2013 marks the 15th year that Corvette Racing has been competing in international road racing. Currently, the team fields two cars, known as C6.Rs, in the GT Class of the American Le Mans Series (ALMS).
Program Overview
Principal
- Gary Pratt, James Miller
Address
- 29600 William K. Smith Drive
New Hudson Michigan 48165
United States
Car
- Corvette C6.R
Class
- GT
Team Members
- Team Manager: Gary Pratt
- Program Manager: Doug Fehan
- Engineering Director: Doug Louth
- Crew Chiefs: Dan Binks, Brian Hoye
Program Highlights
- Most successful team in the history of the American Le Mans Series
- Winner of eight team and manufacturer GT1 championships, Corvette Racing owns a record 73 ALMS class wins, 50 1-2 team finishes and swept all 23 rounds in 2007 and 2008 seasons
- 2009 included a partial season run in GT1 before transitioning – after sixth GT1 title at Le Mans – into the highly-competitive GT2 class
- Claimed one victory (Mosport) and podium finishes in all five races during its developmental GT2 program with Pratt & Miller Corvette C6.R based on ZR1 production model (see The Cars, below)
- Won season-ending Petit Le Mans in 2010 with pass for lead on last lap
- Claimed seventh class win in GTE Pro at Le Mans in 2011, and scored win at Mosport
- Finished second in team and driver championships in 2011
- Two-car factory effort continued campaigning on cellulosic E85 in 2012 with GM 5.5-liter small-block V8 engine
- 20-year-old Jordan Taylor joins Jan Magnussen and Antonio Garcia in No. 3 Corvette C6.R in 2012
- Working in conjunction with GM Racing engineers, Pratt & Miller Engineering is responsible for construction, testing, development and trackside support for Corvette Racing
The Cars
Since the C6.R is based on the Corvette ZR1 supercar, it has an immediate, direct, and strong connection to the production version of the American performance icon that is the Chevrolet Corvette. Since the rules of the GT class require that the car use many production-based components, the opportunity for the two-way transfer of technology between the race track and the production Corvette is vast.
For starters, the C6.R utilizes the body design, aerodynamic package, aluminum frame, chassis structure, steering system, and windshield of the C6.R, among other components. Corvette Racing has further equipped the Vettes with the safety and performance equipment that allows them to participate in endurance racing, as permitted by the rulebook.
Compared to the ZR1, modifications include (but are not limited to):
- Modified LS7 V8 small block engine displacing 5.5 liters and making 491 horsepower (@ 5800 rpm) and 604 lb.-ft. of torque (@ 4800 rpm) with CNC ported aluminum heads
- Xtrac 6-speed sequential transaxle transmission
- Wider and lower body measuring 2047mm / 80.6 inches in width and 1166 mm / 45.9 inches in height
- Smaller wheels 18 x 12.5 (front) and 18 x 13 (rear)
- Special Michelin racing tires measuring 30/68-18 (front) and 31/71-18 (rear)
- Increased fuel capacity of 90 liters / 23.77 gallons running on E10, and 110 liters / 29 gallons running on E85
- Special rearview camera that relays the distance of approaching vehicles, even in the blind spots, and works in the rain, and in the dark
In addition, the all-new 2014 Corvette C7 will make its way to Corvette Racing for the 2014 racing season.
