Month: July 2011

Back in May, Late Model Racecraft’s twin-turbo Corvette set the standing mile record at the Texas Mile with a run of 231 mph. The team obviously feels they can get more out of their Corvette so they took the car up to Detroit where it was put in GM’s famous wind tunnel for aero testing.

Having followed Corvettes for years, I can’t remember ever seeing video of Corvettes tested inside the wind tunnel facility, let alone the testing of a Corvette owned by a third party. The LMR team will take the data they gleaned from the wind tunnel test back to Texas where they are preparing for the next Texas Mile event later this year in October.

Late Model Racecraft posted the following on the Corvette Forum about their experience at GM:

This past week was one of most interesting weeks I have had when it comes to motorsports and thats saying alot considering I am around this stuff on a daily basis. The knowledge we learned from this experience is priceless. We worked directly with Thomas Froling(lead aero engineer on the C6 and Z06 body and currently putting the finishing touches on the 2012 ZL Camaro and the beginning stages of the 2014 camaro and C7). The first day we pulled the corvette into the prep room. This is where they scaled the car and hooked up all sensors in preperation for the wind tunnel testing that would take place the following day. I pulled the LMR corvette right next to a full size clay model of a 2014 camaro and 1/3 scale clay model of the C7 (both were corvered as much as possible) and NO CAMERAS were allowed in this room for obvious reasons. I asked about both projects and they did not want to tell much. All they could tell me was that the C7 was far from production and that several body issues still had to be worked out as well as the powerplant.

Anyway, the next day was our wind tunnel testing from 8am to 6pm. Our main goal was to lower the drag coefficient of the vehicle while improving rear down force for traction purposes while traveling down the mile. Josh and a the general motors aero team ran SEVERAL tests and changed several setups to get the numbers we were looking for by the end of the day. I cannot disclose too much information but I can tell you there were alot of little things tested that I would have NEVER thought of to help reduce drag.

Now that we have our prototype pieces complete, we will start production on the LMR/General Motors Aero drag package for C6 Corvettes and will try and have them on the market for corvette owners looking to pick up MPH without adding any extra horsepower before the next mile event.

Related:
[VIDEO] LMR’s Twin-Turbo Corvette Sets Standing Mile Record at 231 MPH
[VIDEO] Hinson Motorsports’ Official Video of the 230 MPH Crash at the Texas Mile

 

NASCAR Team owner and Chevy dealer Rick Hendrick visited the National Corvette Museum yesterday to pick up several of the new Corvettes he purchased from GM through various Barrett-Jackson auctions. He also brought two vintage Corvette racers from his personal collection to show off as well. Several of the cars he picked up were unique 1 of 1 Corvettes including one that was news to us.

Hendrick had purchased the right to buy the very first Carbon Z06, VIN #001, at Barrett-Jackson’s 2010 Palm Beach auction for $297,000. That Corvette was built earlier this year and it’s the Inferno Orange Z06 shown. What we didn’t know until yesterday was that Hendrick worked with GM to buy the final Carbon Z06, VIN #252. What’s special about this car is that was painted Black and it’s the only 2011 Carbon Z06 that was not Inferno Orange or Supersonic Blue. Another unique feature is the reversed euro-style number on the sides of the car. The regular color scheme for the graphic is black lettering, but GM prepared a special silver version that shows up very nicely on the Black Z06. And finally, the Black Z06 holds the LS7 that Hendrick assembled himself at Wixom back in May as part of the Engine Build Experience.

Another 2011 Corvette Z06 that was purchased by Hendrick was the 2011 Le Mans Anniversary Corvette Z06. The Z06 was unveiled at the 2010 NCM C5/C6 Bash and was designed as a 50 year tribute to the 1960 Briggs Cunningham Corvette that won its class at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The 2011 Le Mans Anniversary Corvette Z06 was purchased at the 2011 Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale auction in January for $210,000 and the proceeds from that sale benefited the Corvette Museum’s planned motorsports park.

The final Corvette purchased at an auction was the 2012 Centennial Edition Z06 wearing VIN #100.The Carbon Flash Metallic Corvette made its public debut at Barrett-Jackson’s Palm Beach auction in April this year and Hendrick purchased the right to buy VIN 100 once production started. The selling price for the 2012 Corvette was $175,000. An interesting side note about Hendrick’s Centennial Edition Z06 is that the engine was assembled by Jim Perkins (pictured with Hendricks in top photo), the former Chevrolet General Manager and an inductee into the Corvette Hall of Fame. Perkins traveled to Wixom on May 5th this year and assembled the LS7 as part of the Engine Build Experience.

The total cost of the four Corvette Z06’s is estimated at $781,925. That includes the three Corvettes purchased at auction as well as adding the $99,925 MSRP for the Black Carbon Z06.

