Le Mans 2021

[teamzr1]

Would have been a better finish for the C*.Rs except for

Tommy Milner in the No. 64 Corvette, which was hit in the ass by a Ferrari at the start of the formation lap, before climbing to second and later dropping down to fifth as the track dried. Quick pit work from the Corvette crew, though, catapulted the No. 64 back to the lead at the end of Hour 1.

 

[teamzr1]

The mid-engine Chevy Corvette C8.R finished on the class podium in its 24 Hours of Le Mans debut Sunday, with the trio of Antonio Garcia, Jordan Taylor and Nicky Catsburg placing second in the No. 63 Mobil 1/SiriusXM Corvette C8.R.

The debut of the mid-engine racing Corvette came a year later than originally planned due to the global COVID-19 pandemic. But the wait proved worth it with Corvette Racing showing its usual competitive spirit during its 21st race at Le Mans since 2000.

“Today’s second-place result in GTE Pro for the No. 63 Corvette C8.R and drivers Antonio Garcia, Jordan Taylor and Nicky Catsburg is a significant achievement as we debuted the mid-engine Corvette C8.R at Le Mans,” said Jim Campbell, Chevrolet U.S. Vice President, Performance and Motorsports. “To be on the podium at Le Mans with the C8.R is very gratifying. It’s a testament to the hard work and determination of our Corvette production and racing teams.

“The support of Corvette owners and fans from around the world has been incredible,” Campbell added. “This race result is dedicated to our customers and supporters.”

While the No. 63 Corvette ran in contention for the entire race, the No. 64 C8.R of Tommy Milner, Nick Tandy and Alexander Sims seemingly ran into nothing but bad luck. It began on the roll-off from the grid when Milner was hit from behind by the eventual class-winning Ferrari at the beginning of the formation lap.

The contact broke part of the diffuser, but the No. 64 Corvette ran well early and even led in a wet start with Milner going to the fore.
He and Tandy cycled through and kept the No. 64 C8.R in contention before the diffuser finally broke in the fifth hour, shortly after Sims’ first stint.

It was the first of three visits to the garage for the No. 64 team, which also had to repair part of the gearbox, clutch and the alternator. Milner, Tandy and Sims who set a GTE Pro record race lap of 3:47.501 finished sixth in class.
On the No. 63 Corvette side of the garage, all three drivers drove double stints to open the race. Each of the trio led for a time as well as the race began to evolve into primarily a battle between Corvette and Ferrari, although five cars remained on the lead lap in GTE Pro at the halfway point.

Things began to evolve into a two-car race into the final six hours between the No. 63 C8.R and No. 51 Ferrari.
The Corvette team kept it close and was able to triple-stint its Michelin tires in the late going, but couldn’t make up the necessary ground.
The No. 63 Corvette did, however, complete the entire 24 hours without a change of brakes.

Corvette Racing returns to action in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship on Sept. 10-12 at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey, Calif.


ANTONIO GARCIA, NO. 63 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R FINISHED SECOND IN GTE PRO:

“I don’t know if I prefer to be two seconds, 10 seconds, 40 seconds or three laps back. I think it hurts the same!
We’ve been in that 30-second range between the two cars pretty much for 24 hours. I must say it does hurt a little.

When you come so close, it’s difficult. But when you do your best, you run almost a perfect race and someone else does it a little better than you, you have to congratulate them. There is nothing we could do.
I think we ran a perfect race regardless of our position. We finished second, but very close for sure.

They just did it 40 seconds better than us. I’m very happy for the team, the 63 crew, Jordan and Nicky all six drivers had really, superb drives and helped develop this Corvette and for sure all the engineers.
So even if the 64 had so much trouble, getting up to this point, we have all been working together to get the most out of the C8.R. For sure, two of our cars up front would have put even more pressure on the 51.

We were both alone, so it was a one-on-one fight between Corvette and Ferrari. We were close.
When you are up on the podium, you always want a tiny bit more. I would have liked to have given Corvette the first Le Mans win in the C8.R.
Now we need to wait until next year and work harder.”

