CORVETTE RACING AT ROAD AMERICA: Solid Starts for Compuware Corvettes

Garcia qualifies second in No. 3 Compuware Corvette; Gavin fourth in No. 4 entry



ELKHART LAKE, Wis. (Aug. 10, 2013) – Corvette Racing’s two Compuware Corvette C6.Rs qualified second and fourth in class Saturday for the Orion Energy Systems 245 at Road America. That means the two velocity yellow Corvettes will roll off the grid one behind the other for Sunday’s sixth round of the American Le Mans Series. Antonio Garcia was second-quickest in the GT class with a 2:04.212 in the No. 3 Corvette he shares with Jan Magnussen.



Oliver Gavin qualified fourth in the No. 4 Corvette at 2:04.277 that he drives with Tommy Milner. The defending ALMS GT champions stand second in this year’s championship. Garcia and Magnussen are third. Corvette Racing and Chevrolet lead the team and manufacturer standings, respectively.



“I am very happy with the way we performed,” said Garcia, who made his Road America debut in 2012. “We got 100 percent out of the car. I believe everything will be even better for the race. We can use both cars to fight at the front.”



The Road America round begins at 3 p.m. ET with live coverage on ABC.



Saturday’s qualifying session was another tight one in the class. Only 0.699 seconds separated Garcia from the ninth-place qualifier. The pole-winning time was a 2:03.410. The Corvettes have a strong history at Road America with six class victories since its first race here in 2002.



So far in 2013, Corvette Racing has won three times in ALMS competition. Gavin and Milner won the most recent round at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park and opened the season with a victory at Sebring alongside Richard Westbrook. Garcia and Magnussen were winners at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.



EDITORS: High-resolution images of Corvette Racing are available on the Team Chevy media site for editorial use only.



Orion Energy Systems 245 (all times CT)

· Warmup: 8:30 a.m., Sunday, Aug. 11

· Race: 2 p.m., Sunday Aug. 11



Road America: Watch It!

Sunday, Aug. 11 (all times ET)

· Race (TV): Live – 3 p.m., Sunday, Aug. 11 (ABC)



ANTONIO GARCIA, NO. 3 COMPUWARE CORVETTE C6.R

“It was a good qualifying run. Yesterday I didn’t put together a full lap. But that’s what practice is for – to get used to new rubber and to see where you can and can’t push. It was a pretty good lap. I had a couple of very equal laps, and on the previous one I made a little mistake. Maybe we could have improved a little bit but not enough to fight for pole position. For sure it will help to not have to go through the field at the start (like at the previous round at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park). We have a good car. If strategy goes the way it should, we will have a great car for the race.”



OLIVER GAVIN, NO. 4. COMPUWARE CORVETTE C6.R

“Coming off our victory in Canada, starting from the second row is very good. We have to hunt and search a lot to gain on the pole time. But the rest of the class is very close. You could throw a blanket over all of us. As it always is here, it will be a dogfight for those first couple of hours but then the last half an hour is the critical point. You have to make sure you have yourself in the right position and on the right tire otherwise you will really struggle. I’m confident that we have the right car and the right team.”



DOUG FEHAN, CORVETTE RACING PROGRAM MANAGER

“Today’s qualifying results were very encouraging. Hats off to Antonio and the crew of the No. 3 Corvette for picking up nearly a full second from the end of Friday’s practice session. Oliver’s time in the No. 4 car gives us an ideal spot to challenge and push early for the race lead. As we all know, Road America is full of challenges and one of the toughest circuits we will race. But good strategy combined with our solid teamwork will keep both our Corvettes in contention for a class victory.”

CORVETTE RACING AT ROAD AMERICA: The Spiritual Home

Compuware Corvettes come to Elkhart Lake in thick of ALMS GT championships



ELKHART LAKE, Wis. (Aug. 6, 2013) – For more than 50 years, Road America has come to define the quintessential American road racing circuit. Likewise, the Chevrolet Corvette has been America’s sports car for 60 years. This weekend, Corvette Racing serves as the bridge that once again reunites the two icons for the Orion Energy 245 – the sixth round of the 2013 American Le Mans Series. The team enters its two velocity yellow Compuware Corvette C6.Rs in the two-hour, 45-minute race.



Road America – featuring 14 turns and measuring 4.048 miles – is one of the more popular stops for Corvette Racing’s lineup and the whole of the ALMS paddock as well. The track also promotes fantastic racing as the last two ALMS races there produced the closest overall finishes in series history. Audiences on ABC can watch all of this year’s race action live at 3 p.m. ET on Sunday, Aug. 11.



For years, Road America has been the site of numerous debuts and race victories for the Corvette brand. It only makes sense – a high-performance automobile deserves a high-performance track. Since 2002, Corvette Racing has carried on the proud tradition of winning at Road America. The span includes six class victories in the ALMS along with a plethora of pole positions and fastest race laps. Oliver Gavin, co-driver with Tommy Milner in the No. 4 Compuware Corvette, owns a particularly strong record with three race victories, four career pole positions and four fastest race laps. Three times he was both the fastest qualifier and fastest driver in the race on the same weekend.



Gavin and Milner enter as winners of the most recent ALMS round at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park and sit second in the GT drivers’ championship and only five points out of first. The duo also is the only one in the class to win more than once in 2013. Third in the championship is the pairing of Antonio Garcia and Jan Magnussen in the No. 3 Compuware Corvette. They won at Laguna Seca in May and placed second in early July at Lime Rock Park. Magnussen has two victories at Road America, and Garcia made his Road America debut last season.



With three victories this year, Chevrolet leads the manufacturers championship and Corvette Racing is first in the team standings.



The weekend has extra meaning for the North American sports car scene. The ALMS and GRAND-AM’s Rolex Sports Car Series share the Road America weekend as a preview to next year’s United SportsCar Series championship – a result of the merger of the two sports car racing organizations. Corvette Racing’s two endurance drivers – Jordan Taylor and Richard Westbrook – will race in Saturday’s Rolex Series event.



EDITORS: High-resolution images of Corvette Racing are available on the Team Chevy media site for editorial use only.



Orion Energy Systems 245 (all times CT)

· Practice 1: 11:50 a.m., Friday, Aug. 9

· Practice 2: 4 p.m., Friday, Aug. 9

· GT Qualifying: 10 a.m., Saturday, Aug. 10

· Warmup: 8:30 a.m., Sunday, Aug. 11

· Race: 2 p.m., Sunday Aug. 11



Road America: Watch It!

Saturday, Aug. 10-Sunday, Aug. 11 (all times ET)

· Qualifying: 10:45 a.m., Saturday, Aug. 10 (ESPN3)

· Race (TV): Live – 3 p.m., Sunday, Aug. 11 (ABC)



ANTONIO GARCIA, NO. 3 COMPUWARE CORVETTE C6.R

“It’s one of the best tracks in America, for sure. It’s very tough and challenging because of the length of the lap and variety of turns. It has everything. You couldn’t ask for more as a driver. To get a good lap, you need to find a rhythm in the slowest corners for sure – like turns 5, 6 and 8. Most of them lead to very long straights so if you make a mistake you can lose a lot of time. Because the lap is about two minutes, you really need to get into a rhythm and not be afraid of corners like the Carousel and the Kink. Once you have that rhythm, the time comes very easily.

“If you are suffering from a bad setup or your car doesn’t match the track conditions, it is very easy to lose a lot of time to your competitors. You really have to nail the setup of the car. When everything works, it makes things much easier around Road America.”



JAN MAGNUSSEN, NO. 3 COMPUWARE CORVETTE C6.R

“The reason why Road America is on everyone’s list of favorites is that there isn’t only one piece that makes it great. It’s the whole thing. The layout is fantastic. It’s super fast in some places and super technical in others. You don’t have any really slow corners. The average speed is up there. And it’s a fantastic place to race. Obviously, there are a few places where you need to be fast to race other guys. It will be a tough weekend for us even though it’s a weekend we are looking forward to. At present time, the long straights aren’t our strongest suits. We will go there use all the knowledge we have with the C6.R and get as many points as we possibly can.

“In terms of exciting corners, I’d say Turn 1 is also one of them. You arrive at such a high speed and you don’t slow down very much to be able to go through there. You can also make up quite a bit of time if you get it right. You use every bit of road available to you… and then a little bit more. They have put in rumble strips there that can upset the car so you have to be careful of the attitude of the car when you enter the corner.”



OLIVER GAVIN, NO. 4 COMPUWARE CORVETTE C6.R

“You’ve always got this race track that’s fast, flowing and has a great feel to it. It has a lot of what everyone likes in a track – a decent amount of grip, decent straightaways, good brake zones, opportunities to overtake and places where you can tow up behind people. You have a couple quick corners that you can really get into. It takes some guts to go through. It has that really great combination of elements.

“It’s great to see how the track evolves through the weekend and picks up grip through the race. The way you set your car up, maybe you do it to take advantage of that at the end. We’ve been there and gone through different lengths of racing – two hours and 45 minutes, four hours, six hours... Whatever length of race there suits me perfectly. I’d like to do 24 hours there because it’s the type of place where you could drive all day and get a huge amount of satisfaction.”



TOMMY MILNER, NO. 4 COMPUWARE CORVETTE C6.R

“It’s got everything: very, very fast corners – some that are taken flat-out, some that are close to flat, some aren’t quite there – then there are others where you have to brake massively beforehand to get the car slowed down before you can make the corner. Having super high-speed corners and straights followed by slow-speed turns makes for good passing opportunities along with a fun race track. I’ve always liked fast corners and fast tracks. That’s why I like Road America. It’s fast but also has a great flow to it. You have to do two or three laps to build up a little steam to get down to the lap times you’re capable of.

“I’ve raced at Road America throughout my career. My first race there was in 2004 with Formula BMW. It was incredibly quick in those cars. The horsepower and downforce made for a really fun lap. The speeds there were all pretty high. We were actually bump-drafting!”



DOUG FEHAN, CORVETTE RACING PROGRAM MANAGER

“Road America is a classic circuit in every sense of the word. It is a favorite of competitors and fans alike and is a first-class facility that always promotes tremendous racing. Just as key to Road America’s aura is the history of racing in Elkhart Lake – first in the town itself in the early 1950s and then later at Road America. Likewise, Chevrolet and Corvette are proud to have a long and storied background at Road America. We expect that to continue this season with our two Compuware Corvettes in a GT championship that is competitive as ever. Fans at the track and watching live on ABC will be in for a treat.”



ALMS GT Championship Standings

Driver Standings
Team Standings
Manufacturer Standings

1. Dirk Muller – 70

2. Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner – 65

3. Antonio Garcia/Jan Magnussen – 56

4. Dominik Farnbacher/Marc Goossens - 53

5. Bill Auberlen/Maxime Martin - 50
1. Corvette Racing – 92

1. BMW Team RLL – 80

2. SRT Motorsports – 61

3. Paul Miller Racing – 32

4. Risi Competizione - 29
1. Chevrolet – 95

2. BMW – 85

3. SRT – 66

4. Ferrari – 61

5. Porsche - 58




Corvette Racing at Road America

Year
Class
Drivers
Result
Car
Notes

2002
GTS
Fellows/O'Connell/Gavin
2nd
Corvette C5-R
Fellows pole; Gavin fastest race lap

Collins/Pilgrim
1st
Corvette C5-R

2003
GTS
Fellows/O'Connell
2nd
Corvette C5-R

Collins/Gavin
5th
Corvette C5-R
Gavin pole, fastest race lap

2004
GTS
Fellows/O'Connell
2nd
Corvette C5-R

Beretta/Gavin
1st
Corvette C5-R
Beretta pole, fastest race lap

2005
GT1
Fellows/O'Connell
2nd
Corvette C6.R

Beretta/Gavin
1st
Corvette C6.R
Gavin pole, Beretta fastest race lap

2006
GT1
Fellows/O'Connell
1st
Corvette C6.R

Beretta/Gavin
2nd
Corvette C6.R
Gavin fastest race lap

2007
GT1
Magnussen/O'Connell
2nd
Corvette C6.R
Magnussen pole, fastest race lap

Beretta/Gavin
1st
Corvette C6.R

2008
GT1
Magnussen/O'Connell
1st
Corvette C6.R

Beretta/Gavin
3rd
Corvette C6.R
Gavin pole, fastest race lap

2009
GT2
Magnussen/O'Connell
3rd
Corvette C6.R

Beretta/Gavin
6th
Corvette C6.R

2010
GT
Magnussen/O'Connell
4th
Corvette C6.R

Beretta/Gavin
3rd
Corvette C6.R
Gavin pole, fastest race lap

2011
GT
Beretta/Milner
14th
Corvette C6.R

Gavin/Magnussen
5th
Corvette C6.R

2012
GT
Garcia/Magnussen
6th
Corvette C6.R
Magnussen fastest race lap

Gavin/Milner
4th
Corvette C6.R

Camp Anokijig

Road America Auction

August 10, 2013 at 3:00 pm

Corvette Coral


For all of you who will be attending the Road America ALMS race there will be an exciting Corvette Racing auction put on by our very own Dan Binks, #3 C6R crew chief. He and his family support Camp Anokijig and proceeds from the auction will go to support this family oriented camp.

