#3614 - 05/15/1507:36 PM17 Seasons of Corvette Racing: 1999–2015
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DETROIT – The relationship between the Chevrolet Corvette and motorsports stretches is approaching its sixth decade, beginning with the Corvette’s competitive debut in at the 12 Hours of Sebring in 1956. Less than five years later, Briggs Cunningham entered three Corvettes in the Le Mans 24 Hours in 1960
– Corvette’s first appearance at the world’s most demanding race – and the international racing community began to take notice of America’s sports car. Fast-forward nearly 40 years as the Corvette returned to the front and center of major endurance sports car racing with the debut of the Corvette Racing team. The effort is a partnership between Chevrolet and Pratt & Miller Engineering, which builds the race cars and operates the Corvette Racing program.
Needless to say, the results speak for themselves. Since its first race in 1999, Corvette Racing has posted 94 victories around the world to become endurance racing’s premier production-based team. Most of those successes came in the American Le Mans Series (ALMS), where Corvette led in all-time victories and 1-2 finishes, along with 10 team championships and 10 manufacturer titles – both ALMS records – for Chevrolet. Corvette Racing and Chevrolet also have won in class at the 24 Hours of Le Mans seven times.
The 2014 season saw Corvette Racing contest the inaugural TUDOR United SportsCar Championship with the new Chevrolet Corvette C7.R. A new championship did not, however, change the philosophy of the Corvette Racing program – develop and test technology on the race track that makes its way to Chevrolet showrooms around the world.
Over the 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. Perhaps the greatest examples are the 2014 Corvette C7.R and the 2015 Corvette Z06, which shares a common chassis along with similar aerodynamic strategies and engine technologies.
“The importance of the Corvette Racing program to Chevrolet cannot be understated,” said Mark Kent, Director of Racing for Chevrolet. “What our engineers learn and gather from racing the Corvette C7.R lays the groundwork for technologies that go into our production vehicles. We are proud to race what we sell.”
For 2015, Corvette Racing will do so on two continents. The team will field two Chevrolet Corvette C7.R race cars at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in the GTE Pro category as well as the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship’s GT Le Mans (GTLM) class. Already, Corvette Racing has scored victories in the Rolex 24 At Daytona and Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring. Last season saw four victories in the TUDOR Championship along with a second- and fourth-place finish at Le Mans.
“Our relationship with Chevrolet is very important,” said Gary Pratt, Corvette Racing team manager and co-principal of Pratt & Miller. “Chevrolet provides us with a great product in Corvette. This is a great combination – the support and engineering from Chevrolet along with our Pratt & Miller crew and engineers. It’s fascinating to look back over the years and see how close the racing and production programs have grown.”
In the beginning: Corvette C5-R (1999-2004)
Even before the fifth-generation Corvette rolled into dealerships in the late 1990s, plans were well underway to return Chevrolet and the Corvette brand 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 install 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.
The Corvette C6.R was homologated on the sixth-generation 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 races at Le Mans in 2006, 2007 and 2009, the latter being Corvette Racing’s final race in the class. Corvette Racing and Chevrolet took another step forward in 2009 with the introduction of a GT-spec version of the C6.R – this one based on the Corvette C6 ZR1. The GT rules, along with GTE at Le Mans, required many production-based components. The regulations made the C6.R and ZR1 at that time 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 Oliver Gavin won four times in 2012 to claim the GT drivers’ 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."