JORDAN TAYLOR, NO. 63 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R – FINISHED SECOND IN GTE PRO:

“That’s my fourth podium here. It’s hard to complain with a podium at Le Mans. But when you come this close, it’s difficult to take.
The Corvette Racing guys did an amazing job. We didn’t have any issues with our car.
We executed really well strategy-wise and in the pit lane and on the track, there were no mistakes.
For our first run at Le Mans with the C8.R, we should be pretty proud of that to come home second against some cars that have run here the past few years.
We learned a lot as a team and can come back stronger next year.”

NICKY CATSBURG, NO. 63 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R FINISHED SECOND IN GTE PRO:

“It’s super nice. This is my third time at Le Mans, and the first two times we finished nowhere.
To be in the fight right to the last lap was very cool. It went well. The C8.R was very good. I had some good stints and nothing awful happened.
I will go home with some positive feelings. P2 kind of feels like a loss, but on the way home I’ll be like, ‘We finished P2 at Le Mans.
That’s not bad!’ We had a cool fight with the Ferrari, and I think we did well.”

TOMMY MILNER, NO. 64 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R FINISHED SIXTH IN GTE PRO:

“It was a very frustrating race for us. It wasn’t taken away from us right at the start, but a pretty good indication looking at the damage from the contact before the race started with the Ferrari that it was going to be a big problem for us. It ended up being such that we had more problems after that.

Furthermore, it’s hard to say if that initial damage caused some of the other problems we had. It’s very unfortunate and unlucky, unnecessary, but in the end we turned it into a test session in a lot of ways. We tried to go as fast we could to learn as much as we could about the C8.R and find anything that in future may or may not be a problem.
Our focus turned from going for a race win to helping the 63 guys do whatever it took to get them to win.

Unfortunately, that didn’t materialize; I think the Ferrari had just a little too much pace compared to everyone else.
From our side, it’s disappointing but for the team, second place is a good result. It’s not the result we were all looking for, but we can be happy about our performance today.”

NICK TANDY, NO. 64 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R – FINISHED SIXTH IN GTE PRO:

“Endurance racing is not an easy game. Sometimes you win and sometimes you lose.
This time, on our side of the garage, we didn’t have the smoothest of runs.
But I really enjoyed the week. I’ve enjoyed being with Tommy and Alex being in the car again.

I’m proud of how we managed to get the speed out of the car.
Honestly, it’s probably the nicest racecar I’ve had to drive around this circuit to be consistently fast and confidence-inspiring
I’m really proud of everyone who worked to give us a car with that performance.
The reliability didn’t go our way this time, but we can be proud that we have one car on the podium.
It’s a great experience with the new C8.R and hopefully we will come back fighting stronger next year.”

ALEXANDER SIMS NO. 64 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R FINISHED SIXTH IN GTE PRO:

“Everybody comes here to win, knowing that even if you have a super-fast car, there are so many opportunities for things not to go perfectly reliability, drivers making mistakes, slow zones and safety cars.
There are so many factors, and this time we had a couple of those go against us. Nevertheless, to get my first finish at Le Mans was good.

I got a lot of great experience with the C8.R .
It was brilliant to drive through the entire race. It’s a shame not using that pace to fight for the podium positions.
I’m proud of the whole team. The effort they put in was remarkable.
They got the changes made in the pits very, very quickly for such big fundamental changes that needed to be done.
Well done to the 63 car for getting the podium. On to the next one.”

 

[Derek Nicol]

Its so much more satisfying to come 2nd to a Ferrari than a Porsche.. and so good to see Porsche finish 3rd despite the rules being changed in their favor.
Well done Ferrari & Corvette.

 

[kentvette]

Its so much more satisfying to come 2nd to a Ferrari than a Porsche.. and so good to see Porsche finish 3rd despite the rules being changed in their favor.
Well done Ferrari & Corvette.

Just noticed this heresy! There's no place for any congratulations to one of those "Bl**dy Red Cars" on this forum ! If ever a car gets rules changed in its favour its Ferrari - the current head of the company started the race, so there was no secret who was going to win! Funny how all the competitors noticed the "increased pace" the Ferrari had in the race, compared to practice and quali!

 

[Derek Nicol]

Just noticed this heresy! There's no place for any congratulations to one of those "Bl**dy Red Cars" on this forum ! If ever a car gets rules changed in its favour its Ferrari - the current head of the company started the race, so there was no secret who was going to win! Funny how all the competitors noticed the "increased pace" the Ferrari had in the race, compared to practice and quali!

I would still prefer to see them win than a Porsche... in fact ANYTHING but a Porsche.