As Rick needed one of his big rig auto haulers to transport his new Corvettes home, he decided to bring up a couple of classic Corvettes from his collection as well. A 1962 Corvette racer wearing the traditional White/Blue livery and the #4 was displayed as well as a Black 1963 Corvette split-window racer which wears the #3.

NCM Insurance Agent Adam Boca was at the Corvette Museum when Hendrick came to pick up his cars and he put together a nice video showcasing Hendrick’s six Corvettes.

Source:
NCM Insurance
Photo Credit: Adam Boca

Related:
[VIDEO] 2012 Centennial Edition Corvette Z06 #100 Sells at Barrett-Jackson for $175,000
Barrett-Jackson Palm Beach 2010: 2011 Corvette Z06 Carbon Sold to Rick Hendrick
[VIDEO] Barrett-Jackson 2011: 2011 Le Mans Anniversary Corvette Z06 Sells for $210,000
NASCAR’s Hendrick Builds His Own LS7 for a 2011 Corvette Z06 Carbon Edition

 

The case of Richard Zenzen A is the most recent “hobby loss” case that I have seen.A Mr.

In 1962, the Chevrolet division of General Motors developed and manufactured the Chevy II / Nova.

LG Motorsports founder Lou Gigliotti and his 2010 Corvette ZR1 dominated last month’s Spectre 341 Hill Climb with the overall win and setting a record for the fastest Corvette. Lou released a new video of the run today complete with his signature multi-camera view with some awesome telemetry thrown in for good measure.

For those not familiar with the Spectre 341 Hill Climb, the 341 refers to Nevada state road 341, a 5.2 mile stretch of highway from Silver City, Nevada to Virginia City. The route features 22 turns and the elevation changes from 5,000 ft to 6,200 feet above sea level along the route.

One weekend each year, Deputies close the highway and Spectre Performance hosts a sprint against the clock with cars ranging from daily drivers to full track-prepped cars make the 5.2 mile run. Those that can do it in 3:41 or less gain entry to the 3:41 Club.

Lou set the fastest time of the event with a run of 3:14 in his modified Cyber Gray Corvette ZR1, shaving 7.3 seconds off his 2010 time and averaged 96.27 MPH. His time represents the fastest of all Corvettes and he’s only 4 seconds off the fastest time ever, 3:10.53 set by Spectra Performance founder Amir Rosenbaum in a highly modified Ferrari F40.

Forty-eight drivers made a combined 391 runs and five new members were added to the 3:41 Club. Aaron Pfadt was there with his Camaro (he made the club!) and we noted the drivers list included one Clark W. Griswald whose Winnebago made the run in 8:21 with an average speed of 37.33 MPH. Now that’s one way to spend a vacation!

The Spectre 341 Challenge is set for June 15-17, 2012. Visit www.Spectre341Challenge.com for details.

Source:
Streetfire.net and Speedhunters
Photo Credit: Michael Burroughs/Speedhunters.com

Related:
Lou Gigliotti’s GT2 Corvette Goes On Display at the NCM
[VIDEO] LG Motorsports GT2 Corvette Catches Fire at Long Beach

 

Does the type of car that I drive really influence my car insurance premiums that much? The vehicle you own and drive has a large effect on car insurance rates.

Wearing sunglasses and a sport shirt adorned with images of vintage Chevrolets, Earl Russell Jr.

Mosport is known for its high speeds and Sunday’s American Le Mans Series race lived up to the hype. The team that wins at Mosport is usually the one that is able to stay out of trouble and catch a little luck. How did the Corvettes do? Hit the jump for the official report from Corvette Racing.

Corvette Racing Wins Grand Prix of Mosport
Corvette Notches Ninth Win at Canadian Circuit, Scores First ALMS GT Victory of Season

BOWMANVILLE, Ontario, Canada, July 24, 2011 – Corvette Racing returned to the winner’s circle today at the Mobil 1 presents the Grand Prix of Mosport as Oliver Gavin and Jan Magnussen scored the team’s first American Le Mans Series victory of the season. Gavin and Magnussen won the GT class by 4.4 seconds in their No. 4 Compuware Corvette C6.R over the Ferrari 458 Italia of Jaime Melo and Toni Vilander. Tommy Milner and Olivier Beretta finished sixth in the No. 3 Compuware Corvette C6.R after contact with a backmarker cost them valuable time on the high-speed Canadian circuit.

After qualifying sixth and eighth on Saturday, Corvette Racing rebounded with a strong race day setup that ultimately broke BMW’s three-race winning streak. The two-hour, 45-minute race was anything but predictable as spins, crashes, close calls and penalties added to the drama.