A New Generation: Corvette C7.R (2014-Current)
Starting with the new TUDOR Championship in 2014, Chevrolet and Corvette Racing entered the Chevrolet Corvette C7.R in the series’ GT Le Mans (GTLM) class. Based on the seventh-generation 2015 Chevrolet Corvette Z06, the C7.R wrote a new chapter in technology transfer. The two represent the closest link in modern times between Corvettes built for racing and the road, sharing unprecedented levels of engineering and components including chassis architecture, engine technologies and aerodynamic strategies. • Frame Production – As before, the race car and the Z06 will share the same, production-based aluminum frame. However, for the first time, the frames for the race car and production Z06 will be built in-house at the Corvette’s Bowling Green, Ky., assembly plant. • Direct Injection – The addition of direct fuel injection to the Corvette Z06 will enable the technology to return to a Corvette race car for the first time since the end of the GT1 era in 2009. It promises greater efficiency, which can make a significant difference in long-distance endurance racing such as Daytona and Le Mans through fewer time-consuming pit stops. • Aerodynamics – The Corvette Z06 and C7.R take the aerodynamic foundation to the next level, sharing aggressive strategies for increased cooling and aerodynamic downforce, including similar front splitters, rocker panels, and front- and rear-brake cooling ducts.
“Corvette Racing sets the gold standard for technology transfer between the track and street,” said Tadge Juechter, Corvette chief engineer. “We are continually taking what we learn in competition, and applying it to improve production Corvettes – which then make better race cars. As a result, the new Corvette Z06 is the most track-capable production Corvette ever while the new C7.R is poised to be even more competitive on the race circuit.”
CORVETTE RACING FAST FACTS – 1999-2015
Le Mans class wins: 7 ALMS manufacturer titles: 10 ALMS driving titles: 9 ALMS team titles: 10 Worldwide races: 159 Worldwide wins: 96 Team 1-2 finishes: 54
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Team Highlights • Race wins: 96 (82 ALMS, 7 Le Mans, 6 TUDOR Championship, 1 GRAND-AM) • 1-2 finishes: 58 (54 ALMS, 4 Le Mans) • ALMS manufacturers championships: Ten (2001-08, GT1; 2012-13 GT) • ALMS team championships: Ten (2001-08, GT1; 2012-13, GT) • ALMS drivers championships: Nine (2002-08, GT1; 2012-13, GT) • 24 Hours of Le Mans class wins : Seven (2001-02, 2004-06, 2009, 2011) • Sebring 12 Hours class wins: Nine (2002-04, 2006-09, 2013, 2015) • Petit Le Mans class wins: Eight (2000-02, 2004-05, 2007-08, 2010) • Rolex 24 At Daytona class wins: Two (2001 – GTS & overall, 2015 - GTLM) • American Le Mans Series records: Most race wins by entrant (82); most 1-2 finishes by entrant (54); longest winning streak in GT1 (25, 2007 Sebring/2009 Long Beach); most poles in GT1 • ALMS From the Fans awards: Gary Claudio, Corvette marketing manager (2002); Doug Fehan, Corvette Racing program manager (2004, 2008-10) • ALMS Most Popular Driver awards: Ron Fellows (2004-07), Jan Magnussen (2011, 2013) • Special awards: Overall winner in inaugural ALMS Green Challenge at 2008 Petit Le Mans; won 2012 and 2013 championships in the Green Challenge (for GT manufacturers) and MICHELIN GREEN X Challenge (for GT teams) in American Le Mans Series; Pratt & Miller/Bosch Collision Avoidance System named “Motorsport Technology of the Year” at Professional Motorsport
World Expo (November 2013); Corvette C6.R named "North American Car of the Year" by dailysportscar.com (February 2006); Corvette LS7.R engine named Global Motorsport Engine of the Year at the Professional Motorsport World Expo (November 2006); Corvette Racing claimed Michelin Energy Endurance Challenge in GT1 class at 2007 Le Mans 24 Hours. Corvette Racing Firsts • First race: Daytona 24 Hours, Feb. 5, 1999 • First GTS win: Texas Motor Speedway, Sept. 2, 2000, drivers Ron Fellows and Andy Pilgrim • First overall win: Daytona 24 Hours, Feb. 3, 2001; drivers Ron Fellows, Chris Kneifel, Franck Freon, Johnny O’Connell • First GT2 win: Mosport International Raceway, Aug. 30, 2009; drivers Johnny O'Connell and Jan Magnussen • First 1-2 finish: Daytona 24 Hours, Feb. 3, 2001 (1st – Fellows/Kneifel/Freon/O’Connell; 