 

[kentvette]

I would still prefer to see them win than a Porsche... in fact ANYTHING but a Porsche.

Sorry, I've got problems with Porsche, never have had. In fact they made the greatest racing car ever built as far as I'm concerned!

In truth, if we'd had a few thousand pounds more to spend 31 years ago, we'd probably be driving one now! And definitely if Zora had got his way in the 70s.

 

[Derek Nicol]

Sorry, I've got no problems with Porsche, never have had. In fact they made the greatest racing car ever built as far as I'm concerned!

What Porsche made the Mazda 787B?

 

[Chuffer]

Ok , so we have to go back in time by quite a few decades but didn`t Ford take it to the damned red cars big time ? The GT40 is still up there with the best cars of all time .

 

[teamzr1]

Ford, a winner
maybe in a wet dream they thought so

I was lucky at that time as I worked for EDS/GM at the time and was based in Texas when this happened

You all need a refresher lesson of the real King of the Road Winner
The real winner and surprised you over on that island would forget the ONLY sports car with a very long winning record is with the engine design
over there by Lotus when GM owned it and the C4 ZR-1 won maximum speed and distance world records that stood for many years

The Corvette team set FIA endurance records with the production ZR1

Interesting was I ran my 1994 ZR-1 at 185 MPH at the Big Bend ORR Race out of also Fort Stockton Texas in 1997



A 175.885 mph 24-hour endurance record was set in a 1990 Corvette on a Texas track nearly eight miles long.
McLellan said he was confident in the LT5 because it had been tested to 500 hours of full-throttle testing.

These sentiments drove Hayner to pose the idea that a ZR-1 Corvette might have the power needed to topple the 50-year-old milestone. This prompted a phone call to John Heinricy, who was the Manager of Corvette Development at that time. He was also an experienced endurance racer. Both Hayner and Heinricy had raced Corvettes under the toolage of legendary Corvette racer Tom Morrison. Ironically, Morrison had been considering the same idea and had even discussed the idea of a record-breaking run in a ZR-1 with GM engineer and racer Jim Minneker.

As the talk of undertaking a feat of this magnitude began to gain momentum, members of the GM design team delved into the ZR-1’s ability to withstand the rigors of this 24-hour torture test. Jim Minneker was confident the ZR-1 could handle the challenge, having mandated 24-hour stress testing as part of the ZR-1’s development.

After extensive testing which included putting hte ZR-1 thru 24 hours of continual operation to verify its sustainable durability, a plan for taking down Ab Jenkins’ long-standing record commenced.

From the offset, Morrison began to gather sponsors for the record-breaking attempt, knowing that accomplishing such a feat would come at a tremendous financial cost. Meanwhile, Minneker provided the ZR-1 that had been used in development for further on-track testing.

As more rigorous testing took place, a couple of mechanical issues quickly became evident. First, a need for specialty tires that were capable of withstanding prolonged speeds over 180 MPH was identified. This led to a conference between John Heinricy and the Goodyear Racing Tire development team. At the time, no 17-inch production Goodyear tire could fit within the fenders of the ZR-1. This led Goodyear to develop and produce a specialty 17-inch racing tire to meet the specifications of the upcoming event.

It was also noted that wheel bearing temperatures ran well outside of specification. It was theorized that the heat generated from 180-0 MPH stops made when entering the pits was radiating inward to the car’s hubs and bearings, causing overheating and displacing extensive amounts of grease in the process. In response, Delco Moraine, the bearing manufacturer at the time, began packing all bearings with Mobil 1 synthetic grease for improved heat dissipation and better lubricant retention.

While the mechanical issues proved to be a relatively minor problem, locating the extensive sponsorship required to continue forward with the endeavor was not. Morrison worked tireless to seek out the necessary financial contributions to sponsor the cause. In the end, Goodyear, Mobile 1, and Electronic Data Systems all offered financial support, product donations and provisions of manpower.

The team also located a suitable destination at which to attempt their record-breaking run. Racing driver Bobby Unser, who had also attempted to break this same record in 1988, suggested the use of the Firestone Tire Company test facility in Fort Stockton, Texas. After a quick assessment of this site, it was agreed that the track would be used.