Road America, Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, USA
August 9 - 11, 2013

Tune-in Details:

Television Broadcast:
8/11/2013 at 2:00 pm CDT on ABC

Live Qualifying:
8/10/2013 at 9:45 am CDT on ESPN 3

LIVE TIMING:
http://www.imsaracing.net/2003/lt/ltc.html

http://scoring.alms.com/

Live Timing for mobile device:
http://scoring.alms.com/mobile.html

ALMS PIT NOTES:
http://twitter.com/almsnotes

http://www.alms.com/races/tequila-pat ... -mans-series-long-beach-1

RADIO ALMS
http://www.americanlemans.com/

Live onboard cameras:
http://www.alms.com/camera/live-audio-broadcast

TICKET INFO:
http://roadamerica.com/FanInformation/TicketOptions.asp

Event Schedule:
http://www.imsaracing.net/2013/events ... e%20and%20Supp%20Regs.pdf

Entry List:
Not listed

Facility Map:
http://www.imsaracing.net/2012/events/road/FanMap2012.pdf

Spotters Guide:
http://www.spotterguides.com/

Corvette Corral:
http://www.alms.com/car-corral

Road America/Dan Binks Auction:
Remember the fantastic auction that Dan Binks put on last year? He is going to have all kinds of exciting Corvette Racing items for bid. So, come out and support Dan Binks on his auction for Camp Anokijig, on Saturday night, August 10, 2013! More on this later.

WEATHER:
http://www.weather.com/weather/tenday/Elkhart+Lake+WI+USWI0218

WIN A 2014 CORVETTE! https://www.racetowincorvette.com/:b=ie8/#/intro

Doug Fehan interview:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MKLt6dfr8SE&feature=youtu.be

CORVETTE RACING IN CANADA: Pressure-Packed Win for Gavin, Milner

Second win of 2013 for No. 4 Compuware Corvette; Garcia/Magnussen place fourth



BOWMANVILLE, Ontario (July 21, 2013) – Oliver Gavin and Tommy Milner scored their second victory in the American Le Mans Series on Sunday with a hard-earned effort in the Mobil 1 SportsCar Grand Prix at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park. Milner took the checkered flag in the No. 4 Compuware Corvette C6.R for the fifth round of the ALMS as the duo became the first in the GT class to win multiple races in 2013.



The victory played out in thrilling style before a live audience on ESPN2. Milner drove a pressure-packed final stint to win by 0.267 seconds. It moved Gavin and Milner into second place in the GT championship lead as they seek to win back-to-back titles. Corvette Racing retained its lead in the team standings, as did Chevrolet in the manufacturers’ race.



Antonio Garcia and Jan Magnussen placed fourth in class after a stellar effort. The No. 3 Corvette started from the rear of the grid after a massive crash by Magnussen in Saturday’s qualifying. They stand third in the unofficial driver standings.



“What a fantastic weekend for everyone at Corvette Racing,” said Mark Kent, Director of Racing – Chevrolet. “Congratulations to Oliver, Tommy and everyone on the No. 4 crew for a flawless performance. Likewise, I cannot minimize the effort by the No. 3 team to rebound from Saturday’s massive crash in qualifying. Once again, Corvette Racing never gave up.”



Gavin won for the 40th time in the series – third-most in its history. He made the most of an overnight adjustment to the No. 4 car and picked up two spots on the opening lap to move into third place. He settled in for the duration of his stint and pitted from the lead as cars in front of him pitted earlier. The No. 4 crew gave Gavin a precious two-second advantage during the first stop, which saw Milner move to the front shortly after the driver change.



The young American drove a strong double-stint to the end and got added help from the pit crew on a final stop that gave him another second over his nearest competition.



Garcia made up four positions in class in the opening 24 laps despite losing time attempting to overtake a slower GT car for the better part of 15 laps. Once around, he ran as high as third during his stint before handing off to Magnussen. The No. 3 crew short-filled on fuel during its first stop in an attempt to gain position while hoping for a caution period at the same time.



The No. 3 car did come away with the MICHELIN® GREEN X® Challenge trophy for the GT class. The award goes to the car that exhibits clean, fast and efficient performance levels in the ALMS.



Next up for Corvette Racing is the Orion Energy Systems on Sunday, Aug. 11 from Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wis.



EDITORS: High-resolution images of Corvette Racing are available on the Team Chevy media site for editorial use only.



ANTONIO GARCIA, NO. 3 COMPUWARE CORVETTE C6.R

“(The start) was very difficult. You’re on own from the back of the field. The car is very good. I passed a lot of cars right away and then I got stuck behind the No. 17. He was going very slow. He was defending for no reason and I don’t know what was going on. Running behind him was like losing all aero completely. We lost about 10 seconds. But we definitely had a competitive car. We would have liked a yellow but it seems like we need one we never get it!”



JAN MAGNUSSEN, NO. 3 COMPUWARE CORVETTE C6.R

“Maybe we could have gotten a podium. On the last restart, I got bogged down a little in the last corner and the Viper got a run on me into Turn 1 and squeezed his way by me. After that it was a matter of getting by the BMW. We were able to get some points on them in terms of the manufacturer and team championship. We would have liked some more points. The car was very good in the race but everyone is so evenly matched.”



OLIVER GAVIN, NO. 4 COMPUWARE CORVETTE C6.R

“The change we made overnight certainly seemed to have the car right in the window again. It was very busy at the start. I didn’t think I was on the right side of the track when it went green. Our lane wasn’t going very quickly and it looked like the BMW and a couple other cars were going to get by. Then all of a sudden it freed up and I was able to go by one of the BMWs at Turn 2. Coming off Turn 5 I was able to get around the other one. Then it was a case of following the Vipers around.

“The guys did a fantastic job in the pits before I handed over the car to Tommy. He drove brilliantly and withstood a massive amount of pressure from the Viper. He showed once again that at the end of the race when there is big pressure on, he can get the job done. It was a fantastic effort.”



TOMMY MILNER, NO. 4 COMPUWARE CORVETTE C6.R

“I knew after our great pit stop that it was a matter of doing qualifying laps. We came out just ahead of the Viper and I was able to get around him. Then the BMW was coming out on the next time around and I got around him too. I tried to focus forward and focus on my own race. After the caution period, I knew the last 30 minutes was going to be tough. I ran into some traffic on the last lap with a GTC car that held me up big-time and allowed Dominik (Farnbacher) to get right on my bumper. It was a big battle. I had to do everything I thought I could without getting a penalty to keep him behind. Our car wasn’t as quick as theirs going into Turn 8, so I told myself I was going to either spin at Turn 8 or I’m going to throw it in, make it stick and keep the lead. It held and here we are in P1. It was a fantastic effort by the team. It’s good for Oliver and I. It’s been a couple of bad races in a row so it’s good to get back on the podium again.”



Orion Energy Systems 245 (all times CT)

GT Qualifying: 10 a.m., Saturday, Aug. 10
Race: 2 p.m., Sunday Aug. 11


Canadian Tire Motorsport Park: Watch It!

Saturday, Aug. 10-Sunday, Aug. 11 (all times ET)

Qualifying: 10:45 a.m., Saturday, Aug. 10 (ESPN3)
Race (TV): Live – 3 p.m., Sunday, Aug. 11 (ABC)

CORVETTE RACING IN CANADA: Second, Sixth in ALMS GT Qualifying

Hard crash for Magnussen but No. 3 Compuware Corvette will be ready to race



BOWMANVILLE, ONTARIO (July 20, 2013) – Corvette Racing is a nine-time winner at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park in American Le Mans Series competition. But the track formerly known as Mosport proved Saturday it can be unforgiving to even the best in racing.



Jan Magnussen set the second-fastest lap in GT qualifying for the Mobil 1 SportsCar Grand Prix in the No. 3 Compuware Corvette C6.R before a significant crash with less than five minutes left in the session. Upon its return to the team’s paddock, the Corvette crew went straight to work to dismantle and repair the No. 3 entry, which has Magnussen and Antonio Garcia second in the ALMS GT championship. Sunday’s race airs live on ESPN2 starting at 1 p.m. ET.



The Dane’s best time was a 1:15.601 (117.094 mph) that he set on his fifth lap. With pole position in his sights, Magnussen was on a flyer before a small bump in the middle of the third corner caused the Corvette to unsettle and veer slightly wide at the exit. The left-rear tire went off the surface just enough to send Magnussen into a spin and hard into the outside tire barrier.



The car will start Sunday’s race from the rear of the grid and is expected to make the morning warmup at 9:10 a.m.



Tommy Milner qualified the No. 4 Compuware Corvette sixth in class at 1:16.083 (116.352 mph). Despite the position, Milner was only 0.621 seconds off pole position. The car struggled to find balance in the second practice session and qualifying but Milner believed the fix would be an easy adjustment for Sunday’s race. He and teammate Oliver Gavin – defending ALMS GT champions – will go for their second ALMS victory of the season.



“Tommy and Jan both had solid qualifying efforts,” said Doug Fehan, Corvette Racing Program Manager. “Jan’s crash was unfortunate. He was on a good lap, but we were reminded how quickly this track can come up and bite anyone. The entire Corvette Racing team is an experienced and resilient group and will work as long as it takes to get the car repaired and ready for Sunday. It’s that ‘never give up’ spirit that we all exude.”



EDITORS: High-resolution images of Corvette Racing are available on the Team Chevy media site for editorial use only.



Mobil 1 SportsCar Grand Prix (all times ET)

· Warmup: 9:10 a.m. ET, Sunday, July 21

· Race: Noon ET, Sunday, July 21



Canadian Tire Motorsport Park: Watch It!

Sunday, July 21 (all times ET)

· Race (TV): Live – 1 p.m., Sunday, July 21 (ESPN2)

· Web: Live – 11:45 a.m., Sunday, July 21 (ESPN3)



JAN MAGNUSSEN, NO. 3 COMPUWARE CORVETTE C6.R

“One of the things I love about this place is that there is a real consequence to making mistakes or pushing too hard. We were just a tenth back from pole and this was an attempt to get it. I still think (the pole time) was in the car but I just bounced in the middle of Turn 3 over a small bump and that put me a little bit off line at the exit. A wheel off into the grass and that was it. I was off into the tire wall. I feel sorry for the team. For sure you try to avoid these things but sometimes they happen. When you hit the tire wall at an angle, it tends to rip things off the car. It will be a bit of work for the guys but the car was awesome in qualifying and I believe the pole time was in it. That’s why I went for it. The car will be perfect for the race.”



TOMMY MILNER, NO. 4 COMPUWARE CORVETTE C6.R

“In the previous practice we struggled with the balance of the car and that carried over into qualifying. We’re not way off by any means. The GT field is so close that you have to have a great car, and we have that. It’s a bummer. This was my first qualifying run in awhile and had the issue with balance. We had a bit too much understeer and need to dial some of that out of the car. But we have a direction to go and we’re not lost by any means. We will make some small changes here and there and be ready for tomorrow. We should be in good shape for the race.”