2nd – Andy Pilgrim/Dale Earnhardt/Dale Earnhardt Jr./Kelly Collins) • First Le Mans class win: 2001; drivers Ron Fellows, Johnny O’Connell, Scott Pruett • First ALMS drivers championship: Ron Fellows, 2002 • First ALMS manufacturers championship: 2001 • First undefeated season: 2004 (nine ALMS races and 24 Hours of Le Mans) • First TUDOR Championship win: Long Beach, April 12, 2014; drivers Antonio Garcia and Jan Magnussen Corvette Racing Notes • The Corvette C7.R race car was co-developed with the all-new 2015 Corvette Z06. They represent the closest link in modern times between Corvettes built for racing and the road, sharing unprecedented levels of engineering and components including chassis architecture, engine technologies and aerodynamic strategies. • The C7.R’s aluminum frame is the same as found on the 2015 Corvette Z06. In addition, both feature a direct-injected engine and the most aggressive aero packages found on a racing and production Corvette. • Corvette Racing is powered by E85 ethanol racing fuel – a high-octane, renewable alternative fuel – in the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship. The cellulosic blend demonstrates the benefits of a fuel that helps to reduce dependence on petroleum, helps to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases, and helps to create greater diversity in energy supplies. • 2015 marks Corvette’s 59th year in international road racing. John Fitch and Walt Hansgen drove a Corvette to a Class B victory at the 12 Hours of Sebring in 1956, the first step onto the world stage that established Chevy’s sports car as a contender in top-level competition. • The Le Mans rulebook requires close adherence to production specifications, and the Corvette C7.R’s roots reach to the Corvette assembly plant in Bowling Green, Ky. The hydroformed aluminum frame is the same as found on the 2015 Corvette Z06, and road car and race car share a majority of elements of bodywork and aerodynamics. • Corvette Racing's C7.R race cars are powered by race-prepared 5.5-liter Chevrolet smallblock V-8 engines. Technology developed in racing inspired the production 6.2-liter/620-hp LT4 small-block V-8 that powers the production Corvette Z06. • The Chevrolet small-block V-8 is America's most popular and most successful production-based racing engine. Total production of Chevrolet small-block-based engines is over 100 million units. This engine has powered more winning race cars and won more championships than any other engine in American motorsports.
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New Corvette C7.R Shares Tech with 2015 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 • Co-developed with Z06, sharing chassis, engine technologies and aerodynamics strategy • Continues legacy of Corvette Racing, which includes 95 global victories and 10 manufacturer championships since 1999
DETROIT – Chevrolet continues to lead in the area of technology transfer with the introduction of the Corvette C7.R race car, which was co-developed with the all-new 2015 Corvette Z06. They represent the closest link in modern times between Corvettes built for racing and the road, sharing unprecedented levels of engineering and components including chassis architecture, engine technologies and aerodynamic strategies.
“When it comes to endurance racing, Corvette has been the benchmark of success for nearly 15 years,” said Jim Campbell, U.S. vice president, Performance Vehicles and Motorsports. “A great deal of the team’s success can be attributed to the symbiotic relationship between Corvette Racing and the production vehicles. The 2015 Corvette Z06 and new C7.R will be more competitive on the street and track due to successful design of the Corvette Stingray – which itself is heavily based on the C6.R race car.”
For the 2015 season and second year in a row, Corvette Racing fields two C7.R race cars in TUDOR United SportsCar Championship – the result of a merger of the American Le Mans Series and GRANDAM Rolex Sports Car Series. The C7.R will compete in the GT Le Mans class in 11 races around North America. Corvette Racing won four times in the debut season for the Corvette C7.R.
The team also will compete in June at the 24 Hours of Le Mans – a race Chevrolet and Corvette Racing have won seven times – in the GTE Pro class.
