Canadian Tire Motorsport Park the most successful venue for leading GTLM team

Twelve class victories for Corvette Racing at historic Canadian venue
Magnussen leads Corvette Racing drivers with six career victories at CTMP
Gavin, Milner lead GTLM Championship after five rounds

DETROIT (July 6, 2016) – Of all the tracks where Corvette Racing has won a sports car race, no other venue has been as good to the team as Canadian Tire Motorsport Park. In 17 years, Corvette Racing has won 11 times at the historic 2.459-mile, 10-turn circuit formerly known as Mosport.
The team gets a shot at an even dozen with Sunday’s Mobil 1 SportsCar Grand Prix presented by Hawk Performance.

It will be the second consecutive event weekend for teams in the IMSA WeatherTech Championship.
It’s the middle portion of a stretch that sees Corvette Racing compete three times in four weeks on top of its annual trek to the 24 Hours of Le Mans each summer.

The two-car team and its pair of Mobil 1/SiriusXM Chevrolet Corvette C7.Rs are in the thick of a tense fight for the GT Le Mans (GTLM) championships for drivers, manufacturers and teams.
Following Sunday’s Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen at Watkins Glen International, Oliver Gavin and Tommy Milner maintain their season-long lead in the Driver’s Championship following back-to-back victories to open the season.

Corvette Racing’s four drivers have amassed 12 victories at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park dating back to 1999. Jan Magnussen leads the quartet with six with five coming in Corvette Racing entries.
The Dane, who teams with Antonio Garcia in the No. 3 Corvette C7.R, won overall in 1999 before reeling off five wins in eight years with the team: 2007-2009, 2011 and 2014.

He and Garcia won the GTLM race in 2014, which was the first race at the track for the Corvette C7.R.
The previous year, Oliver Gavin and Tommy Milner won a thrilling GT race as part of the American Le Mans Series.
It marked Milner’s first win at the track and Gavin’s fourth.

Canadian Tire Motorsport Park is recognized by drivers as one of the most challenging tracks on the schedule and features fast speeds, big elevation changes and high risk. It’s a layout that hasn’t changed much since its founding in the early 1960s.
Since then it has played host to Can-Am, Formula 5000, USAC stock cars, IndyCar, Trans-Am, Formula Atlantic, and of course the American Le Mans Series and IMSA. Most notably, the circuit was the site of the Formula One Canadian Grand Prix eight times between 1967-77.

Corvette Racing legend Ron Fellows is part of the ownership group and has helped oversee a transformation in venue facilities since 2011.

The 2016-spec Corvette C7.R is an updated racecar due to changes in Automobile Club de l’Ouest regulations for top-level GT cars that compete in the IMSA GTLM class.
There are a number of aerodynamic changes including a larger splitter at the front and diffuser at the rear of the Corvette. Side skirts and a repositioned wing also are among the most notable changes, along with updated safety features that are now mandated on all GTLM cars.

The two-hour, 40-minute Mobil 1 SportsCar Grand Prix presented by Hawk Performance is scheduled for 11:05 a.m. ET on Sunday, July 10. It will air live on FOX Sports 1 starting at 11 a.m. ET with IMSA Radio coverage and Chevrolet on-board cameras available on IMSA.com.

ANTONIO GARCIA, NO. 3 MOBIL 1/SIRIUS-XM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R:

"We as drivers enjoy Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, and the Corvette seems to as well. The flow and speeds there are fantastic. It’s very similar to Watkins Glen where you feel like you are always flat-out. It’s always a good time to go to Canada, where we have been very successful over the years.
We will do our best to keep it that way. These three races in a row are always fun to do – Le Mans, Watkins Glen and Canadian Tire Motorsport Park. Coming from Le Mans, then to Watkins Glen to CTMP is a good three-race stretch – they are some of the best race tracks we go to every year."

JAN MAGNUSSEN, NO. 3 MOBIL 1/SIRIUS-XM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R:

"It’s hard to find a driver that doesn’t enjoy Canadian Tire Motorsport Park. It’s another classic North American track that I really, really like. This is a great stretch of races in IMSA where we are at old-school circuits like this one, Watkins Glen, Lime Rock, Road America and VIR.
For me, I’ve been fortunate to have a lot of success at CTMP with a lot of wins – all but one in a Corvette. There are a lot of great memories here and to have that kind of record at such a historic place where some of racing’s greats have won is really special."