ALMS GT Championship Standings

Driver Standings
Team Standings
Manufacturer Standings

1. Dirk Muller – 62

2. Antonio Garcia/Jan Magnussen – 46

3. John Edwards – 46

4. Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner - 45

5. Bill Auberlen/Maxime Martin - 44
1. Corvette Racing – 72

1. BMW Team RLL – 72

2. SRT Motorsports – 45

3. Paul Miller Racing – 30

4. Risi Competizione - 29
1. Chevrolet – 75

2. BMW – 72

3. Ferrari – 51

4. SRT – 50

5. Porsche - 50




Corvette Racing at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park

Year
Class
Drivers
Result
Car
Notes

2000
GTS
Fellows/Pilgrim
2nd
Corvette C5-R
Fellows pole, fastest race lap

2001
GTS
Fellows/O'Connell
1st
Corvette C5-R

Collins/Pilgrim
3rd
Corvette C5-R

2002
GTS
Fellows/O'Connell
1st
Corvette C5-R

Collins/Pilgrim
2nd
Corvette C5-R
Pilgrim fastest race lap

2003
GTS
Fellows/O'Connell
1st
Corvette C5-R

Collins/Gavin
7th
Corvette C5-R
Gavin pole

2004
GTS
Fellows/O'Connell
2nd
Corvette C5-R

Beretta/Gavin
1st
Corvette C5-R
Gavin pole, fastest race lap

2005
GT1
Fellows/O'Connell
2nd
Corvette C6.R

Beretta/Gavin
1st
Corvette C6.R

2006
GT1
Fellows/O'Connell
4th
Corvette C6.R

Beretta/Gavin
2nd
Corvette C6.R

2007
GT1
Magnussen/O'Connell
1st
Corvette C6.R

Beretta/Gavin
2nd
Corvette C6.R
Gavin pole, fastest race lap

Fellows/Pilgrim
3rd
Corvette C6.R

2008
GT1
Magnussen/O'Connell
1st
Corvette C6.R
O'Connell pole

Beretta/Gavin
2nd
Corvette C6.R
Beretta fastest race lap

2009
GT2
Magnussen/O'Connell
1st
Corvette C6.R

Beretta/Gavin
3rd
Corvette C6.R

2010
GT
Beretta/O'Connell
5th
Corvette C6.R

Gavin/Magnussen
4th
Corvette C6.R
Magnussen fastest race lap

2011
GT
Beretta/Milner
6th
Corvette C6.R

Gavin/Magnussen
1st
Corvette C6.R

2012
GT
Garcia/Magnussen
2nd
Corvette C6.R
Magnussen pole

Gavin/Milner
10th
Corvette C6.R

CORVETTE RACING IN CANADA: Happy Hunting Grounds

Canadian Tire Motorsport Park has been good to Compuware Corvettes



BOWMANVILLE, ONTARIO (July 16, 2013) – It’s time for Corvette Racing to head north of the border for its annual visit to Canadian Tire Motorsport Park. The American Le Mans Series’ lone Canadian event is the Mobil 1 SportsCar Grand Prix – a race Corvette Racing has won nine times since 2001.



The 2.459-mile, 10-turn road course is one of the fastest in the ALMS and a favorite of all four Corvette Racing drivers. The layout features a variety of high-speed corners and daunting elevation changes that audiences can see live on ESPN2 at 1 p.m. ET on Sunday, July 21. Qualifying for the GT class is set for 3:50 p.m. ET on Saturday, July 20 and will be available on ESPN3.



Antonio Garcia and Jan Magnussen – second in the GT drivers’ standings – drive the No. 3 Compuware Corvette C6.R. Defending ALMS GT champions Oliver Gavin and Tommy Milner pilot the No. 4 Corvette. They are fourth in the class championship.



Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (known to long-time fans as Mosport) sees a number of new looks. The facility – co-owned by former Corvette Racing star Ron Fellows – saw improvements to the entryway, paddock and sightlines in 2012. In the last 12 months, the track underwent more dramatic renovations with the additions of a pitlane extension of 300 feet, a state-of-the-art event center, new asphalt at every corner and paved runoff areas at turns 1 and 2 to improve safety.



The character of the track hasn’t changed much since its first race in 1961. Through the years, CTMP has played host to Can-Am, Formula 5000, USAC stock cars, IndyCar, Trans-Am, Formula Atlantic, and of course the American Le Mans Series and IMSA. Most notably, the circuit was the site of the Formula One Canadian Grand Prix eight times between 1967-77.



"There are not many race venues in North America, or the world for that matter, with a history like the track once known as Mosport,” Corvette Racing Program Manager Doug Fehan said with a smile. “Historically, it has tested drivers and teams with a combination of challenging high-speed corners, extreme terrain change and insanely quick lap times. We have enjoyed some memorable successes here and the support from the great Canadian crowd has always been inspirational. I know all our guys are excited to see all the improvements that have been implemented at the facility, and I am confident our inaugural trip to the new-look Canadian Tire Motorsport Park will be a big step forward in our effort to repeat our 2012 championship.”



EDITORS: High-resolution images of Corvette Racing are available on the Team Chevy media site for editorial use only.



Mobil 1 SportsCar Grand Prix (all times ET)

· GT Qualifying: 3:50 p.m., Saturday, July 20

· Race: Noon, Sunday July 21



Canadian Tire Motorsport Park: Watch It!

Saturday, July 20-Sunday, July 21 (all times ET)

· Qualifying: 3:20 p.m., Saturday, July 20 (ESPN3)

· Race (TV): Live – 1 p.m., Sunday, July 21 (ESPN2)

· Web: Live – 11:45 a.m., Sunday, July 21 (ESPN3)



ANTONIO GARCIA, NO. 3 COMPUWARE CORVETTE C6.R

“Even in a road car, it is difficult to understand how fast you go around the track. In my first practice there last year, it took me six or seven laps to not brake into Turn 1! In turns 2 and 3, you definitely need to pick your braking point and roll in. But for the first turn, it’s not how deep you brake but whether you need to lift to make it through in fifth or sixth gear. That was the corner that took me the most time to get right.”



JAN MAGNUSSEN, NO. 3 COMPUWARE CORVETTE C6.R

“For sure Corvette Racing has had great success at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park. We are looking to go and build on what we have done in the last two ALMS races – a win at Laguna and second-place at Lime Rock. If we can get a win at Mosport, it would really help our run for the GT championship. It’s a much more high-speed track than Lime Rock but it’s also a track where you can attack a lot. Lime Rock wasn’t one of those; you had to be more precise and smooth. But at Mosport you can go hard at it all the time. It’s one of my favorite tracks and we for sure are excited to go back there.”



OLIVER GAVIN, NO. 4 COMPUWARE CORVETTE C6.R

“The track itself will be similar but the landmarks and cues you’d use to guide your way around the track – the stuff you pick up in your peripheral vision that all drivers learn – has changed because the runoff and places that were grass have gone to tarmac. There is a new pitlane with a different entry. All of that part of the track is different and will take a little bit of relearning. It will be challenging but interesting at the same time. I am looking forward to going there and seeing what’s been done. Ron is a big proponent of safety, and he’s worked at it very hard. You’re going at such a high speed and only have so much road to work with. Any slip up there can lead you into having a big moment. It will be once again a great place to go and I’m looking forward to going back there.”



TOMMY MILNER, NO. 4 COMPUWARE CORVETTE C6.R

“It’s fantastic. It’s my favorite track we go to. It’s fun, fast, flowing and has a good rhythm to it. It’s really challenging in our GT car. I’ve had success there and been on the podium a number of times but a win has eluded me. Typically I don’t like tracks where I don’t do well, but this one I like no matter what. The new runoff areas won’t change how we drive the track at all. Certainly now you can be a little more ambitious going into turns 1 and 2 but that won’t make us any faster. In past years, we still pushed the limits and it wasn’t a place where we needed the extra runoff to go quicker. Lap times I don’t think will change very much but should help guys who get in a bad situation then you have some room to spare.”



ALMS GT Championship Standings



Driver Standings
Team Standings
Manufacturer Standings

1. Dirk Muller – 62

2. Antonio Garcia/Jan Magnussen – 46

3. John Edwards – 46

4. Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner - 45

5. Bill Auberlen/Maxime Martin - 44
1. Corvette Racing – 72

1. BMW Team RLL – 72

2. SRT Motorsports – 45

3. Paul Miller Racing – 30

4. Risi Competizione - 29
1. Chevrolet – 75

2. BMW – 72

3. Ferrari – 51

4. SRT – 50

5. Porsche - 50




Corvette Racing at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park



Year
Class
Drivers
Result
Car
Notes

2000
GTS
Fellows/Pilgrim
2nd
Corvette C5-R
Fellows pole, fastest race lap

2001
GTS
Fellows/O'Connell
1st
Corvette C5-R

Collins/Pilgrim
3rd
Corvette C5-R

2002
GTS
Fellows/O'Connell
1st
Corvette C5-R

Collins/Pilgrim
2nd
Corvette C5-R
Pilgrim fastest race lap

2003
GTS
Fellows/O'Connell
1st
Corvette C5-R

Collins/Gavin
7th
Corvette C5-R
Gavin pole

2004
GTS
Fellows/O'Connell
2nd
Corvette C5-R

Beretta/Gavin
1st
Corvette C5-R
Gavin pole, fastest race lap

2005
GT1
Fellows/O'Connell
2nd
Corvette C6.R

Beretta/Gavin
1st
Corvette C6.R

2006
GT1
Fellows/O'Connell
4th
Corvette C6.R

Beretta/Gavin
2nd
Corvette C6.R

2007
GT1
Magnussen/O'Connell
1st
Corvette C6.R

Beretta/Gavin
2nd
Corvette C6.R
Gavin pole, fastest race lap

Fellows/Pilgrim
3rd
Corvette C6.R

2008
GT1
Magnussen/O'Connell
1st
Corvette C6.R
O'Connell pole

Beretta/Gavin
2nd
Corvette C6.R
Beretta fastest race lap

2009
GT2
Magnussen/O'Connell
1st
Corvette C6.R

Beretta/Gavin
3rd
Corvette C6.R

2010
GT
Beretta/O'Connell
5th
Corvette C6.R

Gavin/Magnussen
4th
Corvette C6.R
Magnussen fastest race lap

2011
GT
Beretta/Milner
6th
Corvette C6.R

Gavin/Magnussen
1st
Corvette C6.R

2012
GT
Garcia/Magnussen
2nd
Corvette C6.R
Magnussen pole

Gavin/Milner
10th
Corvette C6.R

WIN A 2014 CORVETTE! https://www.racetowincorvette.com/:b=ie8/#/intro

2013 Mobil 1 Presents the Grand Prix of Mosport

Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, Bowmanville, Ontario, Canada
July 19 - 21, 2013



Tune-in Details:


Television Broadcast:
7/21/2013 at 1:00 pm EDT on ESPN 2

Live Streaming:
7/21/2013 at 11:45 am EDT on ESPN 3

Live Qualifying:
7/20/2013 at 3:20 pm EDT on ESPN 3


LIVE TIMING:
http://www.imsaracing.net/2003/lt/ltc.html

http://scoring.alms.com/

Live Timing for mobile device:
http://scoring.alms.com/mobile.html

SEBRING PIT NOTES:
http://twitter.com/almsnotes

http://www.alms.com/races/tequila-pat ... -mans-series-long-beach-1

RADIO ALMS
http://www.americanlemans.com/

Live onboard cameras:
http://www.alms.com/camera/live-audio-broadcast

TICKET INFO:
http://www.mosport.com/events-2010-ev ... ckets/at-a-glance-tickets

http://store.mosport.com/index.php?cr ... rn=548&action=show_detail

Entry List:
http://www.imsaracing.net/2013/events ... 20CTMP%20ALMS%20Entry.pdf

Spotters Guide:
http://www.spotterguides.com/

Corvette Corral:
http://www.alms.com/sites/default/fil ... 20Corral%20schedule_0.pdf

Event Schedule:
http://www.imsaracing.net/2013/events ... %20CTMP%20Supp%20Regs.pdf

Track Map
http://www.imsaracing.net/2011/events/mosport/track%20map.pdf


Facility Map:
http://www.imsaracing.net/2011/events/mosport/facility%20map.gif

WEATHER:
http://www.theweathernetwork.com/weather/caon0076

CORVETTE RACING AT LIME ROCK: Second Place for Garcia, Magnussen

Hard-charging effort pays off with another podium finish



LAKEVILLE, Conn. (July 6, 2013) – Corvette Racing’s Antonio Garcia and Jan Magnussen stood on the podium at Lime Rock Park for the second straight season with a runner-up finish Saturday in the American Le Mans Northeast Grand Prix. The No. 3 Compuware Corvette C6.R ran a nearly flawless race to lead Corvette Racing’s effort in the fourth round of the American Le Mans Series.



