For 2013, General Motors unveiled their seventh generation Corvette along with the announcement of the development for a Corvette Racing successor. Corvette Racing was coming off a two year straight, championship sweep with the C6.R. The end of the 2013 season would be a farewell for Corvette Racing to the C6.R and the American Le Mans Series. Within the ALMS, Corvette Racing had started 135 races, winning 82 of them whilst accomplishing nine drivers titles and 10 manufacturers titles. These results made Corvette Racing the most successful GT racing team in ALMS history. The American Le Mans Series parent company, Panoz Motorsports, sold the series to NASCAR Holdings, Inc in 2012 with the 2014 season set to being the first year under the ownership. The ALMS had operated under the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) sanctioning body that had adopted the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile regulations. NASCAR Holdings, Inc was running the Grand-Am Road Racing sanctioning body of the Rolex Sports Car Series. On September 5th, 2012 NASCAR Holdings, Inc made a public announcement about the merger between IMSA and the Grand-Am series to form a new elite level of US based sports car racing. With a major sponsor signed, NASCAR Holdings, Inc formed the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship (TUSCC) set for an inaugural season in 2014.
The merger of the two series placed the three major US sports car racing endurance events of the Rolex 24 at Daytona, the Twelve Hours of Sebring and the Petit Le Mans all within one championship. The merger would also adapt the four groups of race cars with the Daytona Prototypes (DP) class taking over from LMP1 as the top class. LMP2 would remain as the second prototype class, Grand Touring Le Mans (GTLM) became the renamed previous GT class and Grand Touring Daytona (GTD) became the fourth and final class. The GTD class was made up of GT3 specification cars, whilst the GTLM class would adopt the Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO) regulations of the GTE Pro class for the 24 Hours of Le Mans and FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC). These regulations created a small performance difference between the GTLM and GTD cars in favor of the GTLM class that produced the faster lap times.
The Rolex 24 at Daytona replaced the Twelve Hours of Sebring as the first race of the year, moving the season start month from March to January. The Rolex 24 at Daytona required all cars competing to take part in the ‘Roar Before the 24’ three day test session set between January 3rd-5th, 2014. The race was set for January 25th-26th, 2014, creating less time for Pratt & Miller to develop the new C7.R race car in preparation for its race debut. Pratt & Miller started testing their new C7.R in late 2013. The C7.R was built in conjunction with the Corvette C7 Z06 with both set to be unveiled at the North American International Auto show in Detroit on January 13th, 2014. This created a problem for Pratt & Miller in regards to having two C7.Rs ready to run in Florida at the ‘Roar Before the 24’, a C7.R in Detroit for the unveiling and two C7.Rs back in Florida for the race weekend at the end of the month. The solution was Pratt & miller built three C7.R chassis for 2014 with chassis C7RGT-002 assigned as the #4 car and chassis C7RGT-003 as the #3 car, both set to be used in competition for the season. This kept chassis C7RGT-001 available to be used as the unveil car and remain as a spare car for the rest of the year.
The C7.R was built to become the race-going equivalent of the C7 Z06. At the time, the C7 Z06 would be the most track-capable Corvette that created the closest link in modern times between a Corvette race car and production car. The C7 Z06 and C7.R would share engineering and components including chassis architecture, engine technology and aerodynamic strategies. Jim Campbell – US Vice President of Performance Vehicles and Motorsports mentioned how a lot of the success of the Corvette production car team came from a symbiotic relationship with Corvette Racing. The C7 Z06 and C7.R would be more competitive on the street and race track due to the development of the Corvette C7 Stingray that was heavily based on the C6.R race car.
Both the C7 Z06 and the C7.R used the same aluminum chassis, that for the first time, were both built in-house at the Corvette Bowling Green, KY, assembly plant. Thanks to advancements in manufacturing materials, the C7.R and C7 Z06 benefitted from a new production fabrication process. A GM-patented aluminum spot-welding process with flowdrill-machined fasteners and laser welding created a chassis that was 40% stronger than the previous generation Corvette. For Pratt & Miller this translated into a race car that produced higher levels of mechanical grip. Throughout initial testing of the C7.R, the drivers immediately reported their appreciation of the stiffer chassis. Due to lower chassis flex during corner transitioning, the C7.R maintained better contact of all four tires with the track. With a diverse style of circuits on the Corvette Racing calendar such as the high banks of Daytona, the aggressive bumps of Sebring and the streets of Long Beach, the new frame created more predictable handling and attitude over rough track segments and changing surfaces. The feedback from Jan Magnussen was the C7.R was a little easier to drive than the C6.R due to the new car moving around less with the stiffer chassis communicating better with the driver.