OLIVER GAVIN, NO. 4 MOBIL 1/SIRIUS-XM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R:

"Canadian Tire Motorsport Park does seem to be a win-or-bust track for me! But it’s a track that I enjoy. It’s fast, flowing and aggressive. It’s going to be fun in these cars, for sure. I’m looking forward to that aspect of it – it’s such a thrill to drive.
I’ve won there with a lot of different Corvette Racing teammates. It’s a place where if it all clicks then we end up winning. If it doesn’t, then we usually have a really bad day. Hopefully it’s the first!"

TOMMY MILNER, NO. 4 MOBIL 1/SIRIUS-XM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R:

"The most satisfying race of my career was probably 2013 at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park. I basically had to drive the wheels off our car for about an hour to keep second place behind me. I pick that one over a big win like Le Mans, Daytona or Sebring because that was one of the first races where my performance in the car made a difference. Make no mistake that racing is a huge team sport.
But that was a race where I had to be perfect. I really sort of challenged myself in the car mentally just to be the best. I had never to that point had a feeling in the race car like that – where my performance in the car made a difference. That was a huge confidence boost for me."

DOUG FEHAN, CORVETTE RACING PROGRAM MANAGER:

"No summer would be complete without our annual trek to Canadian Tire Motorsport Park. The drivers love the place… it is wicked fast and has the ‘thrill’ element they all really enjoy. Adding to that are all our Canadian fans.
They are dedicated, knowledgeable and passionate about IMSA road racing. Our history at CTMP is very strong and shows the consistency of the Corvette platform over the years. Everyone at Corvette Racing will do everything we can to extend that record of success for all our loyal Corvette fans and owners."

CORVETTE RACING IN CANADA: GTLM Pole Position for Garcia in No. 3 Corvette

First pole of 2016 season for Chevrolet Corvette C7.R

Corvette Racing going for 12th victory at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park
GTLM Championship leaders Gavin, Milner to start from third row in class
Victory on Sunday would be 100th all-time for Corvette Racing
Ricky Taylor leads Corvette DP effort with front-row qualifying position

BOWMANVILLE, Ontario, Canada (July 9, 2016) – Corvette Racing’s Antonio Garcia claimed pole position Saturday for the Mobil 1 SportsCar Grand Prix in the GT Le Mans (GTLM) class as sports car racing’s premier GT team looks for its 12th victory at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park.

Garcia, driving the No. 3 Mobil 1/SiriusXM Chevrolet Corvette C7.R, set a lap of 1:15.198 (117.7 mph) in the 15-minute qualifying session.
It was the first pole position at the track for Garcia, who will go for his second career victory at CTMP with teammate Jan Magnussen. The pairing won in class at the 2.459-mile, 10-turn circuit in 2014 and placed third a year ago.

A victory in Sunday’s two-hour, 40-minute race would make it an even dozen for Corvette Racing at the historic Canadian road course. The team’s first victory here came in 2001, and Corvette Racing has won twice in the last three years.
The win also would give the team its 100th all-time program victory.

Corvette-powered entries also qualified toward the front in the Prototype category.
Ricky Taylor, teammate to Garcia and Magnussen at this year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans, was the second-fastest qualifier Saturday in his Wayne Taylor Racing No. 10 Konica Minolta Corvette DP.

Garcia led a highly competitive GTLM field in qualifying as the fastest seven cars were within 0.582 seconds.
Among those was Oliver Gavin in the No. 4 Mobil 1/SiriusXM Chevrolet Corvette C7.R with the sixth-fastest time in class.
The co-leader in the GTLM Driver’s Championship with Tommy Milner, Gavin’s best lap was a 1:15.549 (117.1 mph) to end up 0.351 seconds off Garcia’s time but also barely one-tenth of a second from the second row in class.

Gavin and Milner hold an eight-point lead in the Driver’s Championship with Chevrolet leading by seven points in the manufacturer standings. The pairing won together in Canada in the 2013 American Le Mans Series race.