The result, which played out for a live television audience on ESPN2, moved Garcia and Magnussen from fifth in the ALMS’ GT driver’s championship into a provisional three-way tie for second.



Tommy Milner and Oliver Gavin finished sixth in a trying race. The defending ALMS GT champions stand third in the provisional standings. Corvette Racing is tied for first in the team standings, and Chevrolet continues to lead the manufacturer’s championship.



Magnussen drove his entire stint in the car under green flag conditions on the crowded and steamy Lime Rock circuit. Starting from third, he pitted just over an hour into the race to hand over to Garcia. The hard-charging Spaniard chased down the first-place BMW and clicked off faster laps than the race leader before a late-race caution period halted his charge.



Misfortune struck Milner early as the driver’s side mirror broke after contact with a Ferrari early. He fell to 11th in class but worked his way up to seventh by the first pit stop. Gavin entered the race in fifth but the team was assessed a stop-and-go penalty when the Corvette left the pitlane with a cable still attached. Gavin also sustained minor damage when a prototype attempting to overtake him instead made contact.



“Today we saw both sides of racing at Lime Rock Park,” said Corvette Racing Program Manager Doug Fehan. “”It provided great entertainment for the fans with Jan and Antonio giving it their all and earning a well-deserved, runner-up finish. On the other end of the spectrum, I know Tommy, Oliver and the No. 4 crew would have liked to be part of the fight at the end. We head next to Canadian Tire Motorsport Park – a track that should favor our Corvettes and keep us in the GT championship hunt.”



Next up for Corvette Racing is the Grand Prix of Mosport on Sunday, July 21 from Canadian Tire Motorsport Park in Bowmanville, Ontario, Canada. It is the fifth round of this year’s ALMS championship.



ANTONIO GARCIA, NO. 3 COMPUWARE CORVETTE C6.R

“Corvette Racing again did an awesome job. It was the second race in row, plus Le Mans, where we gave 110 percent. We made very good calls and very good pit stops. I think we forced the BMW to take two tires at the end. I don’t think they believed they could stay ahead of us. They took that gamble. I don’t know how much it helped them to take that last yellow; maybe it cooled down everything. At that point, you don’t really know their strategy. I was saving tires and don’t know if they were. Looking at the last four laps how much they were suffering, I don’t know in a full green race what would have happened. I knew the race would come down to tires. We managed things as best we could. We had a very strong car, very good strategy and very good points for the championship.”



JAN MAGNUSSEN, NO. 3 COMPUWARE CORVETTE C6.R

“It surprised me that I did my whole stint under green. It’s not like anyone was falling off but they managed to get back on so as to not cause a safety car. I don’t know if people were getting too hot but the driving standards were quite bad. The gap (from Garcia to the leader) was closed up at the end and we wanted Antonio to have as much time as he needed to see if he could do anything about the BMW. Whether it was six or eight minutes, it probably wouldn’t have made that much of a difference. It looked like Antonio had the car at the end. Had we been right with the BMW, maybe we could have done something. Second is probably the best result we were going to have, so I’m very happy.”



OLIVER GAVIN, NO. 4 COMPUWARE CORVETTE C6.R

“To say that this was a frustrating day would be an understatement. The race didn’t start well for us and never got better. The contact Tommy suffered put us behind early, and we found out again that it is near impossible to recover. The penalty was unfortunate and clearly didn’t help matters. Traffic was more of an issue than ever before but it’s a by-product of the circuit layout. Great result for Jan and Antonio; Tommy and I are eager for similar results again.”



TOMMY MILNER, NO. 4 COMPUWARE CORVETTE C6.R

“We got completely hosed at the start by a competitor who decided to drive into me for the entire length of the braking zone in Turn 1, which knocked the mirror off. I checked out after that and had a nice little race going on before we had to pit to replace the mirror. The guys did an awesome job changing it out. Then on our pit stop, we just didn’t execute and got a penalty for that to put us back again. Traffic was just awful. It made everyone frustrated. You had to drive around in many cases at half your ability. It’s been a frustrating few days and months but we will learn from this and go to Canada with even more determination and desire. We’ll have to make up for these bad couple of races with a win. That’s how it has to be.”



Grand Prix of Mosport (all times ET)

GT Qualifying: 3:50 p.m., Saturday, July 20
Race: Noon, Sunday July 21


Canadian Tire Motorsport Park: Watch It!

Saturday, July 20-Sunday, July 21 (all times ET)

Qualifying: 3:20 p.m., Saturday, July 20 (ESPN3)
Race (TV): Live – 1 p.m., Sunday, July 21 (ESPN2)
Web: Live – 11:45 a.m., Sunday, July 21 (ESPN3)

Corvette Racing Stands Up to the Heat

Compuware Corvettes to start third, fifth in GT at Lime Rock



LAKEVILLE, Conn. (July 5, 2013) – Corvette Racing’s two Compuware Corvette C6.R race cars will roll off the GT grid from the second and third rows for Round 4 of the 2013 American Le Mans Series at Lime Rock Park, airing live at 3 p.m. ET Saturday on ESPN2. Oliver Gavin qualified the No. 4 Compuware Corvette third in class for the American Le Mans Northeast Grand Prix with Antonio Garcia fifth in the No. 3 entry.



Gavin’s best lap Friday was 51.490 seconds in the car he shares with Tommy Milner. Garcia, teaming with Jan Magnussen, turned a 51.357-second lap around the 1.5-mile circuit in northwestern Connecticut. Both cars are in prime position to repeat last year’s performance that saw the velocity yellow Corvettes second and third in the GT class.



The heat Friday bordered on oppressive. Air temperatures hovered near 95 degrees with track readings above 120 degrees. Both crews worked up a sweat throughout the day – especially the No. 3 group, which had to change the car’s gearbox following the day’s first practice.



The efforts of both teams paid off with each of the Corvettes within a half-second of the pole-winning car.



“Today was a mixed bag,” Corvette Racing Program Manager Doug Fehan said. “We had to change the gearbox on the No. 3 Corvette, but both Oliver and Antonio put in solid qualifying efforts. We know the race will be the typical GT slugfest, which is made that much more difficult with the close quarters and short lap around Lime Rock. It will come down to who can execute on the track and in pitlane. If we can do that and run as clean a race as possible, we will be in the hunt at the end of the day.”



EDITORS: High-resolution images of Corvette Racing are available on the Team Chevy media site for editorial use only.



OLIVER GAVIN, NO. 4 COMPUWARE CORVETTE C6.R

Qualified third, 51.490 seconds (103.057 mph)

“We found a bit more speed from the practices, and you always push harder in qualifying. I managed to stick a reasonable lap together, and we made a few adjustments with the car that helped us find a little bit more. It’s always a delicate balance here. There is not a huge amount of grip and you’re all the time seesawing from the rear of the car being too loose to the front of the car being too pushy. You try to massage that balance between the two because one end is always breaking free. Very rarely will you get a car that’s really good and stuck and lets you attack every corner with no fear.”



ANTONIO GARCIA, NO. 3 COMPUWARE CORVETTE C6.R

Qualified fifth, 51.537 seconds (102.963 mph)

“We all lost a lot of time from the first session due to the red flags and then we had to change the gearbox. We never got to try anything to improve the car from the first practice. In qualifying, I had no read from the car on new tires and we needed to judge what the car would do on new tires. I think I was pretty close to everyone other than the two leading cars. But after the problems we had this morning, we put in a very good qualifying effort. We are all very close and know how races here work out. We will all be single-file for two hours and 45 minutes, very close to how Laguna Seca was. We need to be spot on pit stops, tire changes and everything. If everything goes smooth, we have the car to be out front at the end.”



American Le Mans Northeast Grand Prix (all times ET)

· Race: 3 p.m., Saturday, July 6



Lime Rock: Watch It!

Saturday, July 6 (all times ET)

· Race (TV): 3 p.m., Saturday, July 6 (ESPN2)

· Web: 2:45 p.m., Saturday, July 6 (ESPN3)

Back in the USA: Corvette Racing Readies for Lime Rock

Next steps toward title defenses in ALMS



LAKEVILLE, Conn. (July 2, 2013) – Two weeks after both its Compuware Corvette C6.R race cars completed the Le Mans 24 Hours, Corvette Racing returns stateside to continue defense of its GT driver, team and manufacturer championships in the American Le Mans Series. Next up is scenic Lime Rock Park and the American Le Mans Northeast Grand Prix on Saturday, July 6.



The fourth ALMS round of the year will air live starting at 3 p.m. ET on ESPN2 with simultaneous live streaming on ESPN3 beginning with a 2:45 p.m., pre-race show. It’s an event Corvette Racing has won four times but none since 2008.



At 1.474 miles with seven turns, Lime Rock Park is the shortest track on the ALMS calendar but offers a surprisingly quick lap with average speeds in qualifying nearing 105 mph. The compact nature of the venue coupled with the two-hour, 45-minute race length means constant overtaking and frequent car-to-car contact.



Antonio Garcia and Jan Magnussen return to ALMS competition as the most recent winners in the GT class at Laguna Seca in May. The pairing – fourth in GTE Pro at Le Mans with Jordan Taylor – drive the No. 3 Compuware Corvette C6.R.



Oliver Gavin and Tommy Milner share the No. 4 Compuware Corvette. The defending ALMS GT champions – seventh with Richard Westbrook at Le Mans – stand second in this year’s drivers’ standings and are three points out of first. Magnussen and Garcia are fifth but just 12 points from the lead. The Lime Rock round pays 20 points to the race-winners, 16 for second and 13 for third.



Corvette Racing leads the team standings, as does Chevrolet the manufacturers’ race.



“Le Mans was as challenging as ever. We battled the weather as well as the competition and I can tell you we are glad to get back to racing in the ALMS,” said Doug Fehan, Corvette Racing Program Manager. “The crowd is always great at Lime Rock, and the racing is as tough as anywhere else we compete the rest of the season. At just 1.5 miles in length, Lime Rock presents some unique challenges. You can't make a green flag pit stop without losing a lap, so your strategy there will most likely determine your level of success. Our guys thrive on that pressure and are ready to go racing again."



EDITORS: High-resolution images of Corvette Racing are available on the Team Chevy media site for editorial use only.



American Le Mans Northeast Grand Prix (all times ET)

· Qualifying: 4:35 p.m., Friday, July 5

· Race: 3 p.m., Saturday, July 6



Lime Rock: Watch It!

Friday, July 5-Saturday, July 6 (all times ET)

· Qualifying: 4:25 p.m., Friday, July 5 (ESPN3)

· Race (TV): 3 p.m., Saturday, July 6 (ESPN2)

· Web: 2:45 p.m., Saturday, July 6 (ESPN3)



ALMS GT Championship Standings



Driver Standings
Team Standings
Manufacturer Standings

1. Dirk Muller – 42

2. Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner – 39

3 .Dominik Farnbacher/ Marc Goossens – 37

4. Bill Auberlen/Maxime Martin – 34

5. Antonio Garcia/Jan Magnussen - 30
1. Corvette Racing – 56

2. BMW Team RLL – 52

3. SRT Motorsports – 37

4. Risi Competizione – 28

5. Paul Miller Racing - 26
1. Chevrolet – 59

2. BMW – 52

3. Ferrari – 43

4. SRT – 40

5. Porsche - 37




Corvette Racing at Lime Rock

Year
Class
Drivers
Result
Car
Notes

2004
GTS
Fellows/O’Connell
Beretta/Gavin
2nd
1st
Corvette C5-R
Beretta pole,
fastest race lap

2005
GT1
Fellows/O’Connell
Beretta/Gavin
2nd
1st
Corvette C6.R
Beretta pole,
fastest race lap

2006
GT1
Fellows/O’Connell
Beretta/Gavin
2nd
4th
Corvette C6.R
Beretta fastest race lap

2007
GT1
Magnussen/O’Connell
Beretta/Gavin
2nd
1st
Corvette C6.R
O’Connell fastest race lap

2008
GT1
Magnussen/O’Connell
Beretta/Gavin
1st
2nd
Corvette C6.R
Gavin pole, Beretta fastest race lap

2010
GT
Magnussen/O’Connell
Beretta/Gavin
12th
5th
Corvette C6.R


2011
GT
Beretta/Milner
Gavin/Magnussen
9th
10th
Corvette C6.R


2012
GT
Garcia/Magnussen
Gavin/Milner
2nd
3rd
Corvette C6.R





ANTONIO GARCIA, NO. 3 COMPUWARE CORVETTE C6.R

“Because it is such a short track, everything has to run really, really smooth. It is easy to lose time and get in a position that conflicts with your strategy. You must run the whole race full-on and 100 percent. Knowing we ran a perfect race at Laguna – and I have to say we almost ran a perfect race at Le Mans – we need a repeat to be successful at Lime Rock. Our crew is running at its best and is pumped in the job they have done. We have to be consistent and not make any mistakes. That is what it takes every race to win in the GT class.”