Morrison began assembling his team of drivers. In short order, Morrison had put together a worthy team that included John Heinricy, Stu Hayner, Kim Baker, Jim Minnerker, Scott Allman, Klaus Niedzwiedz, and Scott Lagasse.

With their mechanical issues remedied, the funding secured, and a dream team of drivers assembled, it was time for the teams to travel to Fort Stockton. As every member of the team and support staff began to arrive on location, a frantic effort to prepare the track and accompanying facilities commenced. Lights were positioned, communications equipment was staged, and the cars were inspected one, final time.

With preparations complete and the initial prospect of decent weather, Morrison knew that the time was right. March 1st would be the day of reckoning.
In addition to putting a ZR-1 on the track, it was also decided that a 1989 L98 coupe would take the track as well in search of its own place in history. Both the ZR-1 and L98 were given final inspections and fuel in anticipation of the moments ahead. SImilarly, the track was given a last-minute inspection and a warm-up lap commenced.
Both the ZR-1 and the L98 C4 Corvettes remained stock in most facets of design. Any modifications were minimal and intended to bolster the vehicle’s safety and durability. The most notable of the changes made to the cars was the installation of a 48-gallon fuel cell that necessitated the removal of the rear anti-sway bar, the replacement of 3.54 gears with 3.07s, and the slight lowering of the front end.

The cars were also fitted with Samsonite suitcases filled with spare parts and tools. Under FIA sanction, all repairs would have to be conducted by the vehicle’s driver, and everything needed to complete such a repair must come from the contents of this suitcase. Though several non-consumable parts were present, the teams were confident that they would not be needed.

A Record Run Begins​

At 9:56 am, both cars left the starting line of the Fort Stockton, Firestone test track. As the run continued through its first several hours, feelings of anxiety toward the attainability of completing a task of this magnitude began to lift. Both cars were running flawlessly, and pit stops that occurred at intervals of approximately every 80 minutes revealed no issues.

However, this did little to alleviate the teams’ concerns over the weather. Afternoon wind gusts frequently reached 25 MPH, and a mixture of drizzling rain, sleet, and light snow continued to fall. This only added to the already lengthy list of safety concerns that sat front and center within the minds of everyone involved.

The weather was not the only factor that remained a threat to the cars and crew. There was also concern that one (or both) of the cars might hit an animal crossing the track. The Fort Stockton test facility was located in a rural area of the state and was home to many animals including deer, coyotes, and javelinas. Although efforts to prevent such an animal strike had been put into action (as the crew drove around the outer bounds of the facility’s perimeter firing shotguns into the air), the fear of a collision at 190mph was still on everyone’s mind.

At the six-hour mark, five individual FIA records had been conquered. The 100, 500, and 1000 kilometer records were now credited to the L98 Corvette as were the 1- and 6-hour records. With these milestones achieved, the L98 returned to the pits, where it was loaded for immediate transport to the Geneva Auto Show. Meanwhile, the ZR-1 soldiered on toward the as-yet-to-be-broken 24-hour speed endurance record.

As night fell, the track conditions became treacherous. Patchy fog and limited visibility had everyone on edge. In the absence of the moon, there was little lighting to aid the drivers as only the track’s turns had been lit. As speeds approached 200 MPH in the straightaways, the ZR-1’s headlights offered little help, as any obstacle that could have been encountered would have been overtaken before the car’s driver could recognize the impending threat.

Despite the treacherous conditions, the ZR-1 carried on in near flawless fashion for the remainder of the night. The only notable difficulty that was experienced came in the form of an imbalanced tire during Jim Minneker’s time at the wheel. Though this irregularity caused violent shaking, it was quickly remedied by a momentary pit stop.

As night gave way to daybreak, the ZR-1 was running as everyone had hoped and emotions were riding high. Finally, at 9:55:12 AM the nearly 50-year-old 24-Hour World Land Speed Record was finally conquered as team lead Jim Morrison sat behind the wheel.

However, one record remained for the taking.

As the ZR-1 reached the long-awaited 24-hour mark, the car had run 4200 miles around the track thus far. This left the crew 800 miles shy of the 5,000-mile record set by a Mercedes C111.

The decision was made to push on, and the run continued in flawless fashion for the bulk of the remaining miles. Then, with only eight miles remaining, the ZR-1’s coolant temperature began to spike, and a quick under hood assessment revealed that a radiator hose had been rubbed through by constant contact with the car’s fan shroud. Within minutes, repairs were made and the run continued.

