Motorsport is more than an adrenaline rush. The heat of competition forces evolution, and as a result, new technologies and innovations filter down to the street. There’s also the business side of things, with advertising opportunities for those sponsors that sticker the right car. But what happens when a car is so dominant the cameras turn elsewhere? For Corvette Racing in 2008, the answer may have been orders for a collision in pit lane.
Corvette Racing boss Doug Fehan
Back in 1999, Corvette Racing program manager Doug Fehan approached General Motors with a proposal to go road racing, seeking GM’s backing to put Corvette on track in full factory regalia. Although GM had provided support to various racing teams in the past, Fehan’s proposal was for a deeper, full factory-backed effort. The pitch emphasized how Corvette Racing could bring GM some much-needed press, not to mention an additional boost in sporting cred among the performance crowd. GM brass was reluctant at first, but after Corvette Racing’s successful podium finish at Daytona in 1999, GM signed on.
With GM providing full support, Fehan and the Corvette Racing team quickly racked up the wins, consistently placing at the front in highly competitive classes. In 2007, however, many of Corvette Racing’s competitors started to bail. By 2008, Aston Martin, Maserati, Saleen, and Ferrari had exited the American Le Mans Series (ALMS), leaving Corvette Racing as one of the last factory-backed teams still on track.
While the dwindling field essentially assured Corvette Racing’s win in the GT1 class, the press started to lose interest. After all, the Corvette Racing cars were more or less racing amongst themselves, while more exciting battles were happening elsewhere.
Naturally, GM brass weren’t happy. Sponsors weren’t getting the coverage they expected, and while the Corvette Racing team was finishing each event 1-2, the business side of things started to falter.
Fast forward to ALMS Round 6 at Mid Ohio in 2008. As the cameras focused elsewhere, the Corvette Racing cars both entered the pit lane at the same time, stopping nose to tail in adjacent boxes.
After refueling and swapping in fresh tires, both cars were released simultaneously. However, as the two Vettes headed down pit lane side-by-side, the drivers appeared to swerve into one another, rubbing doors and swapping paint just ahead of pit exit – and grabbing cameras in the process.
Both drivers exited pit lane during a red flag period, landing the Corvette Racing team a time penalty. However, the incident also netted the two Vettes extra TV coverage as onlookers watched to see if the racers would once again play destruction derby down pit lane.
As a consequence, Corvette Racing got a ton of replays and interviews, and although there’s no evidence that the pit lane collision was a result of team orders, one can’t help but wonder.
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Comments
I was there.
Back then they were racing each other for the win. The inter team competition was tight then and has been has been tight like this at several races over the years.
They may be a team but if the race is just between the two cars they are allowed to race.
We have even seen it it at Daytona in the past.
The key is they can race and no team orders but they both have to not hurt either car losing position one or two.
Cool story. I’ve never seen the business areas of the C6.R. Great pics.
Slow news day. Let’s see what kind of story you fabricate tomorrow.
You’re either uninformed or a troll.
There is a lot of truth to this story. If you were there when this took place, you would know that this is far from “fabrication”
Seems like you just want to crap on GMA for publishing something you aren’t familiar with.
Yeah, “Scott” is typically a downer. GMA even says this…
“Although there’s no evidence that the pit lane collision was a result of team orders, one can’t help but wonder.”
In essence, Scott’s comment is fake news.
Scott is typically a downer? This is quite possibly the first time I have ever posted on this site.
I don’t think you’re a downer but I do think that you can’t use that thing called a brain located between your ears.
Exhibit 1: the title…
“Did Corvette Racing Order A Pit Lane Collision For Press Coverage?”
See the question mark? It’s not a statement, it’s a question.
Exhibit 2: plain as day text..
“As a consequence, Corvette Racing got a ton of replays and interviews, and although there’s no evidence that the pit lane collision was a result of team orders, one can’t help but wonder.”
It’s as clear as day. GMA is shedding light on the situation.
GMA did not say that they set it up… they did not confirm or provide proof. They simply provided a recap of the scenario and asked whether or not it was staged.
There is more doubt here than proof.
Read, think, then comment. In that order.
Don’t jump down GMA’s throat or accuse the author (who did a perfectly good job defining what’s taking place) of something he is not guilty of. That is all.
You are correct I was not there. I watched it on TV which means I saw it multiple times. If my comment was mistaken as a knock against Corvette Racing then I apologize for my wording.
I guess what I was getting at was after all these years why is this ‘opinion’ by the author being brought up now?
PS I am a 10 time Corvette owner. C8 on order. Definitely not a troll.
Have proof? Maybe an interview with somebody/anybody involved in the racing that day? It can’t be that hard to present researched results that prove or disprove an idea brought forth in such a weighted article that pulls the pin on an accusation grenade.
@Scott
Another diehard GM guy here: Current ’11 Camaro SS, ’17 C7 GS, ’17 Cruze RS & ’19 Terrain Denali owner.
Just a tip: You’ll typically get jumped on here if you do not swing from GM’s testicles 24/7. Many of the people on GMA are incapable of civil conversation unless you agree with every one of GM’s decisions lock, stock and barrel. You’ll know for next time. 😉
P.S. I could not see GM potentially damaging the Corvettes over something so foolish. To each their own. It is all speculation.
Thanks. I kinda figured that out.
Scott many of these names are not regular posters here. We do get our share of trolls here as well some regulars that lets say are not packing as full deck. You have a very valid point and I fully agree 2008 needs it’s story back with proof.
Pss Since proof of content does not matter here. Lets create some of our own news.
I heard Doug Fehan also shot Kennedy from the grassy Knoll too.
Well he could of as he is old enough. Can he account for where he was that day?
