26-foot Spirit of Detroit bronze statue depicts a man holding aloft a gilded sphere in one hand and a family in the other to represent hope, progress and the “spirit of man.” The Spirit of Detroit endures as one of the most recognizable landmarks in Downtown Detroit.
Echoing that timeless design, the new Grand Prix trophy reflects the strength and resilience of Detroit. The original monument, positioned on Woodward Avenue outside the Coleman A. Young Municipal Center, in the shadows of Turn 3 on the Streets of Downtown Detroit race circuit, sits atop a massive marble base and has stood as a symbol of the city’s spirit for decades.
“The GM Industrial Design team drew inspiration from the Spirit of Detroit and our new global headquarters at Hudson’s Detroit, two iconic landmarks representing strength, progress and craft,” said Crystal Windham, GM Executive Director of Industrial Design. “The 2026 Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix presented by Lear trophy is designed to celebrate Detroit.”
Grand Prix organizers, along with the GM Industrial Design team, worked with noted trophy creator Mike Husar to develop the new unique trophy. The new trophy will be presented to the podium finishers in the Chevrolet Sports Car Classic IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship race (Saturday, May 30, 4:00 pm live on NBC) this weekend. Husar has created Detroit Grand Prix trophies since 2007, when the event returned to the Belle Isle street circuit after a six-year hiatus in the Motor City.
Complementing the new trophy design, GM will showcase its latest high-performance innovation as the 2026 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1X will pace the field on the Streets of Detroit. The electrified all-wheel-drive hypercar delivers a combined 1,250 horsepower through a 5.5-liter twin-turbo V8 and a front-axle electric motor, making it the most powerful production Corvette ever.
Engineered for both speed and precision, the ZR1X can accelerate from zero to 60 mph in under two seconds and reaching top speeds approaching 233 mph. For pace car performance, the vehicle is equipped with Chevrolet’s Carbon Aero package, including aerodynamic dive planes, underbody strakes and a prominent rear wing that generates more than 1,200 pounds of downforce at top speed. This ZR1X was custom-painted by GM Design half Arctic White and half Admiral Blue, creating a dramatic dual color effect. Influenced by Chevrolet’s Stars and Steel Collection celebrating America’s 250th anniversary, the car has American flag-inspired features including 50 stars and striping.
“Ever since we brought the Grand Prix back downtown, it has been about celebrating the spirit, creativity and resilience of Detroit,” said Michael Montri, President of the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix presented by Lear. “From a trophy that honors two of the city’s most iconic landmarks to a pace car that represents the pinnacle of American performance, these elements reflect who we are as a community and what makes this event so special for our fans, our partners and, most importantly, our city.”
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Jim Campbell, Vice President, Performance and Motorsports Commercial Operations, General Motors, also noted how important the race is for Chevrolet with the two Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports Corvette Z06 GT3.Rs as part of a pre-event release:
“There is no better way to illustrate the racetrack-to-showroom relevance of Corvette than by racing in championships like IMSA and at a high-visibility event like the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix,” he said in the release. “The two Corvettes from Pratt Miller Motorsports are instantly recognizable both by sight and sound. Visually, there is no mistaking the design of the mid-engine Corvette. The sound of the 5.5-liter, production-derived, flat-plane V8 engine is just as recognizable. We are proud to race what we sell across all of our competition groups within Chevrolet, and that obviously includes Corvette.”
“The relationship between Corvette Racing and Corvette fans is extremely important. That’s why we are so proud of the Corvette Corrals that we host at many IMSA tracks. They give our race teams and our production team members the opportunity to directly interface with our Corvette owners through meet-and-greets, Q&As and hospitality. A special aspect of this Corvette Corral is that it is on top of the Beaubien Garage and overlooks the pitlane and the start/finish line. It’s a fantastic view and one we are proud to provide our Corral guests. In addition, our Chevrolet Motorsports display at Spirit Plaza is a place where fans can learn more about our cars, crossovers, SUVs and trucks.”
Lead Photo Courtesy of Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix; Pit Stop Photo Courtesy of Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports