IndyCar: J. R. Hildebrand gets dream-car gift to make up for Indianapolis disappointment:

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The red 1966 Chevrolet Chevelle SS 396 in near-mint condition was given to J.R. Hildebrand on Wednesday.

Published on 7/13/2011

Indianapolis 500 runner-up and Izod IndyCar Series regular J. R. Hildebrand on Wednesday received the keys to his dream car on Wednesday, a gift from his Panther race team for handling with class in postrace interviews the disappointment of crashing on the last lap at Indy.

Hildebrand was about to lap fellow rookie Charlie Kimball when he misjudged the final corner of the final lap. The impact with the turn-four wall allowed Dan Wheldon to pass him for the win.

“No matter where I finished, that's what I was going to say,” Hildebrand said.

However, he didn't know what to say at the sight of the red 1966 Chevrolet Chevelle SS 396 in near-mint condition.

John Barnes, the co-owner of Panther Racing, and his former partner, Gary Pedigo, said Hildebrand acted with the humility that the team's sponsor, the National Guard, stands for. That's why they wanted to do something special for him.

Plus, Hildebrand tore his anterior cruciate ligament in a promotional event last month at Texas Motor Speedway. That injury will require surgery at season's end.

“He's showed everybody something,” Pedigo said of the 23-year-old from Sausalito, Calif.

Pedigo, an Indianapolis car dealer, went looking for a marina blue Chevelle, but he found the red one in Colorado. All the numbers matched, and the 325-hp V8 is full of life.

“It's all-original,” Pedigo said. “It was the best one I saw.”

Hildebrand said he thinks it's the best one he's seen, too, certainly beyond anything he could have imagined the Indianapolis-based team doing for him.

“Muscle cars have always been my thing,” he said. “This is unbelievable.”

 

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