At 28 hours, 46 minutes, and 12.426 seconds after the historic run had begun, it came to a momentous and victorious conclusion. All three world records were broken and multiple FIA International records had succumbed to the ZR-1 and the storied crew who dared to dream big enough to break records and become legends.

 

[Chuffer]

Why are some enthusiasts so totally blinkered about their favourite marque that they cannot admit that some other cars were / are very good . Thank you for your extensive eulogy on the C4 but surely one cannot dispute that the GT40 was a great car , had a lot of input from us Brits and had that historic 1, 2,3 at Le Mans .

 

[teamzr1]

Of course living here in USA I can care less about Europes cars and having owned 12 Corvettes since 1975
that I see the car in a different light.
Look at just GM's Corvette racing in IMSA record
Then add up all the other types of racing the Corvette owners do
Meaning they do not talk the walk, they do it

For more than 65 years, the Chevrolet Corvette has stood alone as America’s sports car.
And for the last two decades, Corvette Racing has helped push the development, performance and
popularity of Chevrolet’s top-line performance automobile on race tracks around the world. It’s the
hallmark of North American endurance racing’s longest-running factory effort as the calendar turns to
2019 and the start of Corvette Racing’s third decade.

Corvette Racing owns one of sports car racing’s top pedigrees with victories in the biggest events and at
the most famous tracks around the world. It also represents the highest level of technology transfer
between racing and the showroom with an increasing number of common elements as the years have
progressed.

“With the Corvette Racing program, we are able to race what we sell in one of the most extreme
environments in all of motorsports,” said Mark Kent, Director of Motorsports Competition, Chevrolet
Racing. “Competing in events like the 24 Hours of Le Mans and throughout IMSA serves two purposes.
One is that it allows us to show the efficiency, reliability and ingenuity of the Chevrolet Corvette.
Secondly, we develop technologies through racing that carry over to our production vehicles in order to
make the safest and most advanced Corvettes for our customers.”

The 2018 season marked the 62nd anniversary of the Corvette’s first professional race. Its competition
debut as a factory effort came at the 12 Hours of Sebring in 1956 with five Corvettes. In 1960, the
Corvette brand raced for the first time at the 24 Hours of Le Mans with Briggs Cunningham entering three
Corvettes in the French classic. It marked the Corvette’s transition to an international icon.

The modern era of Corvette competition began in 1999, with the debut of the Corvette Racing team – a
partnership between Chevrolet and Pratt & Miller Engineering, which builds the race cars and operates
the program for Chevy Racing.

Since that time, Corvette Racing has accumulated 117 victories around the world – more than any other entrant in IMSA history.
Among those are eight wins at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, three at the Rolex 24 At
Daytona and 11 at the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring. From 1999 to 2013, Corvette Racing led the
American Le Mans Series (ALMS) in all-time victories and 1-2 finishes. It also won an ALMS-best 10
Team championships, 10 Manufacturer titles for Chevrolet and nine Driver championships.

During those years, the Corvettes competing on the track and those available at Chevrolet dealerships
became more closely related, with racing elements adapted to make better road cars. The best and most
recent example is the 2019 Corvette C7.R race car and the Chevrolet Corvette Z06 production car, which
share a common aluminum frame, similar aerodynamic strategies, engine technologies and even tire
construction.

For 2019, Corvette Racing once again will campaign two Chevrolet Corvette C7.Rs across two
continents. The team will look to successfully defend its GT Le Mans Driver and Team titles in the full
IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. Corvette Racing also aims to return to Le Mans in the
great endurance classic. Each year, the race is another opportunity to compete and win against the most
prestigious names in performance cars – in North America and around the world.

“Twenty years... I can hardly believe it,” says Team Principal Gary Pratt. “It’s a great partnership that we
have with Chevrolet on the Corvette Racing program. It shows the commitment of everyone who touches
this program. I’m really proud to have worked with the drivers, crew members, engineers, everyone at
Chevrolet and many others who make this team what it is.”

In the beginning: Corvette C5-R (1999-2004)
Even before the fifth-generation Corvette rolled into dealerships, plans were well underway to return
Chevrolet to professional endurance racing. The Corvette C5-R debuted in 1999 at the Rolex 24 At
Daytona and was a fixture of global GT racing for the next five years. From 1999-2004, Corvette Racing
and the C5-R set the standard for racing success with 31 victories in the ALMS, along with an overall
victory at the Rolex 24 in 2001.