“We had a team meeting after qualifying and agreed that we all just needed to do our jobs because anything can happen,” said team manager Gary Pratt. “The crew made great pit stops, the drivers made smart decisions, the engineers made good calls, and here we are with a victory. You have to be able to take advantage of opportunities, you have to be able to close the deal, and today we did.”

Gavin and Milner were the starting drivers, and slotted into sixth and eighth respectively as the race began. The running order changed dramatically after the first round of pit stops under a full-course caution, as Gavin emerged in third after two cars were penalized. When the second-place Porsche went off track shortly after the one-hour mark, Gavin moved into second and began an extended battle with Vilander in the Risi Competizione Ferrari.

“We started coming on these big clumps of traffic, and things started getting crazy,” Gavin said. “I had this mad battle with Toni, where he passed me going into Turn 2 and then he went around the outside of a GTC car. I managed to undercut them both and come back around the outside into Turn 3 – it was fantastic racing!”

Contact with the Ferrari in Moss Corner punctured a tire, and the crew scrambled as Gavin dove into the pits with one hour and four minutes to go. Magnussen took over the No. 4 Corvette and emerged in third. The Dane passed the Ferrari with 30 minutes to go, and then took the lead with 20 minutes remaining when the leading No. 55 BMW driven by Dirk Werner was assessed a stop-and-go penalty for avoidable contact.

“I knew that for us to get a good result out of this race, we had to be 100 percent focused every second,” Magnussen said. “We could never relax, just push all the time. To pull a win from where we were after qualifying is just fantastic. These guys have done it before and they’ll do it again – you can never count Corvette Racing out. The way this team pushes, I’m so proud to be part of it.”

Gavin agreed: “The team won this race,” said the Englishman. “We got our first win on the board and we’ve broken BMW’s stranglehold on ALMS victories this year. I’m absolutely delighted!”

The No. 4 Corvette’s second pit stop proved pivotal. “We had 10 seconds for everyone to get ready,” said crew chief Brian Hoye. “The guys know what to do and they were ready to go. We knocked out a quick stop, kept the car in contention, and we ended up with a victory. We used every session to make the car the best it could be for the race, and it turned out be a spectacular result.”

The No. 3 Corvette was less fortunate today as contact with the No. 11 Porsche GTC and a resulting spin took them out of contention. Milner had executed a series of passes to pull the No. 3 up to fourth place before the accident.

“The No. 3 Corvette was really, really good, the best I’ve driven all year long,” said Milner. “My spot today was Turn 5, where a lot of people were getting held up in traffic and I was able to get underneath them entering 5B. It’s a pretty safe spot to pass, and you can rub fenders there without it being an issue. I got a number of passes done there, but then we had that contact in Turn 10. Unfortunately we have a few drivers who need more seat time, especially running with other class cars. I gave him a lot of room going into 9, but he wanted to race me. The result was I got spun out.”

The contact damaged the Corvette’s left-rear suspension and an extended pit stop dropped the No. 3 off the lead lap. Beretta drove the last 62 minutes to secure sixth for the Le Mans-winning Corvette.

“It’s a good win for the No. 4 Corvette and good for the whole team,” Beretta said. “Tommy did a very good job, we were just unlucky to be touched by a gentleman driver and that was the end of our race. I was hoping for a yellow to close up the field, but it didn’t come, so I just brought the car home.”

Corvette Racing celebrated its ninth win at Mosport and captured the Michelin Green X Challenge as the fastest, cleanest, and most efficient entry in the GT class.

“As the inaugural winner of the Michelin Green X Challenge, it’s always an honor when Corvette Racing collects one of these trophies,” said Corvette Racing program manager Doug Fehan. “It’s a testament to how hard our engine group, our chassis group, and our aero group have worked to maximize the efficiency of the Corvette. It’s also a testament to Chevrolet’s willingness to race with cellulosic E85, and as the world’s largest producer of flex-fuel vehicles, it’s only appropriate that the Chevrolet team won the Green X Challenge today.”

ESPN2 will televise the Grand Prix of Mosport tonight at 10 p.m. ET. Corvette Racing’s next event is the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Challenge in Lexington, Ohio, on Saturday, August 6, starting at 3:30 p.m. ET. Live video coverage will available on ESPN3.com in the US and americanlemans.com for international users. ESPN2 will televise the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Challenge on Sunday, August 7, at 10 p.m. ET.