JAN MAGNUSSEN, NO. 3 COMPUWARE CORVETTE C6.R

“I enjoy driving at Lime Rock. It’s a very short lap and the penalty for making a mistake can be quite big. Lime Rock is a fun track with interesting corners and is very, very old-school. In the past we have done quite well there but it has been awhile since we have won a race there but maybe that means we are due. It will be a case of us trying to have another race like Laguna Seca where we were almost perfect. With the competition being as equal and difficult as it has been in the first three ALMS races, it will take a perfect race with perfect pit stops and a good-handling race car. We know we have that and need to execute on race day.”



OLIVER GAVIN, NO. 4 COMPUWARE CORVETTE C6.R

“At Le Mans, you have 55 cars on a long track. At Lime Rock, you feel like you have 200 cars because there is no place for you to run off and hide. You can’t get a nice little piece of tarmac to run around by yourself for two hours and 45 minutes. It’s one of those places where you can never let your guard down even for a millisecond. You’re either on top of someone else or someone is coming to overtake you. You have to have eyes in the back of your head to deal with the traffic situation. The likes of someone like Brian (Hoye, No. 4 crew chief) spotting for us it critical too. There are people coming from every which way, not to mention incidents that may be developing in front.”



TOMMY MILNER, NO. 4 COMPUWARE CORVETTE C6.R

“Le Mans wasn’t a great race for us. It was frustrating on many levels. But coming back to the U.S., I think we’ll be on par and pace with our competitors. Once we get back going again at Lime Rock, we will be right in the thick of things again. Our focus turns back to our duties here in the ALMS and putting Le Mans behind us. Lime Rock is tough both physically and mentally. There are no breaks; you’re always working. I’ve had tough races there where I’ve driven two hours in the car with high heat humidity and had to work hard to survive there. It’s one of those races that you know what to expect – hot, humid and tough.”



Connect with Corvette Racing and Team Chevy on social media. Like us on Facebook at facebook.com/TeamChevy, follow us on Twitter @CorvetteRacing and @TeamChevy, and add +TeamChevy into your Google+ circles.

American Le Mans Northeast Grand Prix

July 5-6 2013

Tune-in Details:

Television Broadcast:
7/06/2013 at 3:00 pm EDT on ESPN 2

Live Streaming:
7/06/2013 at 2:45 pm EDT on ESPN 3

Live Qualifying:
7/05/2013 at 4:25 pm EDT on ESPN 3
U.S. residents: http://espn.go.com/espn3/index

http://espn.go.com/watchespn/index/_/source/espn3/

non-U.S. residents: http://americanlemans.com/index.php
http://www.alms.com/alms-tv


LIVE TIMING:
http://www.imsaracing.net/2003/lt/ltc.html

http://scoring.alms.com/

Live Timing for mobile device:
http://scoring.alms.com/mobile.html

PIT NOTES:
http://twitter.com/almsnotes

https://twitter.com/corvetteracing

RADIO ALMS
http://www.americanlemans.com/

NE Grand Prix agenda:
http://www.imsaracing.net/2013/events ... mentary%20Regulations.pdf

Map of Lime Rock
http://www.imsaracing.net/2011/events/limerock/lrpmapweb.pdf

Track Layout:
http://www.imsaracing.net/2011/events ... 0Track%20Layout%20Map.pdf

Spotters Guide:
http://www.andyblackmoredesign.com/

Entry List:
http://www.imsaracing.net/2013/events ... 20Rock%20ALMS%20Entry.pdf

Tickets:
http://tickets.limerock.com/default.asp

Corvette Corral:
http://www.alms.com/sites/default/fil ... le%20for%20Corvette_0.pdf

CORVETTE RACING AT LE MANS: Corvettes Complete 24 Hours

Fourth, seventh place in final Le Mans for C6.R with new car looming for ‘14



LE MANS, France (June 23, 2013) – Corvette Racing and its two Compuware Corvette C6.Rs completed the most demanding auto race in the world today by finishing in the top seven of the GTE Pro class at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Antonio Garcia, Jan Magnussen and Jordan Taylor brought home the No. 73 Compuware Corvette in fourth place after starting seventh. It was a remarkable comeback that saw the trio pick up three spots in the final six hours. The No. 74 Compuware Corvette finished seventh with Oliver Gavin, Jan Magnussen and Richard Westbrook driving.



All six drivers and the two crews weathered constantly changing conditions and 10 safety car periods – most of which required long runs behind the safety cars. No one in either garage could remember such a volatile event.



“Chevrolet was truly honored to compete in the 90th anniversary of the 24 Hours of Le Mans,” said Jim Campbell, Chevrolet U.S. Vice President, Performance Vehicles and Motorsports. “While it certainly was a challenging 24-hour event, I am proud that the entire Corvette Racing team exhibited a ‘never give up’ approach all race long. We look forward to returning next year for the 15th time at Le Mans and our first with the next-generation Corvette race car.”



Typical Le Mans attrition began to enter the equation in the last quarter of the race. After running seventh and eighth for much of the first 18 hours, the Corvettes crept up the standings as other entries began to fall off. By the 23-hour mark, both cars ranked among the top five in the class thanks to an aggressive wet tire strategy when rain began to pelt the circuit again.



Taylor outpaced ex-F1 pilot Giancarlo Fisichella to hold on to the fourth position over the final 20 minutes. Unfortunately, Oliver Gavin had to pit the No. 74 Corvette due to an exhaust issue. Rather than risk near-certain damage, the team elected to pit and send Gavin back out for the final lap.



Corvette Racing returns to American competition July 5-6 for the American Le Mans Northeast Grand Prix at Lime Rock Park, the fourth round of the American Le Mans Series.



American Le Mans Northeast Grand Prix (all times ET)

• Qualifying: 4:35 p.m., Friday, July 5

• Race: 3 p.m., Saturday, July 6



Lime Rock: Watch It!

Friday, July 5-Saturday, July 6 (all times ET)

• Qualifying: 4:25 p.m., Friday, July 5 (ESPN3)

• Race (TV): 3 p.m., Saturday, July 6 (ESPN2)

• Web: 2:45 p.m., Saturday, July 6 (ESPN3)



JAN MAGNUSSEN, NO. 73 COMPUWARE CORVETTE C6.R

“It has been a tough race. Obviously, Allan (Simonsen’s) fatal accident overshadows any race result. Even without the accident it has been a struggle for us all the way through. I think that if something comes of it, it will be from sheer determination and hard work by the whole team, carrying on as always even though it looked like we wouldn’t get anything out of this event. It says a lot about this team, the way they go about things, how hard they work and how they never give up.”



ANTONIO GARCIA, NO. 73 COMPUWARE CORVETTE C6.R

“We did the best we could do. We performed maybe not 100 percent but certainly 99 percent, which is something we can be proud of. Before the race we knew we probably didn’t have the base we needed to fight for victory. We were seventh or eighth for most of the time, but just by keeping running and everybody giving it his 100 percent best – drivers as well as mechanics – we made it. And as it sometimes happens, near the end the race came to us and we finished fourth, which is more than we could have hoped for.”



JORDAN TAYLOR, NO. 73 COMPUWARE CORVETTE C6.R

“It was a stressful last hour of the race. I went in when it was pouring but luckily the safety car came out because the spray was just horrible going down the Mulsanne and into Indianapolis (Corner). You could barely see the car in front of you, even behind the pace car. We sat like that for a while and then it went green with some 30 minutes to go, when it was fully dry again, but on wet tires. I think everybody was kind of managing that a bit and we were just able to maintain our gap (to the Ferrari behind). I don’t quite know what happened to the rest of the guys but somehow we came out fourth having started seventh. I think that was the best we could have done today.”



OLIVER GAVIN, NO. 74 COMPUWARE CORVETTE C6.R

“You can take some positives from this. The car in the end was very good when the track rubbered in. We hit the chassis right. The team did a fantastic job once again and rolled with the punches through the weather. It was one of the toughest 24 Hours that I’ve ever done in respect to the weather changes and choices in tires because the track was in between so many times. You had to wing it and take a big gamble sometimes. Unfortunately I think that’s one of the things that really contributed to Allan Simonsen’s accident – slippery and tricky conditions and wet curbs he got on to. It was an awful thing to see. The focus and aim now is defending the ALMS championship. By the end of the race when we were in fourth, fifth and sixth, we realized we didn’t want to risk the car possibly catching fire with the exhaust problem or me getting myself burned. It wasn’t really worth it so we cooled down and came in. There was frustration not being able to fight and race to the very end. But we will fight another day.”



TOMMY MILNER, NO. 74 COMPUWARE CORVETTE C6.R

“The team did a great job – period. We ran for 24 hours with no real mistakes. That’s what this race requires. The drivers did our job, the crew did their job – it just wasn’t our year, for sure. It’s a year like this where you learn a lot, you push hard no matter the conditions or situations and build character. I’ve never been part of a Le Mans that had conditions as difficult as this. They changed on every lap and on every corner. I’m really proud of all the guys at Corvette Racing – both crews and everyone involved. To perform in conditions like these shows how strong this team is.”



RICHARD WESTBROOK, NO. 74 COMPUWARE CORVETTE C6.R

“It was a hell of a team performance, as ever. It was great to get back to finishing ways in a 24-hour race. We know what we have to do next year, and we’re going to come back and do it. Sometimes you have a fast car, and we’ve had that the last couple years and didn’t execute. This year we executed with a car that was less fast. Next year we will have a fast car and we’re going to execute.”



DOUG FEHAN, CORVETTE RACING PROGRAM MANAGER

“This marked our 14th consecutive appearance at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. This year’s race provided the deepest field of competition and some of the most challenging conditions we’ve ever seen. Everything, considered, I could not be more proud of our guys for bringing home fourth- and seventh-place finishes – once again, demonstrating the durability and reliability that has made Corvette so successful. We can now move forward and look excitedly to defending our championship in the ALMS and then to our return to Le Mans next year with the all-new C7.R.”

CORVETTE RACING AT LE MANS: Corvette Racing Fast Facts

Ahead of the world’s most demanding road race



No. 74 Compuware Corvette C6.R – Oliver Gavin, Tommy Milner, Richard Westbrook

• Starting seventh in GTE Pro. Oliver Gavin qualified with a 3:58.644 (127.754 mph) on Thursday

• History at Le Mans:

· Oliver Gavin – Twelve starts. Best finish: 1st (2002, 2004-06)

· Tommy Milner – Four starts. Best finish: 1st (2011)

· Richard Westbrook – Three starts. Best finish: 3rd (2010)



No. 73 Compuware Corvette C6.R – Antonio Garcia, Jan Magnussen, Jordan Taylor

• Starting eighth in GTE Pro. Antonio Garcia qualified with a 3:59.526 (127.257 mph) Wednesday

• History at Le Mans:

· Antonio Garcia – Four starts. Best finish: 1st (2008-09, 2011)

· Jan Magnussen – Fourteen starts. Best finish: 1st (2004-06, 2009)

· Jordan Taylor – One start. Best finish: 5th (2012)



Corvette Racing at Le Mans

• Le Mans Debut: 2000

• Victories: Seven (2001-02, 2004-06, 2009, 2011)

• Team 1-2 finishes: Four (2001-02, 2004-05)

• First race: 2000 (3rd and 4th in GTS)

• First win: 2001 (Ron Fellows/Johnny O’Connell/Scott Pruett)



100th Race with Michelin

The 2013 season is the tenth consecutive season for Corvette Racing as a Michelin technical partner team, and the 24 Hours of Le Mans will become the 100th race for the Corvette-Michelin partnership.