Success wasn’t limited to North America. The C5-R scored the first of its three GTS victories at Le Mans
in 2001, following with wins in 2002 and 2004. ALMS team and manufacturer championships came in
2001-04.

The C5-R also helped instill Corvette drivers such as Ron Fellows and Johnny O’Connell as faces of the
team and the ALMS. Fellows won 21 ALMS races in the C5-R and captured the GTS drivers’
championship three times, including twice with O’Connell. It also helped launch the sports car careers for
future stars like Oliver Gavin, who remains a fixture with Corvette Racing.

Worthy successor: Corvette C6.R (2005-2013)
Chevrolet introduced the sixth-generation Corvette for 2005, and the Corvette C6.R made its competition
debut at Sebring in March that year. What followed was a period of unqualified success that came to
personify Corvette Racing and its new car – first in GT1 and then GT classes.

The Corvette C6.R was homologated on the Corvette Z06 production car’s architecture. Each was
powered by a 7.0L small block V-8 engine, with dry-sump lubrication system, CNC-ported aluminum
cylinder heads, titanium valves, forged steel crankshaft and plate-honed cylinder bores.

The C6.R proved to be a worthy successor to the C5-R. It won 39 GT1 races in the ALMS and delivered
Driver, Team and Manufacturer championships every year from 2005 to 2008. In that era, Corvette
Racing won 12 straight races from 2005 to 2006, followed by 25 consecutive wins from 2007 to 2009.
Four drivers claimed GT1 titles, too: O’Connell, Gavin, Olivier Beretta and Jan Magnussen.

The C6.R also won the GT1 class races at Le Mans in 2006, 2007 and 2009, the latter being Corvette
Racing’s last race in the class.

Corvette Racing and Chevrolet took another step forward in 2009 with the introduction of a GT2/GT-spec
version of the C6.R – this one based on the Corvette ZR1. The GT rules, along with GTE at Le Mans,
required many production-based components. The regulations made the C6.R and ZR1 the closest
street and racing Corvettes since the 1960s. Components from four major areas carried over between
the C6.R and ZR1:
• Aluminum frame – The same as the Z06 and ZR1, the shared structure included the windshield frame,
hoop surrounding the passenger compartment, door hinge pillars, drivetrain tunnel, firewall and floor pan
• Steering system – The C6.R used the production steering column and production rack-and-pinion
steering
• Body profile – The two cars are practically identical in appearance, as mandated by GT rules
• Aerodynamics – The C6.R used the production rear spoiler from the ZR1 and a production-based front
splitter.

The GT-spec C6.R won 12 times from 2009 through 2013, plus a 2011 win at Le Mans, leading Corvette
Racing and Chevrolet to Team and Manufacturer championships in 2012 and 2013. Tommy Milner and

1. Oliver Gavin won four times in 2012 to claim the GT Driver Championship. Antonio Garcia and Jan
   Magnussen followed with their own title in 2013 with three wins.
   
   “Both the Corvette C5-R and C6.R earned a place among the greatest entries in the modern era of
   sports car racing,” said Doug Fehan, Corvette Racing Program Manager. “Each helped define Corvette
   Racing and Chevrolet as championship-winning efforts in global sports car racing. More importantly, the
   cars showcased and proved the technology that transferred to production Corvettes. That is a hallmark of
   the Corvette Racing program now, and it will be going forward."
   
   
   
   CORVETTE RACING FAST FACTS – 1999-2020 (through Daytona)
   Le Mans class wins: 8
   Class Manufacturer titles: 12
   Class Driver titles: 11
   Class Team titles: 12
   Worldwide starts (by car): 433
   Worldwide starts (by event): 215
   Worldwide wins: 117
   Team 1-2 finishes: 60

This was my C4 ZR-1 that took race wins with speeds over 230 MPH so to me there is not a better sports car
A friend of mine with 2002 C5 Z06 with LS6 has over 235,000 miles on it and the engine has not even been taken apart and rebuilt

 

[Chuffer]

Ok ! You have voiced your opinion which you are entitled to , would you like to get off your soap box now ?