In the Prototype ranks, Taylor and brother Jordan will go for their second straight overall Mobil 1 SportsCar Grand Prix victory. Ricky Taylor’s best time was 1:10.435 (125.6 mph) to lead the quartet of Corvette DP entries into Sunday’s race.
He will start ahead of Prototype Driver’s Championship co-leader Christian Fittipaldi in Action Express Racing’s No. 5 Mustang Sampling Corvette DP.

Fittipaldi’s best time was 1:10.761 (125.1 mph) in the Corvette DP he shares with Joao Barbosa. They are coming off a victory a week ago in the Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen.
That win also increased Chevrolet’s advantage in the Prototype Engine Manufacturer Championship to four points.

Action Express Racing teammate Eric Curran qualified fifth with a lap of 1:11.177 (124.3 mph) in the No. 31 Whelen Engineering/Team Fox Corvette DP. Marc Goossens was next for Visit Florida Racing with a 1:11.296 (124.1 mph) lap in the No. 90 VisitFlorida.com Corvette DP.

The two-hour, 40-minute Mobil 1 SportsCar Grand Prix presented by Hawk Performance is scheduled for 11:05 a.m. ET on Sunday, July 10.
It will air live on FOX Sports 1 starting at 11 a.m. ET with IMSA Radio coverage and Chevrolet on-board cameras available on IMSA.com.

CORVETTE RACING GTLM QUOTES

ANTONIO GARCIA, NO. 3 MOBIL 1/SIRIUS-XM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R – GTLM POLE-WINNER:

"Everyone at Corvette Racing did a fantastic job. We really like this track, and our records reflect that. It will be a tough race but I am very pleased with the result today.
We are always very strong here, and I was looking forward to qualifying. Track position is very important here so I think we are in a very strong position. It’s nice to be up there near the front and fighting. The car has felt pretty decent all year long. At points we were just lacking some speed. But we have to do our jobs.
If we do our pit stops in the right way have the right strategy, execution and do everything at 100 percent, then you can be in a position for a win."

OLIVER GAVIN, NO. 4 MOBIL 1/SIRIUS-XM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R – QUALIFIED SIXTH IN GTLM:

"After the Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge race, the circuit was very slick and maybe we were banking on the track to have more grip in it.
I had a very loose and nervous car throughout. Traction was compromised out of Turn Five, and we were running a stiffer package than the sister car.
We know which way to go. I think we have a car that can get to the front, but we need to get it calmed down at the rear. The problem here is that passing is very difficult and track position is everything.
That’s why qualifying is so important here. This is most probably – apart from Long Beach – one of the most important qualifying sessions of the year because it’s so hard to pass. I’m frustrated that we’re not further up the grid.
We’ll have to work at it and see. Anything can happen in these races.
The guys did a great job in the pits at Watkins Glen to gain us positions. We’ll have to keep digging."

DOUG FEHAN, CORVETTE RACING PROGRAM MANAGER:

"Those who follow Corvette Racing know that pole position is never a primary objective of this team. However, you only need to look at history to see what played a significant role in our success today.
We’ve spent 17 years racing at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park with the same team, the same cars and many of the same drivers and team members. When you spend that amount of time at any one place, chances are that you’re going to excel.
Today was a great demonstration of our engineering, our implementation and our drivers."

CORVETTE DAYTONA PROTOTYPE QUOTES

RICKY TAYLOR, WAYNE TAYLOR RACING NO. 10 KONICA MINOLTA CORVETTE DP – QUALIFIED SECOND IN PROTOTYPE:

"It’s nice to have another good qualifying session – the first of the DPs again and ahead the people who we’re fighting with for the championship. We’ve got that to be happy about.
It’s going to be a tough race tomorrow with the GT cars out there. But the positive is that we’ve made improvements with the car every session.

I think we can make more improvements before the race and keep our nose clean and look after the championship."