Pratt & Miller carried over the in-house built LS5.5-R small block V8 that had been used in the C6.R from 2010. The decision was made to use the same engine in the C7.R due to the reliability and data acquired along with it best meeting the FIA regulation constraints. The FIA required GTE Pro teams to use an engine within specific parameters to a production engine built by that manufacturer. The LS5.5-R was based on the LS7 that was found in the Corvette C6 Z06 and the Camaro Z28. The LS5.5-R was renamed to the LT5.5 to match the new GM LT series V8s that introduced direct-injection that highly benefiting Corvette Racing. The LS7.R motor of the C6.R used direct-injection in the GT1 class, but after Corvette Racing transitioned to the GT2/GT class they were no longer permitted to use direct-injection. The GT2/GT class that later became the GTE Pro/GTLM class, required engines to meet even further production based specifications. Due to the LS7 along with the other LS series V8s using port fuel-injection, the LS5.5-R required the same style of fuel delivery. This restriction was partly what influenced GM to introduce direct-injection to the LT series as it produced better efficiency for the race motor that equated to a three percent improvement in fuel economy. Due to direct-injection the LT5.5 saw a bump in power output, resulting in the FIA altering the air restrictors to 29.1 mm. With the air restrictors in place the LT5.5 produced roughly 493hp @ 6,900 rpm and 479 lb-ft @ 4,800 rpm. These air restrictors were fitted and sealed by race officials for the Balance of Performance (BoP). The air restrictors could change in diameter depending on how well or poor a car was performing in comparison to the competition.
The biggest revision made to the C7.R over the previously used C6.R was within the aerodynamic department. Pratt & Miller worked with GM to develop the aerodynamic packages for both the C7 Z06 and C7.R. The same modeling software was used to test both cars and data was shared including wind-tunnel test results. The base model Corvette C7 Stingray took inspiration from the aerodynamic stargaties of the Corvette C6.R, such as the hood vent that worked coherently with the forward-tilted radiator. The main goal for Pratt & Miller with the C7.R was to improve downforce whilst reducing the drag. Because the FIA regulations limited the size, height and location of the aero package, Pratt & Miller had to capitalize on the aerodynamics of the C7 body whilst integrating smart engineering. Pratt & Miller equipped the C7.R with a larger front splitter, which replicated the front splitter of the C7 Z06s when equipped with the Z07 Performance Package. Pratt & Miller found solutions to accomplish their aerodynamic goals for the C7.R by producing cleaner air flow to the rear wing. This was created by opening the radiator inlet that provided better cooling to the LT5.5 whilst producing cleaner airflow to the rear wing. Further aerodynamic changes made to the rear cooling improved the effectiveness of the rear wing by relocating the openings. The C6.R utilized NACA ducts located at the top of rear body work. For the C7.R, Pratt & Miller removed the NACA ducts in favor of lower quarter panel vents. The vents provided air flow to the rear brakes whilst also creating additional cooling to the rear transaxle.
The TUDOR United SportsCar Championship featured circuits that Corvette Racing had very little data on. Corvette Racing last competed at Daytona in 2001 when they won overall with the C5-R. Watkins Glen and Indianapolis posed further challenges for the team as they had never raced there. With a completely unproven car along with new tracks to learn, Corvette Racing had a big year ahead of them. The C7.R certainly had big shoes to fill as the successor to the C6.R, but immediately the C7.R showed impressive pace at the first race of the year at Daytona. Unfortunately both C7.Rs suffered problems throughout the race with the #4 car whilst running second in class, suffered transmission issues that resulted in a fifth place finish. The #3 car was running well until it was forced to retire due to engine cooling issues. At the Twelve Hours of Sebring, the two C7.Rs were victims of bad luck with the #4 car leading the GTLM class on multiple occasions until two spins and engine issues resulted in finishing sixth in class. The #3 car collided with the BMW, creating front end bodywork damage and later requiring a fuel pump replacement that dropped it down the order to finish eighth. Pratt & Miller were able to learn from the issues by the third round of the season at Long Beach, which produced a podium for both cars. The #3 car driven by Antonio Garcia and Jan Magnussen lead all but one lap in the GTLM class to achieve the first win for the C7.R and Corvette Racing in the TUSCC. The #4 car of Oliver Gavin and Tommy Milner took third in class after an impressive race. The momentum would be carried into the third round of the season at Laguna Seca with the #3 C7.R holding off the BMW to take their second victory of the season. The #4 car was over working the rear tires that resulted in a fifth place finish.
Corvette Racing would travel next to France to compete in the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans. This would be the second 24 hour race for the C7.R and its debut in Europe. Le Mans is known as the crown jewel of endurance racing so Corvette Racing go there with only winning in mind. The #3 C7.R that used #73 for Le Mans took the lead early in the race to pull a 30 second gap over second place. However, the #73 car lost nearly two laps with a valve stem issue that allowed the car to be raised on its air jacks. The issue would persist to cause problems, however the #73 car was able to fight its way up the order to finish second in class. The #74 C7.R was able to hunt down the class leading Aston Martin at the halfway point of the race but would also suffer reliability issues. The alternator belt started slipping due to an oil leak from the transmission that resulted in the #74 car losing eight laps in the garage for repairs. The #74 C7.R finished fourth in class despite the time lost, proving the capabilities of Corvette Racing and their C7.R.
Upon returning to the USA, Corvette Racing faced another challenge with their first time visiting Watkins Glen for the seventh round of the TUSCC. Despite the lack of knowledge of the track, the C7.R was able to extend the winning streak. The #3 car won the six hour race after leading 154 out of 185 laps completed by the GTLM class. The #4 car ran a great race, however a penalty by the race officials for contact with another car resulted in Oliver Gavin and Tommy Milner taking fourth in class.