 

[kentvette]

Ford, a winner
maybe in a wet dream they thought so

You all need a refresher lesson of the real King of the Road Winner

I'm well aware of Corvette's history thank you, probably more so than most! And, I'm well aware that we have witnessed the "Golden Years" of Corvette Racing since the turn of the millennium, and era sadly probably coming to an end with GM's announcement of their Cadillac programme......

I was also a fan of endurance racing before a lot of current Corvette owners were born, so yes, I do remember the Ford victory (I saw the "winning" car when it did a tour of Ford dealerships in the UK just after the race) and, I was lucky enough to witness the great Pedro Rodriguez's drive in the rain an Brands Hatch, in quite possibly the greatest racing car ever built! In fact I saw Rodriguez and Siffert in 917s a couple of times. Jo Siffert was a hero of mine and a few years ago I met his son at Le Mans, which was a bit of a treat for me!

 

[Oneball]

Don’t see why the Cadillac announcement will have any impact on Corvette.
Cadillac has been racing on and off at Le Mans and in IMSA for the last 20 years.

 

[Chuffer]

Don’t see why the Cadillac announcement will have any impact on Corvette.
Cadillac has been racing on and off at Le Mans and in IMSA for the last 20 years.

Been racing at Le Mans since 1950 . Who could forget Le Monstre ??? Not that I was there at the time !

 

[kentvette]

Don’t see why the Cadillac announcement will have any impact on Corvette.
Cadillac has been racing on and off at Le Mans and in IMSA for the last 20 years.

GM's racing programme is under review and specifically Corvette, following the recent announcements from IMSA and the ACO re the move to GT3 for their GT classes from 2023. Laura Klauser has said that Chevy are not interested in running "customer" Corvettes, but the ACO regs look to be excluding factory efforts. Certainly most of the other GT manufacturers, Porsche, Ferrari, BMW etc are in favour of a non factory GT class, Porsche and BMW having already pulled out of IMSA as a factory effort and making it clear they do not intend to do a factory GT entry after 2022. In a recent interview (during Le Mans?) Laura implied that while it is important for GM to be at Le Mans, it would only do so with a factory effort for Corvette and, if that wasn't possible, then maybe a LMh Cadillac would be the GM "representative". There has been no "Corvette" announcement other then their comital to a Le Mans entry in 2022. They could continue in IMSA, in the GT3 -Pro format that IMSA is proposing, but likely they'd be the only "Pro" entry after a year or so tops!

Unfortunately Chevy have misread all the signs for the future of GT and are now way behind everyone in the move to GT3. Even as late as last yearsI asked Doug Fehan specifically if they should not be thinking about GT3 and he said no, it wasn't of interest to them. Now, they have been "ruled out" of the current GT regs after next year......

 

[teamzr1]

It was not Chevy that misread the signs

It was Ms Barra who has been getting rid of the men and replacing it was idiots like Ms Klauser who knows crap about Corvette Racing history
and is clear what this is all about as Barra's mandate that any racing will be done with gas engines replaced with her wet dream of electric or bust.

It was not by chance that many of the Corvette team guys including drivers just "retired" as they knew that the future for Corvette racing was doomed
Racing in IMSA GTLM is a joke, some races are just the 2 C8.Rs and then Klauser pats herself on the back saying how she is leading a winning team

Her fear really is if as per ACO that Corvettes owned by the public go beat her on the track with GM Corvettes and drivers how a loser she will look like

 

[kentvette]

It was not Chevy that misread the signs

It was Ms Barra who has been getting rid of the men and replacing it was idiots like Ms Klauser who knows crap about Corvette Racing history
and is clear what this is all about as Barra's mandate that any racing will be done with gas engines replaced with her wet dream of electric or bust.

It was not by chance that many of the Corvette team guys including drivers just "retired" as they knew that the future for Corvette racing was doomed
Racing in IMSA GTLM is a joke, some races are just the 2 C8.Rs and then Klauser pats herself on the back saying how she is leading a winning team

Her fear really is if as per ACO that Corvettes owned by the public go beat her on the track with GM Corvettes and drivers how a loser she will look like

Oh dear, same old macho garbage! You clearly don't know Laura and haven' met her. I suggest a bit of reading in necessary. Doug Fehan was opposed to a GT3 move for his whole tenure as Prgramme Manager, despite the writing being on the wall 5 years ago.