CHRISTIAN FITTIPALDI, ACTION EXPRESS RACING NO. 5 MUSTANG SAMPLING CORVETTE DP – QUALIFIED FOURTH IN PROTOTYPE:

"I’m not sad but not happy with P4. Obviously we expected a little bit better but it went the way it went. We tried a couple different things for qualifying and it didn’t really go our way.
So now we will go back, change the car and hopefully we will run strong Sunday exactly how we did last year to bring the Chevy-powered No. 5 Action Express Corvette DP home and bring it on the highest spot on the podium tomorrow."

JIM LUTZ, CORVETTE DAYTONA PROTOTYPE PROGRAM MANAGER:

"Second and fourth on the Prototype grid is a positive start for our Corvette DP teams at Wayne Taylor Racing and Action Express Racing.
We may lack a little pace on a single lap, but we have seen the reliability of our Corvette Daytona Prototypes and our teams know how to execute.

We will look for that trend to continue in tomorrow’s race."

CORVETTE RACING IN CANADA: Banner Day for Corvette Teams

Two GTLM podium positions for Corvette C7.Rs; Action Express Racing goes 1-2 again

Gavin, Milner drive to runner-up finish in championship-leading Corvette C7.R
Garcia, Magnussen claim GTLM podium, best finish since Rolex 24 runner-up
Cameron, Curran take overall victory after 2015 Prototype runner-up

BOWMANVILLE, Ontario, Canada (July 10, 2016) – Sunday was a good day to drive a Chevrolet Corvette-powered race car in the Mobil 1 SportsCar Grand Prix at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park.

Corvette Racing claimed two podium positions in the GT Le Mans (GTLM) class of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, and Corvette Daytona Prototypes swept the top four overall positions with Action Express Racing’s Eric Curran and Dane Cameron winning their first race of the season.

Oliver Gavin and Tommy Milner drove their No. 4 Mobil 1/SiriusXM Chevrolet Corvette C7.R to a runner-up GTLM finish in the two-hour, 40-minute race as they retained their season-long lead in the Driver’s Championship for the category, as did Chevrolet in Manufacturer points.
Third place went to the pole-sitting No. 3 Mobil 1/SiriusXM Chevrolet Corvette C7.R of Antonio Garcia and Jan Magnussen for their best result since opening the season with a runner-up class finish in the Rolex 24 At Daytona.

Gavin and Milner picked up four positions from their sixth-place qualifying result in a measured drive through the field.
For the second weekend in a row, strategy and pit stop execution proved key as Milner leap-frogged the No. 3 car following the last stop for both cars, which saw them pit on consecutive laps with a little under an hour to go.

Garcia had taken over for Magnussen with 57 minutes, but Milner had the advantage with warmer Michelin tires and moved ahead of his teammate on Garcia’s outlap. Gavin had started the race in the No. 4 Corvette and picked up a position before the end of his 43-minute stint.

Garcia and Magnussen led much of the race’s opening half before the final pit sequence. Magnussen drove the middle stint while Garcia had the opening and closing ones. Garcia, who claimed pole position, made up two positions in the final 54 minutes to climb back on the podium with Magnussen.
The result unofficially moved them to fifth place in the GTLM Driver’s Championship.

In the Prototype category, Curran and Cameron went from sixth at the start to their third victory in two seasons in the No. 31 Whelen Engineering/Team Fox Corvette DP. After finishing second a year ago with Curran, Cameron drove the No. 31 Corvette DP to the lead with 47 minutes remaining and won by 10.112 seconds.
The victory increased Chevrolet’s lead in the Prototype Engine Manufacturer Championship to nine points.

Both Action Express Corvette DPs took left-side tires only on their final pit stops, and the third-place Wayne Taylor Racing No. 10 Konica Minolta Corvette DP of Jordan Taylor took only two tires as well.
Taylor got out of the pitlane first as he pitted the same lap as the No. 5 Corvette DP but struggled with grip at the front of the Corvette DP. That allowed Barbosa to move into second with six minutes left.

Ricky Taylor led the first 11 laps after a strong start of the race from the second position.

Marc Goossens and Ryan Dalziel were fourth for Visit Florida Racing in the No. 90 VisitFlorida.com Corvette DP. Both drivers took turns leading the race during their respective stints.

Sunday’s results mean Barbosa and Fittipaldi keep their lead in the Prototype Driver’s Championship standings with Curran and Cameron four points back in second place. Jordan and Ricky Taylor are third followed by Goossens.