It’s been a fantastic first 99 between the two with 62 victories worldwide – five at Le Mans and 57 in the American Le Mans Series. Their ALMS success includes six wins at the Sebring 12 Hours; five at Petit Le Mans; and six driver, team and manufacturer championships.



Corvette Racing has won GT class honors in six of the last 13 ALMS races including Sebring (Gavin/Milner/Westbrook) and Laguna Seca (Magnussen/Garcia).



Jan Magnussen: National Hero?

The Danish contingent is out in force again at Le Mans, and a large gathering welcomed Jan Magnussen to its campsite. It’s not uncommon for more than 30,000 Danish fans to flock to Le Mans each year.



“To be at Le Mans as a Danish driver is one of the most fantastic things that a Dane can experience,” Magnussen says. “You have to understand that there are more Danish fans at Le Mans than at the biggest Danish race. We don’t have very big race tracks in Denmark. There are years where we have had upwards of 40,000 Danish people at Le Mans. It’s quite a drive! They go there, make a vacation and party out of it. There is no doubt their favorites are on track.”



Le Mans 24 Hours (all times CET)

• Warm-up: 9-9:45 a.m., Saturday

• Race: 3 p.m. Saturday-3 p.m., Sunday



Le Mans: Watch It!

Saturday, June 22-Sunday, June 23 (all times EDT)

• SPEED: 8:30 a.m-2 p.m., Saturday; 4-7 p.m., Saturday; 7:30 p.m., Saturday-9:30 a.m., Sunday

• SPEED.com: 2-4 p.m., Saturday; 7-7:30 p.m., Saturday

• Corvette 24-Hour Live Stream: 9 a.m. Saturday-9 a.m. Sunday



Connect with Corvette Racing and Team Chevy on social media. Like us on Facebook at facebook.com/TeamChevy, follow us on Twitter @CorvetteRacing and @TeamChevy, and add +TeamChevy into your Google+ circles.


*********************************
No excuse not following the 24 hour Le Mans race while driving your Vette to a local car event!!!

SiriusXM subscribers will hear uninterrupted Radio Le Mans coverage of the race, produced by Radio Show Limited, from the time the green flag drops at 9:00 am ET on Saturday, June 22 through the finish on Sunday, June 23 on Sirius channel 111 and XM channel 203. The broadcast will also air on channel 964 on the SiriusXM Internet Radio App and online at SiriusXM.com.

CORVETTE RACING AT LE MANS: Staying the Course

Compuware entries take eighth, ninth spots on GTE Pro grid



LE MANS, France (June 20, 2013) – Qualifying is complete for the 90th anniversary of the 24 Hours of Le Mans with Corvette Racing firmly entrenched in what is its toughest fight at the world’s greatest endurance race.



The two Compuware Corvette C6.Rs will roll off eighth and ninth in the GTE Pro class at 3 p.m. CET/9 a.m. ET on Saturday following Thursday’s final qualifying sessions. Damp weather early in the first two-hour period hampered the team’s efforts to work toward improvements from Wednesday. The field did enjoy mostly dry running in the final period.



Oliver Gavin took advantage and improved the position and qualifying time for the No. 74 Compuware Corvette to 3:58.644. Antonio Garcia’s 3:59.526 from Wednesday’s session remained the best for the No. 73 Corvette. The pole time was a 3:54.635.



“The Corvette team is focusing on a race setup that will deliver the right combination of performance, handling, fuel economy and durability for this 24-hour race,” said Jim Campbell, U.S. Vice President, Performance Vehicles and Motorsports. “Add to that efficient pit stops, staying out of trouble and a little bit of racing luck, we can position ourselves to be up front in the GTE Pro class in the final laps of the 24 Hours of Le Mans.”



The focus now turns to final preparations for Saturday’s race start when Corvette Racing will go for its eighth class victory in 14 tries. The race will air live on SPEED starting at 8:30 a.m. ET Saturday. SPEED.com will feature live in-car camera videos of both Corvettes as well as a garage camera at stream.speedtv.com/corvette.



Le Mans 24 Hours (all times CET)

• Warm-up: 9-9:45 a.m., Saturday

• Race: 3 p.m. Saturday-3 p.m., Sunday



Le Mans: Watch It!

Saturday, June 22-Sunday, June 23 (all times EDT)

• SPEED: 8:30 a.m-2 p.m., Saturday; 4-7 p.m., Saturday; 7:30 p.m., Saturday-9:30 a.m., Sunday

• SPEED.com: 2-4 p.m., Saturday; 7-7:30 p.m., Saturday

• Corvette 24-Hour Live Stream: 9 a.m. Saturday-9 a.m. Sunday



JAN MAGNUSSEN, NO. 73 COMPUWARE CORVETTE C6.R

“The conditions were quite tricky in the first session since half the track was wet and the other half was dry. I ran on wets just to get my five laps in. I do believe we’ve made some headway in terms of car handling but we’re still down on speed.”



JORDAN TAYLOR, NO. 73 COMPUWARE CORVETTE C6.R

“I had a good little run, getting my five nighttime laps in to qualify for the race and I’m glad I did that without any mistakes. It was a bit tricky since the whole of the backstretch was wet and we were on slicks. That was my first time really experiencing that part of Le Mans, with the tricky conditions, so I’m glad to have gotten that out of the way and get a feel for the car before the race.”



OLIVER GAVIN, NO. 74 COMPUWARE CORVETTE C6.R

“We gained a second, and it will be interesting to see where we picked that up. We’ve been working hard the last day to put together why we are where we are and why we aren’t as competitive as we want to be. Yes, we made some gains. Fundamentally, we still have to find that main reason for the deficit to our competition.”



TOMMY MILNER, NO. 74 COMPUWARE CORVETTE C6.R

“You want to be competitive to run at the front, and we’re not quite there. We’ve improved the car handling-wise. Obviously faster is better than slower, so we’re going in the right direction. We are still working on it to find everything we can to find more speed.”



RICHARD WESTBROOK, NO. 74 COMPUWARE CORVETTE C6.R

“We wanted to see how long the wet tire can last in changeable conditions. It started off really wet and dried off quite a bit. So we got some really good data. Michelin is a great partner and it looks like we were able to give them some great feedback. It also was good for me because I’ve been at Corvette Racing for three years and had never driven in the wet! But the main issue is still there, which is straight-line speed.”



Connect with Corvette Racing and Team Chevy on social media. Like us on Facebook at facebook.com/TeamChevy, follow us on Twitter @CorvetteRacing and @TeamChevy, and add +TeamChevy into your Google+ circles.

SiriusXM to Broadcast 24 Hours of Le Mans Live June 22-23 -- NEW YORK, June 20, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --


NEW YORK, June 20, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Sirius XM Radio (NASDAQ: SIRI) will offer U.S. listeners live coverage of the 2013 24 Hours of Le Mans auto race on June 22-23 from the Circuit de la Sarthe in Le Mans, France.

SiriusXM subscribers will hear uninterrupted Radio Le Mans coverage of the race, produced by Radio Show Limited, from the time the green flag drops at 9:00 am ET on Saturday, June 22 through the finish on Sunday, June 23 on Sirius channel 111 and XM channel 203. The broadcast will also air on channel 964 on the SiriusXM Internet Radio App and online at SiriusXM.com.

The coverage will also feature an hour of pre-race news and analysis starting at 8:00 am ET as well as post-race coverage following the finish, with the podium ceremony and interviews with the top finishers.

"The 24 Hours of Le Mans is one of the great events of auto racing, testing both the performance of the race cars and the endurance of the drivers and their teams," said Scott Greenstein, SiriusXM's President and Chief Content Officer. "It is a spectacle that should be experienced in its truest form and we're proud to present live wire to wire coverage of the race, giving fans access to every second of the action."

The 24 Hours of Le Mans is the world's oldest and most famous endurance sports car race. Since 1923 it has tested the competitors' skills by requiring them to balance speed with the ability to efficiently run the car for 24 hours straight. The event features four classes of cars – two classes of custom built Le Mans prototypes (LMP1 and LMP2) and two classes of production based Grand Touring cars (GT Endurance Pro and GT Endurance AM). Manufacturers include Aston Martin, Audi, Chevrolet, Ferrari, Porsche, Toyota and others.

In addition to the 24 Hours of Le Mans, SiriusXM broadcasts every NASCAR race, IndyCar Series race and every Formula 1 race, giving motorsports fans around the country access to world class racing on oval tracks, road course tracks and street circuits.

Radio Le Mans is the official English language radio station at the 24 Hours. For more info visit www.radiolemans.com, their Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/groups/5508588715/) and follow on Twitter (@radiolemans).


http://prn.to/105T6KG

CORVETTE RACING AT LE MANS: Meet the Team

Ahead of difficult test in world’s most famous endurance race



LE MANS, France (June 19, 2013) – Members of Corvette Racing met with media at the Circuit des 24 Heures on Wednesday ahead of the first practice and qualifying session for the 90th anniversary running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The race begins at 3 p.m. CET/9 p.m. ET on Saturday.



JAN MAGNUSSEN, NO. 73 COMPUWARE CORVETTE C6.R

With such a deep field in GTE Pro, how many hours into the race do you think you will know exactly where you stand?

“It’s hard to say. You’ll find during the race your strength and weaknesses, along with those for the competition. The way it looks like the race will go with the weather, you will have to be faultless and run to plan. You cannot be distracted by what other teams are doing, especially if they are faster than you. It’s important to say dedicated to what the plan is and stick to that 100 percent. That will be very, very hard even in a dry race because of the competition. But if the weather keeps doing what it is doing, it will be a huge accomplishment to come out with a victory.”



ANTONIO GARCIA, NO. 73 COMPUWARE CORVETTE C6.R

How big a boost is it to come to Le Mans after winning in the ALMS at Laguna Seca?

“It was definitely a good thing to have that victory. Since I joined Corvette Racing, we had won the big races like Sebring and Le Mans. But the win at Laguna gave the team (in the No. 73 car) a big push ahead of Le Mans. We are very confident for the race. It will be a very big battle with all the manufacturers that are here. For sure they are all very well prepared but I think we have shown them before what it takes to win the race. We need to believe and trust in Corvette Racing to do it again.”



JORDAN TAYLOR, NO. 73 COMPUWARE CORVETTE C6.R

Is it a big difference coming to Le Mans in your second year instead of as a rookie?

“Last year was a big experience with a lot to learn. It’s such a unique event. I didn’t really know what to expect coming in. You get here on Monday and are here throughout the week with appearances, media events and autograph sessions… it is a roller coaster of emotions but you are here to drive a race car. Now this year I know what to expect and have such a great team and crew behind me. I’m very much looking forward to it.”



OLIVER GAVIN, NO. 74 COMPUWARE CORVETTE C6.R

This is 12 years at Le Mans with Corvette Racing. How has the event and preparation changed?

“Certainly, year on year the competition has grown stiffer and stiffer. Again this year is another high watermark in our class with five big manufacturers slugging it out in our category. Corvette Racing has raised their game year after year, which is an impressive thing – whether it is in preparation and leading up to the event, preparing the car, laying out pits, practicing pit stops, the routines and schedule… the way the team studies itself and improve year on year is spectacular. It’s hugely impressive and something that gives the drivers a lot of confidence to see that they are on the top of their game. The C6.R is at the end of its life and is at the top of its development curve. We plan to get out there and take on whoever is the best. If it turns out to be us, then great. But we will be fighting to get a victory. Certainly you will have to earn it, without a doubt. There is just so much strength and depth.”



TOMMY MILNER, NO. 74 COMPUWARE CORVETTE C6.R

You were part of the winning trio in 2011 for Corvette Racing. What will it take to get back there this year?

“Every year, the biggest challenge is not making mistakes and staying out of the pits. Ultimately when you look back, the winning team has been the one that hasn’t made mistakes and hasn’t pitted except for driver changes, tires and fuel. This weekend it looks like the weather will play a role, which it typically does at Le Mans. We saw that at the Test Day and got in some wet-weather running. And the GTE Pro class is super, super deep with five strong manufacturers that can all win the race. This whole week has been about preparing in every way possible with little details that will help make any kind of repairs quicker. Our guys have looked at every little aspect that may cause issues for the race, and we’re prepared for anything that comes at us.”