Round eight took place in Canada at the fast flowing Mosport circuit. Corvette Racing had a lot of previous success at Mosport and were able to back up the history by collecting their fourth straight win with the C7.R. After a long battle with the Viper of SRT Motorsports, Jan Magnussen and Antonio Garcia driving the #3 C7.R achieved the top step of the podium in the GTLM class. The #4 car of Gavin and Milner struggled throughout the race and finish seventh in class.
Garcia and Magnussen along with Corvette Racing were leading both title fights within GTLM class of the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship. Unfortunately Mosport would be the final victory and podium for the C7.R in 2014. Five more rounds remained in the season with the next race at Indianapolis. Corvette Racing had never competed at Indianapolis before, which resulted in the #3 C7.R taking fourth in class with the #4 car right behind in fifth. Round nine of the 2014 TUSCC season took the team over to Road America near Elkhart lake. Both of the C7.Rs struggled throughout the race to keep with the pace of the class leading Ferrari of Risi Competizione, resulting in the #3 car taking sixth in class with the #4 finishing in seventh.
In August Corvette Racing headed to Virginia International Raceway for round 11 of the TUSCC season. This would be the third time the team had competed at VIR, with the previous two turnouts resulting in a win and a podium. After a tough result at Indianapolis, Garcia and Magnussen were looking to get back on the podium to protect the championship lead. The #3 really struggled to keep pace and finished seventh. The #4 C7.R was the stronger of the two Corvettes but was forced off track mid-race, dropping them four laps behind to finish ninth. Despite the disappointing weekend, the title lead was still retained but the gap had been closed.
The twelfth round of the TUSCC took place at the Circuit Of The Americas in Austin, Texas. Corvette Racing visited COTA for the first time the previous year that resulted in Garcia and Magnussen coming away with a win. Race day was on September 20th, 2014 with COTA hosting two major sports car events on the same day. The FIA World Endurance Championship was running a six hour race earlier in the day with the two hour and 45 minute TUSCC race starting afterwards. With a majority of the GTLM teams being eligible for the GTE Pro class, Corvette Racing decided to enter a C7.R into the WEC race. With the risk of damage or failure in either race, Corvette Racing decided to enter chassis C7RGT-001 into the WEC race, leaving chassis C7RGT-002 and C7RGT-003 available to compete in the TUSCC race. Tommy Milner along with the brothers of Jordan and Ricky Taylor drove C7RGT-001 wearing the #65 and a Michelin/Konica Minolta livery. This would be the debut race for chassis C7RGT-001, which finished seventh in the GTE Pro class. For the TUSCC race, Garcia and Magnussen held only a six point lead ahead of Jonathan Bomarito and Kuno Wittmer in the GTLM drivers championship. Pratt & Miller struggled to get the C7.R dialed in to the circuit, which resulted in the #3 car finishing ninth ahead of the #4 in tenth. This dropped Garcia and Magnussen to second in the drivers standings leading to an exciting finale at Road Atlanta.
The final round of the season would be the 10 hour Petit Le Mans endurance race. A decision to change chassis for the #4 car was made prior to the race weekend. With Tommy Milner running both chassis C7RGT-001 and C7RGT-002 on the same day at the last race, he prefered the softer chassis of C7RGT-001. Corvette Racing took on the feedback from Milner therefore C7RGT-001 replaced C7RGT-002 for the season finale. The decision proved to be the right one as Oliver Gavin and Tommy Milner displayed one of their best performances of the year after starting in ninth to finish fourth in class. The #3 car was able to take the GTLM lead looking to create the storybook ending, however late in the race the #3 was involved in a pile up at the end of pit road. The left front bodywork was badly damaged, which cost the team four laps to repair. The #3 C7.R would finish eighth in class, which handed Jonathan Bomarito and Kuno Wittmer of SRT Motorsports the GTLM drivers championship.
The debut season for the C7.R was heartbreaking yet impressive. Corvette Racing finished third in the manufacturers standings and the duo of Antonio Garcia and Jan Magnussen finished as runner-ups in the GTLM drivers standings. With four back to back wins and a total of six podiums in its inaugural year, the C7.R certainly displayed its outright pace. The season provided Pratt & Miller plenty of data and driver feedback to prepare for a better year in 2015.