The next event for Corvette Racing is the Northeast Grand Prix from Lime Rock Park on Saturday, July 23. Corvette DPs return to the track at the Continental Tire Road Race Showcase at Road America on Sunday, Aug. 7.

CORVETTE RACING GTLM QUOTES

OLIVER GAVIN, NO. 4 MOBIL 1/SIRIUS-XM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R – RUNNER-UP IN GTLM:

"The top step is always the ultimate goal. But today, would we have taken second at the beginning of the day? I think we most probably would have. It was a tough battle and a good battle. Tommy did a great job when he got in the Corvette.
He really hustled the car, and Reed (Sullivan), our engineer, made some great changes to the car to make it more comfortable for Tommy in the end. It’s very good points in the championship, and it’s very close between us and the 67 car.
I think it might be like that for the rest of the year. But the nice thing is that we are right back in the hunt. The Corvette was fast and good today. The team did a fantastic job in the pits, and you have to give them credit.
They kept digging and digging all the way through the race. So I’m very happy."

TOMMY MILNER, NO. 4 MOBIL 1/SIRIUS-XM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R – RUNNER-UP IN GTLM:

"I feel like we’ve definitely earned this one.
The car doesn’t feel that much different than the last few races, but we are in the hunt. All the work we did the last couple of races to find some speed in our Corvette has paid off today. Olly did a great job in the first stint.
It’s so tough to pass here, especially early on when you’re all stacked up on top each other. Keeping his nose clean was an awesome job by him."

ANTONIO GARCIA, NO. 3 MOBIL 1/SIRIUS-XM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R – THIRD PLACE IN GTLM:

"It’s a little bit of a shame. We led two-thirds of the race. I feel like the race came down to the last pit stop. We were the only car to do a driver change, so maybe it took a little longer than the other cars that pitted, especially the winning car.
They ended up gambling on fuel. It put me in a very difficult situation with Tommy (Milner) on warmer tires. But it’s a 2-3 for Corvette so I think this is a very good bounceback for us."

JAN MAGNUSSEN, NO. 3 MOBIL 1/SIRIUS-XM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R – THIRD PLACE IN GTLM:

"The way the 912 and 67 cars pitted, which put them out front on the second stop, was the race. That was a gamble we couldn’t take because we were in the lead at the time. We would have looked pretty foolish if we tried it and didn’t work out.
That put us a little bit behind for when Antonio got back in, but he did great to fight his way back up to third.
When you’re leading two-thirds of the race, you want the biggest trophy. But this is a good step forward for Corvette Racing with both Corvettes on the podium. Now we need to try and get some wins."

DOUG FEHAN, CORVETTE RACING PROGRAM MANAGER:

"Today was a tremendous example of why we consider the IMSA GT Le Mans category to be the best GT racing in the world. Each car and each manufacturer were competitive, and taking two positions on the GTLM podium is a great achievement for the Corvette Racing program.
The strategy was very solid for both Corvette C7.R teams, as was the execution in the pitlane and by all four drivers. All in all, it was a very good day in results and points for Corvette Racing."

CORVETTE DAYTONA PROTOTYPE QUOTES

DANE CAMERON, ACTION EXPRESS RACING NO. 31 WHELEN ENGINEERING/TEAM FOX CORVETTE DP – PROTOTYPE RACE WINNER:

"It’s certainly a nice feeling to feel like we’ve gotten the monkey off our back here at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park. Throughout my career, I don’t think I’ve ever been off the podium but I had never won here. It’s a really nice feeling to finally get that. Last year we came so close with an extra pit stop and a small issue but still nearly won the race.
It’s really nice to get some redemption from all those ‘what ifs’ and ‘almosts’. Our Corvette DP was awesome all day; it was so good in traffic and so good in clean air. Once the Action Express boys got us to the front, we could really set the pace with our Whelen Corvette.
Once we got to the front, no one could touch us and we could control it from there.
It’s really fantastic day for Action Express to be 1-2 again. We inched our way toward the front in the Driver’s Championship, which is the goal. A big thanks to Whelen Engineering and Sonny Whelen for the chance to drive this car."