RICHARD WESTBROOK, NO. 74 COMPUWARE CORVETTE C6.R

The last time you were in the car was a win at the Sebring 12 Hours. What did that do for the mindset of the team?

“To be honest, we needed that win at Sebring. Olly and Tommy had won the ALMS championship but we had had a poor run in the endurance events. It was important to turn that around. You don’t want to come to a race like Le Mans lacking in confidence. So Sebring did us a world of good. It is great to run with these two (Gavin and Milner). I know what they want from the car, and they know what I want from the car. We want to win this race in the last Le Mans for the C6.R.



DOUG FEHAN, CORVETTE RACING PROGRAM MANAGER

What does this race mean to Chevrolet and Corvette Racing?

“First of all, bonjour! We are very pleased to be back. Those of you who have followed us here at the 24 Hours of Le Mans know that this program is representative of the cornerstone of everything we do in racing. Our objective throughout our year is all designed and focused on this event. We realize it is the single most important road race in the world. This is our 14th consecutive year with Corvette and we have been very fortunate to have seven victories – all of which we are most proud. This is a remarkable year because we have three anniversaries that we can celebrate. First and foremost is the 90th anniversary of this great race, and we’re happy to participate. The second is that this is the 60th anniversary of the production of Corvette, and currently we are approaching 2 million Corvettes that are registered and on the roads today. That’s an amazing number. And this will be our 100th race with one of our strategic partners – Michelin. Those three are of extreme importance to us, and we’re proud and pleased to be part of all those significant events.”



The next time Corvette Racing takes to the circuit at Le Mans is 7 p.m. CET/1 p.m. ET today for the final two sessions of qualifying. Corvette Racing will go for its eighth class win at the 24 Hours of Le Mans since 2001 at 3 p.m. CET/9 a.m. ET on Saturday, June 22 with live coverage on SPEED.



Le Mans 24 Hours (all times CET)

• Practice/qualifying: 4-8 p.m., 10 p.m.-midnight, Wednesday

• Qualifying: 7-9 p.m., 10 p.m.-midnight, Thursday

• Warm-up: 9-9:45 a.m., Saturday

• Race: 3 p.m. Saturday-3 p.m., Sunday



Le Mans: Watch It!

Saturday, June 22-Sunday, June 23 (all times EDT)

• SPEED: 8:30 a.m-2 p.m., Saturday; 4-7 p.m., Saturday; 7:30 p.m., Saturday-9:30 a.m., Sunday

• SPEED.com: 2-4 p.m., Saturday; 7-7:30 p.m., Saturday

• Corvette 24-Hour Live Stream: 9 a.m. Saturday-9 a.m. Sunday



Connect with Corvette Racing and Team Chevy on social media. Like us on Facebook at facebook.com/TeamChevy, follow us on Twitter @CorvetteRacing and @TeamChevy, and add +TeamChevy into your Google+ circles.

CORVETTE RACING AT LE MANS: Focusing on Race Setup

Compuware Corvettes make progress in first qualifying session



LE MANS, France (June 19, 2013) – With an eye toward its eighth class victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans since 2001, Corvette Racing continued to work toward the ideal race setups for the two Compuware Corvette C6.Rs on Wednesday. Both cars ran through a predetermined program on the opening day of track activity for the world’s greatest endurance event.



Antonio Garcia set the team’s fastest time in the No. 73 Compuware Corvette at 3:59.526, good enough for eighth on the provisional grid in GTE Pro. Oliver Gavin was next in the No. 74 Corvette at 3:59.860. But just as during the official Test Day on June 9, much of the focus remained on fine-tuning both cars for the race that begins Saturday.



The strength of the GTE Pro class was evident Wednesday with the top seven cars within 0.915 seconds with provisional pole position at 3:55.658. So there is room for improvement for Thursday’s two final qualifying sessions.



“I don’t think anyone is completely happy with the performance today,” said Doug Fehan, Corvette Racing Program Manager. “The good news is that we turned a significant number of laps compared to our competitors. But on the flip side, our competitors enjoyed an advantage on lap times and speeds. Fortunately we know what it takes to win Le Mans, and that is perseverance and endurance. That is the advantage of having won this race seven times before. Our guys will use that experience and feedback to improve the car for tomorrow’s final qualifying session.”



The Compuware Corvettes return to the track Thursday for a pair of two-hour sessions beginning at 7 p.m. CET/1 p.m. ET.



JAN MAGNUSSEN, NO. 73 COMPUWARE CORVETTE C6.R

“We’ve been trying to get into our testing program, and we’re still a little bit away from the handling and the setup we thought we were going to have at this point. We made some setup changes from the test till now but they didn’t work the way we thought they would. So right now we’re trying to find a good baseline and the work from that. It seems we’re giving a lot of lap time away in Sector 2, which is the Mulsanne straight, maybe upwards of 1.5 to two seconds. So we still have a little bit of work to do. We also ran a little bit in the wet early on, but the conditions were changing rapidly all the time. I’d have an out-lap where there was spray and then the next lap it dried, so I didn’t get a real good feel for the wet lines.”



JORDAN TAYLOR, NO. 73 COMPUWARE CORVETTE C6.R

“It was my first time being the first one on track here in Le Mans. I had stories about going down the Mulsanne and you get all the dust and dirt from the road cars which have used the road right until a few hours before, so that was a cool experience getting those special feelings everyone has probably gotten for the past 90 years. For me it was also about getting used to the car again, coming straight from America where I had driven the Corvette Daytona Prototype (at Mid-Ohio the weekend prior), readjusting myself to the Corvette C6.R. I did a few longer runs, which meant I had to adapt to the constantly changing track conditions, wet-dry, wet-dry. We’re getting closer to the setup as we go on as I think the car wasn’t ideal for all three drivers to begin with, so we’re dialing it in right now and hope to have a good start to the week.”



ANTONIO GARCIA, NO. 73 COMPUWARE CORVETTE C6.R

“It looks like we’ll have some homework to do between now and tomorrow’s qualifying. The car feels good, but just isn’t fast enough at the moment. I’m confident that by tomorrow night the engineers will have come up with an answer.”



OLIVER GAVIN, NO. 74 COMPUWARE CORVETTE C6.R

“When you look at the outright lap time, we’re 3.5 to four seconds off and no one wants that. But we have won at this event when we’ve been off our fastest competitors. We have the best team in the pitlane to do this. We have the most reliable car. We have a great setup. And of course we have won this race many, many times. I have great faith in how we are going to go out and run the race. We have to keep a logical approach, keep our heads about us and work the problem to go through all the variables. We will come up with a solution and a plan for tomorrow.”



TOMMY MILNER, NO. 74 COMPUWARE CORVETTE C6.R

“Certainly, we know we have work to do. It’s not where we want to be. We’re off in every aspect. The car that we had at the test felt good – better than what we have now. We need to figure out how to get it to what we had there. What we had at the test was competitive, but our competitors have gone significantly faster and we’ve stayed the same. We have to explore every single detail about our cars and see if we are missing something. The race is Saturday, not tomorrow. So we still have time to work on it and our guys will do that.”



RICHARD WESTBROOK, NO. 74 COMPUWARE CORVETTE C6.R

“It seems like we’ve got a lot on our plate this year. The competition is extremely tough, and the times we are seeing now are quite unbelievable. We seem to be in a division below the other competitors at the moment and we need to get to the bottom of it, quickly. But we’ve got the right guys in the team to do that and pull all the stops out to bring that gap down. The good news is it’s a 24-hour race and normally the fastest car never wins. That said, all is not lost but we’ve definitely got some work to do."



Le Mans 24 Hours (all times CET)

• Qualifying: 7-9 p.m., 10 p.m.-midnight, Thursday

• Warm-up: 9-9:45 a.m., Saturday

• Race: 3 p.m. Saturday-3 p.m., Sunday



Le Mans: Watch It!

Saturday, June 22-Sunday, June 23 (all times EDT)

• SPEED: 8:30 a.m-2 p.m., Saturday; 4-7 p.m., Saturday; 7:30 p.m., Saturday-9:30 a.m., Sunday

• SPEED.com: 2-4 p.m., Saturday; 7-7:30 p.m., Saturday

• Corvette 24-Hour Live Stream: 9 a.m. Saturday-9 a.m. Sunday



Connect with Corvette Racing and Team Chevy on social media. Like us on Facebook at facebook.com/TeamChevy, follow us on Twitter @CorvetteRacing and @TeamChevy, and add +TeamChevy into your Google+ circles.

CORVETTE RACING AT LE MANS: Stay up to SPEED

Live streams from Le Mans enhance coverage of 24 Hours



LE MANS, France (June 18, 2013) – Do you want to get inside the action with Corvette Racing at the 24 Hours of Le Mans? You can thanks to Chevrolet and SPEED for the 90th anniversary of the world’s greatest auto race.



Starting with the green flag at 9 a.m. ET/3 p.m. CET on Saturday, fans around the world can watch the race online through the eyes of Corvette Racing at SPEED.com. In-car cameras will run for the full length of the race in both the Compuware Corvette C6.R race cars that will compete in the GTE Pro class. Additionally, SPEED.com will stream a garage cam for the entire 24 hours.



Antonio Garcia, Jan Magnussen and Jordan Taylor drive the No. 73 Compuware Corvette at Le Mans. Oliver Gavin, Tommy Milner and Richard Westbrook pilot the No. 74 Corvette. With seven class victories at Le Mans since 2001, Corvette Racing and Chevrolet rank among the most successful teams and manufacturers to compete at Le Mans in the modern era.



“The 24 Hours of Le Mans is one of the most historic and challenging endurance sports car races in the world,” said Jim Campbell, U.S. Vice President Performance Vehicle and Motorsports. “It’s truly a test. We are proud the Corvette will be competing in the GTE Pro class against the Aston Martin Vantage V8, Ferrari 458 Italia, Porsche 911 GT3 RSR and Viper GTS-R on the 8.47-mile Circuit de la Sarthe. Chevrolet and SPEED are providing a unique opportunity for race fans to ride along in the cockpit of the No. 73 and No. 74 Compuware Corvette C6.R race cars. We’re pleased to give our supporters the ultimate insiders’ look at Corvette Racing’s action at Le Mans.”



The next time Corvette Racing takes to the circuit at Le Mans is 4 p.m. CET/10 a.m. ET on Wednesday, June 19 for free practice and qualifying. Corvette Racing will go for its eighth class win at the 24 Hours of Le Mans since 2001 at 3 p.m. CET/9 a.m. ET on Saturday, June 22 with live coverage on SPEED.



Le Mans 24 Hours (all times CET)

• Practice/qualifying: 4-8 p.m., 10 p.m.-midnight, Wednesday

• Qualifying: 7-9 p.m., 10 p.m.-midnight, Thursday

• Warm-up: 9-9:45 a.m., Saturday

• Race: 3 p.m. Saturday-3 p.m., Sunday



Le Mans: Watch It!

Saturday, June 22-Sunday, June 23 (all times EDT)

• SPEED: 8:30 a.m-2 p.m., Saturday; 4-7 p.m., Saturday; 7:30 p.m., Saturday-9:30 a.m., Sunday

• SPEED.com: 2-4 p.m., Saturday; 7-7:30 p.m., Saturday

• Corvette 24-Hour Live Stream: 9 a.m. Saturday-9 a.m. Sunday



Connect with Corvette Racing and Team Chevy on social media. Like us on Facebook at facebook.com/TeamChevy, follow us on Twitter @CorvetteRacing and @TeamChevy, and add +TeamChevy into your Google+ circles.