2014 Corvette Racing Schedule & Results
Race | Race Date | Race Distance (time) | Track | Car Number | Class Position | Overall Position | Start Position | Drivers | Laps Completed | Fastest Lap | Series | Class |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
52nd Annual Rolex 24 at Daytona | January 25 – 26 2014 | 24 Hours | Daytona International Speedway | 4 | 5 | 16 | 4 | Oliver Gavin / Tommy Milner / Robin Liddell | 666 | 1:45.401 | TUSCC | GTLM |
52nd Annual Rolex 24 at Daytona | January 25 – 26 2014 | 24 Hours | Daytona International Speedway | 3 | DNF, Cooling issue | DNF, Cooling issue | 11 | Antonio Garcia / Jan Magnussen / Ryan Briscoe | 329 | 1:45.676 | TUSCC | GTLM |
62nd Annual Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring Fueled by Fresh From Florida | March 15 2014 | 12 Hours | Sebring International Raceway | 4 | 6 | 17 | 4 | Oliver Gavin / Tommy Milner / Robin Liddell | 285 | 1:59.521 | TUSCC | GTLM |
62nd Annual Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring Fueled by Fresh From Florida | March 15 2014 | 12 Hours | Sebring International Raceway | 3 | 8 | 19 | 5 | Antonio Garcia / Jan Magnussen / Ryan Briscoe | 283 | 1:59.952 | TUSCC | GTLM |
Tequila Patrón Sports Car Showcase at Long Beach | April 12 2014 | 100 Minutes | Long Beach Street Circuit | 3 | 1 | 8 | 1 | Antonio Garcia / Jan Magnussen | 75 | 1:19.297 | TUSCC | GTLM |
Tequila Patrón Sports Car Showcase at Long Beach | April 12 2014 | 100 Minutes | Long Beach Street Circuit | 4 | 3 | 10 | 4 | Oliver Gavin / Tommy Milner | 75 | 1:18.954 | TUSCC | GTLM |
Continental Tire Monterey Grand Prix Powered By Mazda | May 3 2014 | 2 Hours | Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca | 3 | 1 | 8 | 1 | Antonio Garcia / Jan Magnussen | 84 | 1:24.055 | TUSCC | GTLM |
Continental Tire Monterey Grand Prix Powered By Mazda | May 3 2014 | 2 Hours | Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca | 4 | 5 | 12 | 4 | Oliver Gavin / tommy Milner | 84 | 1:23.781 | TUSCC | GTLM |
82nd Edition des 24 Heures du Mans | June 14 – 15 2014 | 24 Hours | Circuit de la Sarthe | 63 | 2 | 16 | 2 | Antonio Garcia / Jan Magnussen / Jordan Taylor | 338 | 3:53.869 | ACO | GTE Pro |
82nd Edition des 24 Heures du Mans | Junme 14 – 15 2014 | 24 Hours | Circuit de la Sarthe | 64 | 4 | 20 | 4 | Oliver Gavin / Tommy Milner / Richard Westbrook | 333 | 3:54.652 | ACO | GTE Pro |
Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen | June 29 2014 | 6 Hours | Watkins Glen International | 3 | 1 | 11 | 2 | Antonio Garcia / Jan Magnussen | 185 | 1:45.364 | TUSCC | GTLM |
Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen | June 29 2014 | 6 Hours | Watkins Glen International | 4 | 4 | 14 | 7 | Oliver Gavin / Tommy Milner | 185 | 1:45.410 | TUSCC | GTLM |
Mobil 1 SportsCar Grand Prix Presented by Hawk Performance | July 13 2014 | 2 Hours 45 Minutes | Canadian Tire Motorsport Park | 3 | 1 | 6 | 2 | Antonio Garcia / Jan Magnussen | 127 | 1:16.591 | TUSCC | GTLM |
Mobil 1 SportsCar Grand Prix Presented by Hawk Performance | July 13 2014 | 2 Hours 45 Minutes | Canadian Tire Motorsport Park | 4 | 7 | 13 | 4 | Oliver Gavin / Tommy Milner | 126 | 1:16.760 | TUSCC | GTLM |
Brickyard Grand Prix | July 25 2014 | 2 Hours 45 Minutes | Indianapolis Motor Speedway | 3 | 4 | 18 | 6 | Antonio Garcia / Jan Magnussen | 105 | 1:23.760 | TUSCC | GTLM |
Brickyard Grand Prix | July 25 2014 | 2 Hours 45 Minutes | Indianapolis Motor Speedway | 4 | 5 | 19 | 10 | Oliver Gavin / Tommy Milner | 105 | 1:23.337 | TUSCC | GTLM |
Continental Tire Road Race Showcase Road America | August 10 2014 | 2 Hours 45 Minutes | Road America, Elkhart Lake | 3 | 6 | 21 | 8 | Antonio Garcia / Jan Magnussen | 61 | 2:06.005 | TUSCC | GTLM |
Continental Tire Road Race Showcase Road America | August 10 2014 | 2 Hours 45 Minutes | Road America, Elkhart Lake | 4 | 7 | 22 | 6 | Oliver Gavin / Tommy Milner | 61 | 2:05.968 | TUSCC | GTLM |
Oak Tree Grand Prix at VIR | August 24 2014 | 2 Hours 45 Minutes | Virginia Interntional Raceway | 3 | 7 | 7 | 6 | Antonio Garcia / Jan Magnussen | 82 | 1:44.873 | TUSCC | GTLM |
Oak Tree Grand Prix at VIR | August 24 2014 | 2 Hours 45 Minutes | Virginia Interntional Raceway | 4 | 9 | 23 | 9 | Oliver Gavin / Tommy Milner | 78 | 1:44.933 | TUSCC | GTLM |
6 Hours of Circuit of the Americas | September 20 2014 | 6 Hours | Circuit Of The Americas, Austin | 65 | 7 | 24 | 7 | Tommy Milner / Jordan Taylor / Ricky Taylor | 135 | 2:06.446 | FIA WEC | GTE Pro |
Lone Star Le Mans at Circuit of the Americas | September 20 2014 | 2 Hours 45 Minutes | Circuit Of The Americas, Austin | 3 | 9 | 21 | 7 | Antonio Garcia / Jan Magnussen | 75 | 2:06.068 | TUSCC | GTLM |
Lone Star Le Mans at Circuit of the Americas | September 20 2014 | 2 Hours 45 Minutes | Circuit Of The Americas, Austin | 4 | 10 | 22 | 9 | Oliver Gavin / Tommy Milner | 75 | 2:05.956 | TUSCC | GTLM |
Petit Le Mans Powered by Mazda | October 4 2014 | 10 Hours | Road Atlanta | 4 | 4 | 12 | 9 | Oliver Gavin / Tommy Milner / Robin Liddell | 391 | 1:18.985 | TUSCC | GTLM |
Petit Le Mans Powered by Mazda | October 4 2014 | 10 Hours | Road Atlanta | 3 | 8 | 17 | 6 | Antonio Garcia / Jan Magnussen / Ryan Briscoe | 388 | 1:19.008 | TUSCC | GTLM |
#3 Chevrolet Corvette C7.R Drivers 2014 (#73 used for Le Mans)
Antonio Garcia
Antonio Garcia took over full time driving duties with Corvette Racing in 2012 after replacing Olivier Berretta. In his first full season with the team he helped Corvette Racing accomplish five class podium finishes, which played a major part in handing Corvette Racing their ninth ALMS Manufactures Championship.