Corvette Racing C6.R Specifications (GT Class)
| Measurement | 2012 Corvette ZR1 | 2012 Corvette C6.R |
|---|---|---|
| Displacement (L / ci): | 6.2 / 376 | 5.5 / 336 |
| Horsepower: | 638 @ 6500 rpm | 491 @ 5800 rpm |
| Torque (lb-ft): | 604 @ 3800 rpm | 485 @ 4800 rpm |
| Bore diameter (mm / in): | 103.25 / 4.06 | 103.89 / 4.090 |
| Crankshaft stroke (mm / in): | 92 / 3.62 | 80.90 / 3.185 |
| "V" angle (deg): | 90 | 90 |
| Cylinder bore spacing | 111.7 / 4.40 | 111.7 / 4.40 |
| (mm / ci): | ||
| Valvetrain: | pushrod with overhead valves, titanium inlet | pushrod with overhead valves, titanium inlet and exhaust |
| Valves per cylinder: | 2 | 2 |
| Camshaft drive: | chain | chain |
| Cylinder case material: | aluminum | aluminum |
| Cylinder liners: | dry iron | aluminum |
| Cylinder head material: | aluminum | aluminum, CNC ported |
| Lubrication system: | dry sump | dry sump |
| Fuel system: | sequential EFI | sequential EFI |
| Throttle system: | supercharged w/intercooler, throttle body | individual runner, two 29.2mm intake air restrictors (series mandated) |
| Fuel: | premium unleaded gasoline required | E85R ethanol (ALMS) |
| E10 (Le Mans) | ||
| Body style: | two-door hatchback coupe | two-door hatchback coupe |
| Drivetrain: | longitudinal front engine, rear-wheel drive | longitudinal front engine, rear-wheel drive |
| Transmission: | Tremec TR6060 6-speed manual transaxle | Xtrac 6-speed sequential transaxle |
| Chassis: | hydroformed aluminum chassis, composite body | hydroformed aluminum chassis, composite body |
| Wheelbase (mm / in): | 2685 / 105.7 | 2685 / 105.7 |
| Length (mm / in): | 4476 / 176.2 | 4476 / 176.2 |
| Width (mm / in): | 1929 / 75.9 | 2047 / 80.6 |
| Height (mm / in): | 1236 / 48.7 | 1166 / 45.9 |
| Weight (kg / lb): | 1521 / 3353 | 1245 / 2745 |
| Front suspension: | independent, short/long arm double wishbone, cast aluminum controls, transverse-mounted composite leaf spring, monotube shock absorbers, anti-roll bar | independent, short/long double wishbone, fabricated steel upper & lower, machined aluminum knuckle, coil-over multi-adjustable shock absorbers, anti-roll bar |
| Rear suspension: | independent, short/long arm double wishbone, cast aluminum control arms, transverse-mounted composite leaf spring, monotube shock absorbers; anti-roll bar | independent, short/long arm double wishbone, steel fabricated upper & lower control arms, machined aluminum knuckle, coil-over multi-adjustable shock absorbers, anti-roll bar |
| Brakes: | front and rear power-assisted carbon-ceramic disc with 6-piston front and 4-piston rear calipers, cross-drilled rotors, ABS | 4-wheel disc with monoblock calipers, steel rotors and ceramic composite pads |
| Wheels (in): | 19 x 10 (front); 20 x 12 (rear) | 18 x 12.5 (front); 18 x 13 (rear) |
| Tires: | Michelin Pilot Sport 2, | Michelin racing tires, |
| P285/30ZR19 (front), | 30/68-18 (front), | |
| P335/25ZR20 (rear) | 31/71-18 (rear) | |
| Fuel capacity (L / gal): | 68.1 / 18 | 90 / 23.77 (E10) |
| 110 / 29 (E85) |
Racing Schedules
History
In 1911, race car driver Louis Chevrolet and financier William Durant founded Chevrolet, and the reputation won by Chevrolet in racing was key in building the new automaker. In 2012, Chevrolet celebrated its 60th year of Corvette production — and Corvette Racing carries on the racing tradition started over a century ago.
Today, Corvette Racing is carrying on the tradition set out by Chevrolet. The team runs in the GT class of the American Le Mans Series — the premier production-based category with twin Compuware Corvette C6.R race cars competing against showroom rivals from Ferrari, Porsche, BMW, Aston Martin, and Lotus.
The two-car team made its debut in February of 1999 in the Daytona 24-hour race and finished third and 12th. Since then, Corvette Racing has become one of the world’s most most successful and recognized production sports car teams, winning:
Eight consecutive ALMS GT1 manufacturers and team championships
Seven straight ALMS GT1 drivers’ titles
81 of the 130 races it contested through the 2011 season
Centerpiece accomplishments include:
- 54 one-two finishes
- 7 class victories in the 24 Hours of Le Mans
- 7 class wins in the Sebring 12-hour enduro
- 8 class titles in the 1,000-mile/10-hour Petit Le Mans
- An overall victory in the 2001 Daytona 24-hour race
With the C6.R, the Corvette Racing program is continuing the tradition of racing production-based vehicles to “improve the breed”, according to Chevrolet. This is all thanks to the fact that General Motors, Chevrolet, and Corvette Racing recognize the vital importance of the exchange of information and the constant transfer of technology between the racing and production programs (unofficially known as track-to-street) that ensure that lessons learned on the track benefit every Corvette on the highway. This commitment has, in part, turned the Corvette into the world-recognized supercar it is today.