Mobil 1 presents the Grand Prix of Mosport GT Results (Top 10):
Pos./Car No./Drivers/Car/Laps

1. 4 Gavin/Magnussen, Corvette C6.R, 121
2. 62 Melo/Vilander, Ferrari F458 Italia, 121
3. 55 Auberlen/Werner, BMW M3 GT, 121
4. 56 Mueller/Hand, BMW M3 GT, 121
5. 17 Henzler/Sellers, Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, 120
6. 3 Beretta/Milner, Corvette C6.R, 119
7. 04 Murry/Lazzaro, Doran Ford GT, 119
8. 44 Neiman/Holzer, Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, 118
9. 01 Sharp/van Overbeek, Ferrari F458 Italia, 117
10. 48 Miller/Maasen, Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, 117

Source:
CorvetteRacing.com

Related:
Corvettes Qualify Sixth and Eighth for ALMS Grand Prix of Mosport
Corvette Racing: Links for ALMS Mosport
Corvette Racing at Mosport: The Real Deal
[VIDEO] Corvette Racing Series Episode 6: A (Race) Day in the Life
[SPOILER] Corvette Racing at the ALMS Northeast Grand Prix

 

Following the second world war, Pininfarina entered on a rocket ride to the pinnacle of acceptance.

Corvette Racing Contends with Heat and Traffic in Qualifying at Fast Canadian Circuit

BOWMANVILLE, Ontario, Canada, July 23, 2011 – In 90-degree heat on a blistering 114-degree track, Corvette Racing qualified sixth and eighth for Sunday’s Mobil 1 presents the Grand Prix of Mosport. The fourth round of the American Le Mans Series will see the No. 4 Compuware Corvette C6.R driven by Jan Magnussen and Oliver Gavin start sixth in the hotly contested GT class. The No. 3 Compuware Corvette C6.R of Olivier Beretta and Tommy Milner will grid eighth.

The heat was on at Mosport, with summertime temperatures that far exceeded the cool weather that traditionally prevailed on the event’s previous Labor Day date. With Magnussen at the wheel, the No. 4 Corvette C6.R turned its quickest time on its fifth lap at 1:17.580 (114.107 mph), while Beretta clocked his best lap (1:17.997/113.497 mph) on his fourth circuit. Dirk Mueller put the No. 56 BMW M3 GT on the Mosport pole with the session’s fastest lap at 1:17.083 (114.842 mph).

“It was a really good qualifying lap, no traffic and as mistake-free as you can make one,” said Magnussen. “That was absolutely as fast as I could go today. We don’t have the same balance in the car as we did last year at Mosport, and the difference is it was cooler. Maybe the cooler weather that’s predicted for tomorrow will help us, but usually it helps everybody.

“It’s very, very close, less than a tenth of a second between each car, but it’s not where we want to be and we have our work cut out,” Magnussen said. “We’ll have to race hard and smart tomorrow. It shows there are some adjustments that need to be made to the performance of the various cars, if only small adjustments.”

Beretta was pleased with the improvement in the No. 3 Corvette C6.R following the final practice session. “The performance in qualifying was better, no question, and the team did a good job,” Beretta said. “The problem on my lap was traffic. I did my qualifying time, and then I had traffic on the next three laps. Sure, I could have been quicker, but it looks like some of the other cars are definitely quicker than us – but it’s a long race!”

Balance of performance adjustments announced after the Lime Rock race two weeks ago will be implemented in the upcoming round at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.

“It was a difficult day at a very fast race track,” said Corvette Racing program manager Doug Fehan. “You look at the top six cars and they’re within a half a second – almost nothing. I think that promises an extremely close competition tomorrow. As we move on to Mid-Ohio, the performance balancing rules will take effect and we’ll see even closer competition.”

The Mobil 1 presents the Grand Prix of Mosport is scheduled to start at 3:05 p.m. ET on Sunday, July 24. Live video coverage is available on ESPN3.com in the US and americanlemans.com for international users, plus live coverage on Rogers Sportsnet in Canada. ESPN2 will televise the race on July 24 at 10 p.m. ET.

Mobil 1 presents the Grand Prix of Mosport GT Qualifying (Top 10):
Pos./Car No./Drivers/Car/Time

1. 56 Mueller/Hand, BMW M3 GT, 1:17.083
2. 55 Auberlen/Werner, BMW M3 GT, 1:17.142
3. 45 Bergmeister/Long, Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, 1:17.312
4. 01 Sharp/van Overbeek, Ferrari F458 Italia, 1:17.511
5. 62 Melo/Vilander, Ferrari F458 Italia, 1:17.543
6. 4 Gavin/Magnussen, Corvette C6.R, 1:17.580
7. 17 Henzler/Sellers, Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, 1:17.964
8. 3 Beretta/Milner, Corvette C6.R, 1:17.997
9. 04 Murry/Lazzaro, Doran Ford GT, 1:18.847
10. 98 Jones/Moran, Jaguar RSR, 1:19.302

Source:
CorvetteRacing.com

Related:
Corvette Racing: Links for ALMS Mosport
Corvette Racing at Mosport: The Real Deal
[VIDEO] Corvette Racing Series Episode 6: A (Race) Day in the Life
[SPOILER] Corvette Racing at the ALMS Northeast Grand Prix