Garcia entered his third year in 2014 with Corvette Racing as a full time driver and his fifth year overall. Garcia was coming off his best season with the team after winning the ALMS GT Drivers Championship the previous season. Antonio helped within the development of the new C7.R and was confident the improvements made over the C6.R predecessor would lead to strong results. During the 2014 inaugural season of the C7.R, Garcia accomplished five podiums including four class wins. The season would end with Garcia and his driving partner Jan Magnussen finishing as runner-ups in the GTLM drivers championship.
Garcia is regarded as one of the best GT drivers in the world. He has claimed multiple victories at the biggest endurance races in world such as Le Mans, Sebring and Daytona. Garcia won back-to-back IMSA titles in 2017 and 2018 and has never finished lower than third in points dating back to his first full season with Corvette Racing in 2012.
Vitals
- Birthdate: June 5th, 1980
- Birthplace: Madrid, Spain
- Residence: Barcelona, Spain
- Family: wife and two children
- Corvette Racing: 2009 – Present
Notable Career Highlights
- 2013 ALMS GT Champion
- 2017 and 2018 IMSA GTLM WeatherTech Champion
- 24 Hours of Le Mans winner – 2008-09 (GT1), 2011 (GTE Pro)
- Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona winner – 2009 (overall), 2015 (GTLM)
- Sebring 12 Hours winner – 2009 (GT1), 2015 (GTLM), 2017 (GTLM)
Jan Magnussen
Jan Magnussen entered his ninth year with Corvette Racing in 2014. Magnussen along with his driving partner Antonio Garcia were coming off a big year after winning the 2013 ALMS Drivers Championship. After helping develop the C7.R with Pratt & Miller, Magnussen was vocal about his satisfaction of the new car. Magnussen and Garcia accomplished the first win for the C7.R during the third round of the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship at Long Beach. In total Magnussen accomplished five podiums including four wins, which resulted in finishing the 2014 season as runner-up in the GTLM drivers standings.
Magnussen started his racing career in 1990 racing single-seaters. In 1994 Magnussen won the British Formula 3 Championship with Paul Stewart Racing breaking Ayrton Senna’s record of most wins in a single season, capturing 14 wins out of 18 races.
Magnussen would become a Formula 1 test driver for McLaren before competing in DTM and International Touring Car Championship between 1995 and 1996, where he finished second in the 1996 ITC Championship. Magnussen would become a full time Formula 1 driver for the Stewart Grand Prix team in 1997, where he would accomplish a career best sixth place finish at the Montreal Grand Prix in 1998.
Magnussen joined Panoz Motorsports in 1999 to compete in the ALMS where he captured six wins. He would become part of the Corvette- Ferrari rivalry in 2003, driving the Prodrive Ferrari and would join Corvette Racing the following year.
A legend in Denmark, his aggressive racing style and take-no-prisoners mentality made him very popular with the fans. Magnussen became a full time driver with Corvette Racing in 2007 and throughout his time with the team, accomplished 35 wins. In 2008 Magnussen became the ALMS GT1 Driver Champion with teammate Johnny O’connell and would win the IMSA GT Drivers Championship with Antonio Garcia in 2013.
Vitals
- Birthdate: July 4th, 1973
- Birthplace: Roskilde, Denmark
- Residence: Roskilde, Denmark
- Family: Wife Christina, sons Kevin and Luca, daughter Millie
- Corvette Racing: 2004-2019
Notable Career Highlights
- Two time ALMS Driver Champion – 2008 (GT1), 2013 (GT)
- Two time IMSA WeatherTech GTLM Champion – 2017, 2018
- Four time 24 Hours of Le Mans class winner – 2004 (GTS), 2005, 2006, 2009 (GT1)
- Rolex 24 at Daytona GTLM class winner – 2015
- Five time 12 Hours of Sebring class winner – 2006, 2008, 2009 (GT1), 2015, 2017 (GTLM)
- ALMS “Most Popular Driver” – 2001, 2003, 2011, 2013
Ryan Briscoe (Daytona, Sebring and Petit Le Mans)
Ryan Briscoe joined Corvette Racing as a third driver for three of the four endurance events during the 2014 season. Throughout his debut year with Corvette Racing, Briscoe supported Antonio Garcia and Jan Magnussen with a eighth in class finish at Sebring and Petit Le Mans. Unfortunately at Daytona, Briscoe and his teammates were forced to retire from the race after the C7.R suffered with cooling issues.