No it is not likely but as some here say “At the very least, it is a possibility.” LOL!
People like Scott and C8.R apparently don’t know how to read.
The article never stated that this is what took place, but merely asked the question of possibility. Learn to read and calm down folks.
We can read and understand the what if.
But what value is the what if on something that happened nearly 13 years ago that likely never happened.
We just see a story like this as a waste of time and space when they could be providing real news and real information.
This is not Zora’s story time with the story of the two little Corvettes who crashed on pit road,
Sorry if you can not tolerate others having opinions of their own.
Actually this kind of article is what starts so many falsehoods getting spread around on the web as people do not intend it to be real news but many take it as real news. Then you end up with more false information getting passed around.
What is the value? I found plenty of value in this article, and not critical one either.
I never understand people like you… if something isn’t interesting to you, you can simply skip right over it. But you can’t just do that can you? You feel like you have to comment and try to force your opinion on everyone right?
For my part I found this very interesting. There are no falsehoods… just a question that’s worthy of exploring. Not everything is black or white.
“I could not see GM potentially damaging the Corvettes over something so foolish. To each their own. It is all speculation.”
But that’s the whole point, isn’t it?
They could have staged this to the point that they wouldn’t damage the cars, but run into each other in a calculated manner to draw attention. At the very least, it is a possibility.
Don I was there and was well acquainted with the team and the series.
If you have proof put up or shut up.
The team was not going to risk one or two DNFs just for fake publicity.
If they were going to fake it they it they would have rubbed coming to the flag out of the Carousel onto the front straight. That where the media would really have reported something.
As it was not much was said or reported as ALMS and a two car class was not reported on much even if the hit each other.
Team Corvette has never had team rules. They were always permitted to race each other as long as they don’t crash each other or cost the other car a position to another team.
Strong accusation. Hope there is solid proof to suggest something like this.
This I totally agree with.
Either you two fruits don’t know how to read or you don’t get it.
Like others have pointed out GMA is not presenting this as fact. They are stating that this is a possibility.
Please provide proof that this WAS NOT the case.
Until solid proof can be provided that this was not the case, there is more than enough here to wonder if the rubbing between the two Corvette cars was staged. End of story.
Wtf, how about when they used ducks to fly the cars around the track when the other teams weren’t looking.
Accusations. I agree on the slow news day opinion. To the writer of the article, Careful to not turn this into a Facebook pissing match.
Another tool with no reading skills.
I read the article and did not see any accusation. All I saw was an interesting take on a historic event.
An accusation would not have a question mark in the headline and it would not say things like this… ‘As a consequence, Corvette Racing got a ton of replays and interviews, and although there’s no evidence that the pit lane collision was a result of team orders, one can’t help but wonder.’
You and Scott both need to learn to read. Time for you both to follow in Billy Madison’s footsteps.
LooK fellas We need to cut the writer a break. I look at a few other car websites,like Automobile,Motor Trend
Those other websites don’t have nearly as many new articles each day. GMA tries to give Us new interesting articles all the time. Its kind of a catch 22 for the writer, he’s damned if He does and damned if he doesn’t.
I feel like we need to cut the writers here some slack and give them credit for giving US new things to read each day.
This not a “fabrication” , this is a news story about Corvette racing and this is a news website relating to GM and GM brands like Chevy, way too many conspiracy theorist in world today, nobody is out to deceive the Corvette racing World here, give them credit they tracked down a 15 year old video about Corvette racing for us to look at.
Man, the comments on this website are ridiculous sometimes
I googled definition of news.
Newly received or noteworthy information, especially about recent or important events.
I don’t think this story qualifies.
You don’t think it qualifies and yet here You are ………………
Some people may find this interesting and like I said
GMA isn’t getting enough credit for trying to give us something new to read each day
After all You are here posting a comment, that is my point,
IT GOT YOU, TO USE YOUR KEYBOARD, so it worked
read my post its about giving GMA credit not arguing whether or not this is “news”
The writer simply found a video about Corvette racing and wanted to share it with US, wrote a little article(clickbaiting the title) what part of this don’t You get????
You even google searched the word “news” because you feel this isn’t, but that did not matter, you clicked on the bait
Hey Scott… do you notice you’re the only one complaining?
Is this news? Who cares? It’s an interesting take on something that happened years ago and it makes you wonder what was really going on.
Without proof, no one is right or wrong. But I will tell you one thing: the very situation GMA wrote about often comes up among Corvette fans as a topic of discussion. Did they stage it? Did they not stage it? Nobody knows. But there is enough here to make one wonder.
Tom and Brian are the only ones here with some common sense and critical thinking skills.
Asked on all the comments attacking Scott and so few addressing the story.
The story must not be all that great.
This would have played much better in 2008 when the team manager was still with the ream and the car was not two gens behind us.
I was there I saw what happened and nothing stood out as being rigged. You had two teams wanting to race and so they did.
This race was just prior to LeMans so they were doing more testing and preparing to go overseas.
The real problem would have been if they took out both cars with a DNF. That would have really looked foolish in the news.
To their credit the team has always let them race each other. Just don’t lose any positions to other teams. This is how they win championships even in off years they are struggling with old cars and BOP.
You have to finish to win.
The story is fine. We’re are all here because of the story. You’re just getting things twisted: we’re attacking those of you who want to influence GMA to limit and prevent such interesting stories from being written.
I’ve said it before and I’ve said it again: if you don’t want to read something, skip on over it. Is anyone forcing you to read what you don’t want?
You have to finish to win you say. Yes absolutely. Both of the cars did some rubbing and finished to win. Could it have been staged and planned? Absolutely. You have no proof that it did or that it didn’t happen and neither do I. No one will ever know.