ERIC CURRAN, ACTION EXPRESS RACING NO. 31 WHELEN ENGINEERING/TEAM FOX CORVETTE DP – PROTOTYPE RACE WINNER:

"What a day!
It’s so much fun to move up one position from last year after finishing second.
This Whelen Engineering Corvette DP was spot-on. It was a tough start to the weekend with all the rainy conditions, and qualifying was tough. I had a reasonable run at the beginning of the race but traffic was tough.
The pit stops were unbelievable. The Action Express guys just nailed the pit stops. We kept jumping cars on every stop. Dane did an amazing job right to the end. I feel like I have the best team, the best crew, the best sponsors and the best teammate.
I’ve won a lot of races here in a red-and-white Whelen Corvette, so it’s nice to get back up on that top step. I love coming to this track; it’s so much fun. Hats off to the crew, Whelen Engineering, Sonny Whelen and Team Chevy.
It’s nice to have a 1-2 finish again for the second week in a row."

JOAO BARBOSA, ACTION EXPRESS RACING NO. 5 MUSTANG SAMPLING CORVETTE DP – PROTOTYPE RACE RUNNER-UP:

"We had an usually tough race. At the end of the day, I’m happy with the results and the points. I’m happy that Action Express finished 1-2. At one point, I thought the best we could get was fourth place. But the team had a great strategy on the stops and only put on left-side tires on the last stop. Initially I was very concerned about that. It turned out to be perfect though.
We were able to leapfrog the 90 car and then the 10 car looked like it suffered a little bit on pace at the end of the race, so I was very happy with that. Coming out with second place is a very good result. There is still a long way to go in the championship, and a lot can happen. But it’s always better to be out front than in the back. Congratulations to the 31 guys.
They had a perfect race with a great car and great strategy."

CHRISTIAN FITTIPALDI, ACTION EXPRESS RACING NO. 5 MUSTANG SAMPLING CORVETTE DP – PROTOTYPE RACE RUNNER-UP:

"Overall, I’m very happy with where we finished and very happy that we finished 1-2 today for Action Express Racing. Hats off to Eric (Curran) and Dane (Cameron). They drove a perfect race, and that’s it
. Let’s turn the page and move on to the next one."

JORDAN TAYLOR, WAYNE TAYLOR RACING NO. 10 KONICA MINOLTA CORVETTE DP – THIRD PLACE IN PROTOTYPE:

"That was an OK day.
Third place is good points, but the guys we are racing in the championship finished ahead of us. So that’s a little frustrating. A positive to take away is that last year at this race, we were quite far off the pace and this year we were right in the hunt pace-wise.
I think if we had track position we would have been in good shape. We had a big drop-off on the front tires at the end though, so there was no way I was going to hold off the 5 car.
There are good and bad things to take away, but a podium is not a bad thing."

RYAN DALZIEL, VISIT FLORIDA RACING NO. 90 VISITFLORIDA.COM CORVETTE DP – FOURTH PLACE IN PROTOTYPE:

"The positive is that we were consistently one of the fastest cars in our class again. Canadian Tire Motorsport Park is a great track to come to but unfortunately with the high-speed nature of the track it’s extremely difficult to overtake.
To be honest, with all of the traffic, nobody is doing anything wrong, but everyone is in their own race. Unfortunately you can lose six seconds on one lap and then be clear on the next lap, but it’s kind of the luck of the draw.
So we gambled to try to get track position which paid off at the start. We actually were just as good on two tires as we were on four, so from that point of view everything worked correctly.
Without a yellow, we knew it was a gamble, but it is what it is, and we had a good solid race."

JIM LUTZ, CORVETTE DAYTONA PROTOTYPE PROGRAM MANAGER:

"It doesn’t get any better than having four Chevrolet-powered Corvette Daytona Prototypes sweep the first four positions in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.
All four entries showed exceptional pace, reliability and strategy.
Congratulations go to Eric Curran, Dane Cameron and everyone on the Action Express Racing No. 31 Whelen Engineering/Team Fox Corvette DP for winning today’s race.

The results put us in a great position in all three Prototype championships, including our efforts for Chevrolet’s fifth straight Prototype Engine Manufacturer title."