Ryan Briscoe started his racing career in 1993 driving karts. In 2000, Briscoe moved to Formula Renault and would go on to win the Italian Formula Renault championship in 2001. Between 2002 and 2004, Briscoe would become the Toyota Formula 1 test driver whilst competing in Formula 3. Ryan Briscoe moved to America in 2005 to race for Chip Ganassi Racing in the Indycar series and was involved in a accident that resulted in him missing a large portion of the season. Briscoe accomplished his first victory in Indycar at the 2008 Milwaukee Mile and collected his second win only a few races later at Mid-Ohio. In the same year Briscoe became the first Australian to win at his home race during a non championship event at the Surfers Paradise Street Circuit.
After a career in Indycar, Ryan Briscoe made the transition to the American Le Mans Series with Level 5 Motorsports in 2013. He went on to win his class at the 2013 Twelve Hours of Sebring. Briscoe would find success with Corvette Racing in 2015, winning the GTLM class at the Twelve Hours of Sebring and the GTE Pro class at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Between 2016 and 2019, Ryan Briscoe was part of the Ford Chip Ganassi Racing team driving the Ford GT. Along with driving partner Richard Westbrook, Briscoe finished as runner-up in the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship in 2016 and 2018. After the Ford works programme was shut down in 2019, Briscoe joined Wayne Taylor Racing in 2020 where he won the Rolex 24 at Daytona and Petit Le Mans.
Vitals
- Birthdate: September 24th, 1981
- Birthplace: Sydney, Australia
- Residence: Farmington, Connecticut
- Family: Wife Nicole, daughters Blake James and Finley Evers
- Corvette Racing: 2014-2015
Notable Career Highlights
- Three time Petit Le Mans winner – 2008, 2013 (LMP2), 2020 (DP)
- Two time Twelve Hours of Sebring winner – 2013 (LMP2), 2015 (GTLM)
- Le Mans 24 Hours winner – 2015 (GTE Pro)
- Rolex 24 at Daytona winner – 2020
Jordan Taylor (Le Mans)
Jordan Taylor joined Corvette Racing for the third consecutive year as the third driver for endurance events. Due to signing with his father’s team of Wayne Taylor Racing, Jordan was unavailable for Daytona, Sebring and Petit Le Mans in 2014, limiting him to drive for Corvette Racing in only two races.
Taylor joined Garcia and Magnussen in the #63 Corvette C7.R at the prestigious Le Mans 24 Hours. After a long battle, Taylor helped Corvette Racing finish as runner-ups in the GTE Pro class.
Taylor progressed quickly through karting and made his Grand-Am debut in the Rolex series in 2008. By 2011, Jordan Taylor paired with Bill Lester, took the Autohaus Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro to a runner-up finish in the GT Championship by only two points shy of the title.
Jordan Taylor became a full time driver for Corvette Racing at the start of the 2020 season replacing long time driver Jan Magnussen. Taylor is a two-time IMSA Prototype Driver Champion, having won in 2013 (Rolex Series) and 2017 (WeatherTech Championship) for his fathers race team of Wayne Taylor Racing. His older brother Ricky Taylor drives in the same series for Acura Team Penske in the IMSA Prototype class.
Vitals
- Birthdate: May 10th, 1991
- Birthplace: Orlando, Florida
- Residence: Apopka, Florida
- Family: Single
- Corvette Racing: 2012 – 2017, 2020 – Present
Notable Career Highlights
- 24 Hours of Le Mans winner – 2015 (GTE Pro)
- Two-time IMSA Prototype Champion – 2013, 2017
- Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona winner – 2017, 2019
- Sebring 12 Hours winner – 2017 (Overall)
#4 Chevrolet Corvette C7.R Drivers 2014 (#74 used for Le Mans)
Oliver Gavin
Oliver Gavin joined Corvette Racing for his 12th year in 2014. Gavin won the 2012 ALMS GT Drivers Championship with driving partner Tommy Milner. In 2013 Gavin and Milner won the GT class at the Twelve Hours of Sebring breaking a three year drought for the team.
Oliver Gavin was a part of the development of the C7.R, however he along with Milner struggled throughout the inaugural season, achieving only one podium at Long Beach. After Tommy Milner prefered a different chassis of the C7.R during the 2014 season, the decision was made to switch chassis for the final race of the season. The change resulted in Gavin & Milner outperforming their teammates in the #3 car.
Oliver Gavin would become the most successful and longest-serving driver in Corvette Racing history. With 51 victories and five championships as part of the program, Gavin ranks as one of the most accomplished drivers in IMSA history. His Corvette Racing record included wins at Le Mans, Sebring, Daytona and Petit Le Mans. Gavin would win two championships with co-driver Tommy Milner (2012 and 2016) and would become the longest-running driver pairing in IMSA history at the time of the start of the 2020 season.
