Gentlemen, start your electric motors!

August 22, 2011 at 10:41 pm

NASCAR superstars, Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon kick it on Sundays in Chevrolet Impalas… but in off hours, they race around their hometowns in Chevrolet Volts.

“When I get in my Volt, it’s like an a-ha moment,” says Jimmie Johnson, five-time NASCAR champion and driver of the #48 Lowe’s Chevrolet. “It’s amazing to see the technology and how it’s moving things forward, really closing the gap between racing and production cars.”

“I get a lot of looks and a lot of questions about the car,” says Jeff Gordon, four-time NASCAR champion and driver of the #24 Dupont Chevrolet. “First, they think it’s really cool looking and second, they can’t believe how quiet it is. I find myself being a great Chevrolet sales person.”

Johnson and Gordon got to spend plenty of time talking up the electric Chevrolet at the Volt Homecoming Parade on Thursday, Aug. 18th during pre-Woodward Dream Cruise festivities in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan.

In pure racing fashion, Johnson and Gordon waved flags to mark the start of the parade, which included more than 50 Volts and their owners from as far away as California, Arizona, Texas and New Jersey.

“These cars are just another step in the right direction of going green. Hopefully the Volt will provoke more thought and change,” says Johnson.

Gordon says he appreciates how Chevrolet is always pushing the envelope and he hopes there never comes a day that he has to compete against them. “With Chevrolet celebrating its 100th anniversary this year, I can’t think of a better vehicle (Volt) to show off the brand’s heritage and where it’s headed.”

Jeff Peterson51

Aug 23rd, 2011

I wish I could have gone to the homecoming, but I just could not schedule driving from Maryland to Michigan at this time. I am very pleased with my Chevy Volt. It is the best choice I ever made when purchasing a vehicle. I am always happy to show people my car and explain how it rides and runs. They are very surprised to hear that I have used less than 11 gallons and driven nearly 6800 miles. I look forward to driving it every day.

Jeff
Dave Haranczak

Aug 24th, 2011

I was there for the celebration on August 18th; to hear jimmie johnson and jeff gordon talk about Chevrolet was quite moving; ….much thanks !!!
Rob Peterson

Aug 24th, 2011

Jeff – sorry you couldn’t attend this year’s event. The success of this year’s event has us considering future events. If we plan one, we hope to see you there.

Separately, I think we need to change the title of this post to “Ladies and Gentleman, start your electric motors!”

Rob Peterson
Chevrolet Volt Communications
Mike Yoder

Aug 25th, 2011

Electric MOTORS, not engines.
Paul Manzella

Aug 25th, 2011

Our headline was playing off the most famous words in racing, “Gentlemen, start your engines.” But if esteemed visitors such as Rob Peterson and Mike Yoder prefer us alter the headline to “Motors” we will do that. Thanks for the input.