Since the team’s competitive debut in 1999 with the Corvette C5-R, Corvette Racing has earned unmatched success. The C5-R and C6.R led Chevrolet to 90 victories around the world and 10 manufacturer championships in the American Le Mans Series. In 2013, Corvette Racing won five races and swept the manufacturer, team and driver championships in the GT class for a second consecutive season. A key part of the team’s success is the technology transfer between Corvette production cars and race cars. “Corvette Racing sets the gold standard for technology transfer between the track and street,” said Tadge Juechter, Corvette chief engineer. “We are continually taking what we learn in competition, and applying it to improve production Corvettes – which then make better race cars. As a result, the new Corvette Z06 is the most track-capable production Corvette ever while the new C7.R is poised to be even more competitive on the race circuit.”
Many of the architectural and aerodynamic features of the C7.R are based on equivalent components and technologies from the 2015 Corvette Z06, including: New, aluminum frame
As before, the race car and the Z06 will share the same, production-based aluminum frame. However, for the first time, the frames for the race car and production Z06 will be built in-house at the Corvette’s Bowling Green, Ky., assembly plant.
By leveraging advanced manufacturing materials – such as laser welding, Flowdrill-machined fasteners and a GM-patented aluminum spot-welding process – the production structure is significantly stronger than its predecessor. For Corvette Racing, this equates to a race chassis for the C7.R that is 40 percent stronger than the outgoing C6.R. “In the first lap in the C7.R, the drivers felt the increase in chassis stiffness,” said Mark Kent, director of Racing for Chevrolet. “The drivers instantly noticed that the C7.R handling was better over changing surface features and rough track segments. This is important as our drivers don’t always stay on the smooth pavement, and are constantly driving over curbing at corner apexes.”
Direct-injected engine
The addition of direct fuel injection to the Corvette Z06 will enable the technology to return to a Corvette race car for the first time since the end of the GT1 era in 2009. It promises greater efficiency, which can make a significant difference in long-distance endurance racing such as Daytona and Le Mans through fewer time-consuming pit stops.
“Direct injection offers two advantages for the race team,” said Kent. “First, it offers drivers more precise throttle control, so that even the smallest changes in the driver’s throttle position delivers a proportional response from the engine. Second, direct injection typically improves fuel economy about 3 percent. That could be enough to bypass one fuel stop during a 24-hour race. Given that races are often won and lost in the pits, a 3 percent gain in fuel economy could translate to a significant advantage in track position.”
Aerodynamics
The aerodynamic strategies of the Corvette Stingray came directly from the Corvette C6.R – including the forward-tilted radiator, functional hood and front-quarter panel vents, and rear transmission and differential cooling intakes. The Z06 and C7.R take that aerodynamic foundation to the next level, sharing aggressive strategies for increased cooling and aerodynamic downforce, including similar front splitters, rocker panels, and frontand rear-brake cooling ducts.
“We worked concurrently with the race team developing the aerodynamic packages for the Z06 and the C7.R,” said Juechter. “We even used the same modeling software to test both cars, enabling us to share data and wind-tunnel test results. As a result, the aerodynamics of the production Z06 produce the most downforce of any production car GM has ever tested, and we are closing in on the aero performance of a dedicated race car.”
There are, of course, differences between the race car and production Corvette Z06. For example, the C7.R carries over the powertrain for the C6.R, as the GT rules limit the maximum displacement to 5.5L, and prohibit forced induction. By comparison, the new Z06 boasts a supercharged 6.2L engine estimated at 625 horsepower. Both engines, however, are based on the historic small block architecture. The suspension on the C7.R is modified to accommodate wider racing tires and larger brakes, again part of the GT regulations.
On the aerodynamic side, one major difference is the shift away from U.S. National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, or NACA, ducts on the C7.R. The C6.R used two NACA ducts, on top of the rear bodywork and near the position of the rear wheels, for cooling. For the new C7.R, there are now openings on each of the rear quarter panels, above the brake ducts, which will draw air to help cool the race car’s transaxle and differential.
Additionally, one of the primary results of the C7.R’s aero detail is making the rear wing a moresignificant part of the car’s aero package. A larger radiator inlet has the added benefit of generating smoother airflow over the rear wing and making its use more efficient to the handling and stability of the race car at high speed.
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