Vitals
- Birthdate: September 29th, 1972
- Birthplace: Huntington, England
- Residence: Yardley Hastings, England
- Family: Wife Helen; children Lily, Isaac, Fergus
- Corvette Racing: 2002-2020
Notable Career Highlights
- 2016 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship GTLM Champion
- Four-time ALMS champion – 2005-07 (GTS/GT1), 2012 (GT)
- Five class wins in 24 Hours of Le Mans – 2002, 2004-06 (GTS/GT1), 2015 (GTLM Pro)
- Six class wins at 12 Hours of Sebring – 2001-02 (GTS), 2006-07 (GT1), 2013 (GT), 2016 (GTLM)
- Rolex 24 Hours At Daytona winner – 2016 (GTLM)
Tommy Milner
Tommy Milner joined Corvette Racing in 2014 for his fourth year with the team. Milner with driving partner Oliver Gavin won the 2012 ALMS GT Drivers Championship.
Milner was an integral contributor to the development of the C7.R. Gavin and Milner struggled throughout the 2014 season in the new C7.R picking up only one podium at Long Beach. After Tommy drove a different chassis of the C7.R at the 6 Hours of Circuit of the Americas race, he prefered the softer setup of the alternative chassis. This resulted in the decision to use the spare chassis for the final race of the 2014 season and the whole 2015 season.
A second-generation racer, Milner is son of noted team owner Tom Milner. Tommy Milner’s passion for racing started at a young age watching his fathers race team. Following success in go-karts Milner was chosen as one of the six North American drivers in Formula BMW USA junior drivers program in 2004. Later in the same year Milner made his sports car racing debut in the Grand-Am series with his father’s team, which paired him with former Corvette Racing driver Kelly Collins.
In 2006 Tommy Milner joined the American Le Mans Series driving for the Panoz Team PTG program in the GT2 class. In 2009 Milner became a full time driver with Rahal-Letterman to drive the new BMW M3 E92 GT where he accomplished three runner-up finishes and again the following season before joining Corvette Racing.
Milner’s debut season with Corvette Racing started very strong with a GT class podium finish in his first race for the team at Sebring and then he collected the GTE Pro class win at the 2011 Le Mans 24 Hours. Tommy was integral to the victory at Le Mans as he chased down the class leading Ferrari of Toni Vilander in final hours of the race to eventually pass for the lead with only two hours remaining.
Since joining the team in 2011, Milner has won Le Mans twice, claimed two Drivers Championships and taken victories at Daytona and Sebring. Milner has competed in Formula and sports car series with distinction for factory-affiliated teams such as BMW and Chevrolet. His partnership with Oliver Gavin covered nine years making them the longest-running teammates in IMSA up to date.
Vitals
- Birthdate: January 26th, 1986
- Birthplace: Washington D.C.
- Residence: Ashton, Virginia
- Family: Wife Lauren
- Corvette Racing: 2011 – Present
Notable Career Highlights
- Two-time class Driver’s Champion – 2012 (ALMS GT), 2016 (IMSA WeatherTech GTLM)
- Two-time 24 Hours of Le Mans class winner – 2011 and 2015 (GTE Pro)
- Two-time 12 Hours of Sebring class winner – 2013 (GT) and 2016 (GTLM)
- Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona class winner – 2016 (GTLM)
Robin Liddell (Daytona, Sebring and Petit Le Mans)
Robin Liddell debuted with Corvette Racing in 2014 as the third driver for three of the four endurance events. Liddell brought a wealth of sports car racing experience with him after competing in eight seasons of the American Le Mans Series and 10 years in the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series.
Son of Eric Liddell, one of the most successful Scottish drivers in GT and sports cars. Robin Liddell won the GT class title during the 2001 European Le Mans Series and the GS class title in the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge in 2015. Robin had achieved previous podiums at Daytona and Sebring driving a Porsche 911 GT3-RS. Liddell had also competed on four separate occasions at the 24 Hours of Le Mans with three different teams. His best result at Le Mans was sixth in class with P.K. Sport Ltd driving a Porsche 996 GT3-RS in 2003.
Liddell had been part of the extended Chevrolet family for a while, previously driving with Stevenson Motorsports in the Rolex Grand-AM GT class for six years prior to joining Corvette Racing. Stevenson Motorsports had run the Pratt & Miller developed Pontiac GXP.R and Chevrolet Camaro GT.R, making Liddell a familiar face with the engineers of Pratt & Miller. Robin had also previously been teammates with Jan Magnussen in 2011 and shared a car with Tommy Milner at Daytona.
During the 2014 season with Corvette Racing, Robin Liddell finished fifth at Daytona, sixth at Sebring and took fourth in class at the Petit Le Mans.
Vitals
- Birthdate: February 28th, 1974
- Birthplace: Edinburgh, Scotland
- Residence: Newbury, England
- Family: Girlfriend, Louise
- Corvette Racing: 2014
Notable Career Highlights
- European Le Mans Series Champion – 2001 (GT)
- Rolex 24 at Daytona winner – 2004 (GT)
- Continental Tire Sports Car Champion – 2015 (GS)
- 43 career race wins
Richard Westbrook (Le Mans)
Richard Westbrook returned for his fourth and final year with Corvette Racing in the role of the third driver. Richard was only available for Le Mans in 2014 with Corvette Racing. This was due to him competing in the same TUDOR United SportsCar Championship with the Spirit of Daytona team, that ran a Corvette Coyote DP.
Westbrook helped Tommy Milner and fellow Brit Oliver Gavin take the GT class win at the 2013 Twelve Hours of Sebring. The win at the Sebring in 2013 was the first class victory at the legendary race for Westbrook and would be the first class win at Sebring for Corvette Racing since 2009.
Westbrook became a back to back Porsche Supercup champion in 2006 and 2007. He would go onto to take a ALMS GT2 win at Road America in 2008, and quickly established himself as a elite international sports car driver after winning the FIA GT2 championship in 2009. In 2010 Richard Westbrook accomplished a GT2 class third place finish at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and third overall finish at the Rolex 24 at Daytona. Westbrook has competed in the FIA GT1 championship along with Spa and Nurburgring endurance events.
Vitals
- Birthdate: July 19th, 1975
- Birthplace: Chelmsford, England
- Residence: London, England
- Family: Wife Jessica, daughter Amelia
- Corvette Racing: 2011-2014
Notable Career Highlights
- Porsche Carrera Cup GBR Champion – 2004, 2005
- Porsche Supercup Champion – 2006, 2007
- Nominated for Autosport International Driver of the Year Award 2006
- FIA GT2 Champion – 2009
- Twelve Hours of Sebring GT class winner – 2013
#65 Chevrolet Corvette C7.R Drivers 2014
On September 20th, 2014, the Circuit Of The Americas hosted two sports car races on the same day. Earlier in the day the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) ran the ‘6 Hours of Circuit of the Americas’ event. Later that same day, the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship (TUSCC) ran the ‘Lone Star Le Mans at Circuit of the Americas’, two hours and 45 minute race as round 12 of the championship. Corvette Racing were set to compete both Corvette C7.Rs in the TUSCC race, but due to the C7.R being being eligible for any FIA WEC events, Corvette Racing decided to enter a car into the WEC race. With the risk of damage, failure and wear on the C7.R to run both races, Pratt & Miller decided to bring a third chassis of C7RGT-001 from the Michigan factory to make its competitive debut in the WEC race. Chassis C7RGT-001 used #65 and was sponsored by Michelin and Konica Minolta. The WEC race required, three drivers, with Corvette Racing selecting Tommy Milner along with the brothers of Jordan and Ricky Taylor.
Ricky Taylor
Son of legendary race driver and team owner Wayne Taylor, Ricky became series champion of single seaters’ school Skip Barber Southern in 2006 and runner-up of Skip Barber National in 2007.
In 2008, Ricky joined his father’s team of Wayne Taylor Racing to drive a Riley-Pontiac Daytona Prototype for the Rolex 24 at Daytona in the Rolex Grand-Am series. Later that year Ricky joined Doran’s team to compete in the final six races of the season. For the 2009 season, Ricky signed with Beyer to drive a Riley-Pontiac/Chevrolet in the Rolex Grand-Am series.
2012 would become the breakout year for Ricky Taylor driving the new Chevrolet Corvette DP in the Rolex Grand-Am series. He accomplished three wins and seven top five finishes. The following year, Ricky would get his first taste of driving a Pratt & Miller Corvette at the 2013 Le Mans 24 Hours. Driving the Corvette C6.R GT for Labre Competition, Taylor finished fifth in the GTE Am class.
The FIA WEC race would be the first time Ricky Taylor had chance to drive the Corvette C7.R. He along with his younger brother Jordan and Tommy Milner finished seventh in the GTE Pro class after a six hour race. This would not be the last time for Ricky driving the C7.R as he would become part of the 2016 Le Mans 24 Hours, Corvette Racing drivers line up.
Vitals
- Birthdate: August 3rd, 1989
- Birthplace: Surrey, England
- Residence: Apopka, Florida
- Family: Single
- Corvette Racing: 2014, 2016
Notable Career Highlights
- Skip Barber Southern Series Champion – 2007
- IMSA Prototype Lites race winner – 2008
- Rolex Grand-Am series DP Championship runner-up – 2010, 2011
- WeatherTech SportsCar Championship DP Champion – 2017, 2020
Tommy Milner
Tommy was the only full time Corvette Racing driver selected to pilot the #65 Michelin/Konica Minolta C7.R. After driving chassis C7RGT-001 during the WEC race he reported back to Pratt & Miller that he prefered the softer chassis of C7RGT-001. He felt chassis C7RGT-002 that he had been driving all year long was too stiff with chassis C7RGT-001 being more forgiving. This led to the decision to use chassis C7RGT-001 for the next round of the season, the Petit Le Mans season finale at Road Atlanta. After Oliver Gavin had the opportunity to drive C7RGT-001 at Road Atlanta, Pratt & Miller decided to use chassis C7RGT-001 for the whole of the 2015 season leaving chassis C7RGT-002 to be sold to Labre Competition at the end of 2014.
Jordan Taylor
Jordan Taylor had already experienced driving the C7.R earlier in the season at the Le Mans 24 Hours, where he helped the team finish second in the GTE Pro class. He would share the seat of chassis C7RGT-001 during the 6 Hours of the Circuit of the Americas WEC event with his brother Ricky Taylor and Tommy Milner. The trio were able to finish the WEC race seventh in the GTE Pro class, which was the best result of the weekend for Corvette Racing, after struggling with the setup.