CONTACTS: Ryan Smith Judy Kouba Dominic

*******************************



More Media Info:



Radio Le Mans:

http://radiolemans.com/



Live Timing & pit notes:
http://live.lemans-tv.com/en/

http://thomasbaekdal.com/mini-sites/lemans2012/

Spotters Guide:

http://www.spotterguides.com/2013-wec/



Twitter:

https://twitter.com/#!/CorvetteRacing



Track Map:
http://www.corvetteracing.com/tracks/ ... emans/lemans_tracks.shtml

Le Mans Entry List:
http://www.24h-lemans.com/wpphpFichie ... 4-heures-du-mans-2013.pdf

Weather:
http://www.weather.com/weather/weekend/FRXX0048

News & Info links:
http://www.corvettemotorsport.com/lm24

BadboyVettes:
http://www.badboyvettes.com/

Race fans enter for a chance to win a 2014 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport Convertible and a trip to Le Mans, France, for the 2014 24 Hours of Le Mans by entering the “Race to Win Corvette promotion at www.racetowincorvette

In His Own Words: Jan Magnussen

Danish star talks ahead of his 10th Le Mans with Corvette Racing



LE MANS, France (June 14, 2013) – The 90th anniversary of the Le Mans 24 Hours is quickly approaching with practice and qualifying starting Wednesday. Corvette Racing's Jan Magnussen shares his thoughts on his 10th start for the team ahead of the prestigious June 22-23 event.



Question: The last time you and Antonio (Garcia) raced, the No. 3 Compuware Corvette ran a perfect race to win at Laguna Seca in the ALMS. Can that carry over to Le Mans?

Jan Magnussen: The most important part of winning at Laguna Seca for us was to make it clear what we needed to do to win. Last year we were so close in the ALMS to winning races with five second-place finishes, and little things got in the way and messed it up completely. What the Laguna win showed is that when we work together and execute perfectly, we can win races. It also was a mental thing for the crew to show that we can do it, especially right before Le Mans. There is a lot of self-confidence on our crew and belief that we can do it. You need to be fast at Le Mans but also perfect. Hopefully we can learn from Laguna. If we aren’t the fastest car on track, we will need to stick to our plan and try to be faultless, which is really, really hard over 24 hours – not to mention four.”



Q: Corvette Racing poses a formidable two-car lineup. Is that a huge advantage at Le Mans?

JM: We measure ourselves against the (No. 74) car. They are strong competitors for everyone. Our advantage is that we work together with them, and the two cars work off each other to get faster as a team. At Le Mans that’s much more important – both cars need to be quick. It’s definitely much more of a team effort than in the ALMS. We do push each other a lot. We have to be perfect, just like they do.”



Q: Can you take us back to the 2004 race at Le Mans – your first win with Corvette Racing?

JM: At midnight we were leading by a couple minutes when I got taken out by one of the Audis at the Ford Chicane. I limped back to the pits, and the car was heavily damaged. The guys fixed it but we went six laps down. For the next eight hours, we were fighting back and gaining a little on the leaders but six laps was too much. Then with three or four hours left, the leading Prodrive car came in with huge problems and lost the same amount of time in the pits we did. I was getting back in the car at this time, and we came out of the pits together but we were 20 minutes ahead. So the race was back on in a big, big way. It was such a fantastic feeling getting the last briefing by Gary Pratt. Everyone was screaming on the radio when we pulled back out saying, ‘We gotta go! We gotta go!’ Then getting the win was perfect.



Q: The contingent of Danish fans at Le Mans is one of the largest at the race each year. How fun is that to see?

JM: To be at Le Mans as a Danish driver is one of the most fantastic things that a Dane can experience. You have to understand that there are more Danish fans at Le Mans than at the biggest Danish race. We don’t have very big race tracks in Denmark. There are years where we have had upwards of 40,000 Danish people at Le Mans. It’s quite a drive! They go there, make a vacation and party out of it. There is no doubt their favorites are on track. You really feel that every place you go.”



Q: You are quite fond of Le Mans today, but that wasn’t always the case was it?

JM: “My first Le Mans I have to say was a horrible experience. Our car (a Panoz prototype in 1999) was unreliable. We weren’t that fast. It was the first real long-distance race I had completed in. I have to say after 10 hours, it did not make sense to me. I wondered why we were here. But then I got the chance to drive the car across the line at the end of the race and see all the mechanics and the happiness there. For most people, it is more than a race where you go to win; for most you go there to finish the race and it’s a huge accomplishment to be there at the end of 24 hours. That experience driving the car across the line gave me real respect for Le Mans, and that is when I understood what it was about.”



The next time Corvette Racing takes to the circuit at Le Mans is 4 p.m. CET/10 a.m. ET on Wednesday, June 19 for free practice and qualifying. Corvette Racing will go for its eighth class win at the 24 Hours of Le Mans since 2001 at 3 p.m. CET/9 a.m. ET on Saturday, June 22 with coverage on SPEED.

OLIVER GAVIN’S A-Z OF LE MANS



A...American Le Mans Series, our racing home from home.



B...Brian Hoye, my crew chief who keeps everyone on the No.4 car on the straight and narrow!



C...Corvette Racing, this year going for an 8th class win, and the great, race-winning C6.R.



D...determination, dedication and devotion to duty...the watchwords for the whole team.



E...stands for engineers and engineering – Doug Louth, Chuck Houghton and Kyle Millay step forward. Oh, and endurance, the best type of racing in the world.



F...Fehan, the boss, he who must be obeyed, our greatest advocate and critic!!



G...great GT competition from Aston Martin, Ferrari, Porsche and Viper. Let the battles begin.



H...Helen, my wife, without whose support I would be lost. My family come to Le Mans each year to cheer me on which means a lot to me.



I...there’s no ‘i’ in team - no one person is responsible for success (or failure), it’s a team effort.



J...for June – the annual pilgrimage to France for the world’s biggest sportscar race.



K...knowledge. A London cab driver has to pass ‘The Knowledge’ exam before he is licensed to take passengers. I believe a driver needs several years to acquire enough Le Mans knowledge to successfully deal with the event, on track and off.



L...long! The track, the week, the race…every year you find new and improved ways to cope (see above about needing several years to acquire said knowledge).



M...magical, mythical, massive, memorable, marathon, mind-blowing…so many ways to describe the 24 Hours.



N...night. Some drivers hate it but I love it – it’s cooler, the field is usually spread out a little more, and you can get into a good rhythm for 2-3 hours. Compared to Daytona, the hours of complete darkness at Le Mans are relatively short.



O...optimum preparation necessary to succeed in endurance racing.



P...pressure; you can either embrace it or be swallowed up by it. And Pratt, Gary and Robin; Corvette Racing wouldn’t be the team it is without them.



Q...is for qualifying. Those pole position trophies are impressive, but not sure we’ll get one this year as the Astons seem very fast…



R...is for PR! We said goodbye at the beginning of the year to our esteemed, long-time media guru, Rick Voegelin, and now welcome the newest member of the team, Ryan Smith.



S... Slick tyres. If it’s a dry race we will use about 14 sets of tyres and, following the test weekend, we ALL want a dry race.



T...is for Tommy [Milner] and Tan Man, otherwise known as Richard Westbrook, my team mates.



U...unending and universal. The week at Le Mans can sometimes feel unending but that’s overshadowed by the fact that it’s universally followed: 250,000 spectators, over 2000 media, hundreds of millions of TV viewers.



V...Vingt-Quatre Heures du Mans. The reason we all go sports car racing.



W...Winning, especially at the big events. We’ve conquered Petit Le Mans and Sebring in the last few years, now it’s time for Le Mans to come the way of the No.4 again. It’s been too long since our last victory (2006).



X...is for X-factor. No one element makes a successful team; it’s a combination of the car, the drivers, the engine, the tires, the team, and that X-factor...usually provided by Lady Luck.



Y...youth, combined with experience and expertise; Corvette’s driver line up to the letter.



Z...Zzzzzz. Sleep; what everyone becomes obsessed with at Le Mans. Our Corvette Racing compound in the paddock is where the drivers sleep, eat and relax for the week.

Attach file:

---

  2013 Corvette Racing team.jpg (125.77 KB)

Corvette Racing Off to Solid Start in Le Mans

Magnussen fifth, Milner seventh in testing for highly competitive GTE Pro field

LE MANS, France (June 9, 2013) – Corvette Racing successfully worked through its testing program Sunday for the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The pair of velocity yellow Compuware Corvette C6.Rs completed eight hours of running with no major issues ahead of the world’s most famous endurance race on June 22-23.

Jan Magnussen set the team’s best time of 3:59.491 (127.3 mph) in the No. 73 Corvette C6.R to finish fifth in the GTE Pro order. Magnussen, driving with Antonio Garcia and Jordan Taylor, opened and closed the test in differing conditions. The session began cool and damp, but the track eventually dried in the afternoon when the fastest times were set. The No. 73 Corvette turned a class-high 42 laps in the second session.

Meanwhile, Tommy Milner posted the best time in the No. 74 Corvette he shares with Oliver Gavin and Richard Westbrook. Milner’s best effort was a 4:00.319 (126.9 mph). The top six cars in class were separated by less than a second.

“Our guys followed the three golden rules today – don’t hit anything, don’t break anything and stay on the race track,” said Doug Fehan, Program Manager for Corvette Racing. “Considering the weather and track conditions, we feel comfortable with where we are in the program. Recording the fastest lap is never our ultimate objective during this test. Our experience at Le Mans has taught us that speed isn’t the single deciding factor. Our goal is simply to be capable of running a competitive pace and keep our time in pit lane to a minimum with great execution on every stop. You meet those objectives and good results will follow.”

The next time Corvette Racing takes to the circuit at Le Mans is 4 p.m. CET/10 a.m. ET on Wednesday, June 19 for free practice and qualifying. Corvette Racing will go for its eighth class win at the 24 Hours of Le Mans since 2001 at 3 p.m. CET/9 a.m. ET on Saturday, June 22 with coverage on SPEED. Corvette Racing’s last victory at Le Mans came in 2011.

JAN MAGNUSSEN, NO. 73 COMPUWARE CORVETTE C6.R
You were out early in the wet conditions. It had to be less than ideal.
“It wasn’t so nice out there. The track was right in between were the tires work best. Some parts of the track were dry-ish – not quite dry, but at least there was no spray. But it’s good to see the track again and get into the rhythm. But in those conditions you don’t really learn anything. You just get through the motions. I think that laptime-wise we were quite OK considering the conditions when we were out.”

ANTONIO GARCIA, NO. 73 COMPUWARE CORVETTE C6.R
How much did the track conditions improve in the afternoon?
“Finally we got to put the slick tires on the car, which was good for us because every single lap you can do in the dry here may be very important toward the race. I know It’s only two hours in dry conditions but we just need to focus on making the most of every single lap we can do. I was the first out on slicks in tricky conditions, which wasn’t maybe the best moment for the track (conditions). But at least I got to run a bit in the dry. The car felt quite good, as it has been doing during the season. We still need to double-check how it really goes, but so far it’s heading in the right direction.”

JORDAN TAYLOR, NO. 73 COMPUWARE CORVETTE C6.R:
Did you enjoy your return to the Corvette and Le Mans?
“It was good to be back in the car for the first time since Sebring, and first time back at this track since last year’s Le Mans. So it was good. This was the first time I did a run in the rain in this car so I learned a few things, but overall we’re learning as much as we can on a day like this. So far so good.”

TOMMY MILNER, NO. 74 COMPUWARE CORVETTE C6.R
Were you satisfied with the test day?
“It was a kind of boring first half of the day. It was good to get some wet weather running since we don’t do that a whole lot on those cars. We got a good feeling for the car in the wet. It was good to get some dry running at the end there and prove some of the bits and pieces we’ve developed over the year. We got some new tires from Michelin to try and see how those worked. It’s nice to have sort of a baseline going into race week. For me it was good. I think I could have gone quite a bit quicker; my in-lap would have been quicker and probably have put us right at the front (note: Milner’s sector 1 and sector 2 times were the fastest of the day for the No. 74 car before he pitted). So the pace is good, and the car is comfortable to drive.”

OLIVER GAVIN, NO. 74 COMPUWARE CORVETTE C6.R
The changing weather didn’t do anyone a favor, did it?
“The track was drying out, which was good as it gave us some good data. It looks like we’re there in the ballpark with everybody else so that’s encouraging. But it’s been a frustrating day for everybody; it’s been wet and then it’s been dry again and then wet again. You have one day a year here to test and it was beautiful the week before and it looks like it’s going to be nice next week. It’s frustrating for all but it just so happens that the wet day was today. But the car felt pretty well and things look good for next week.”

RICHARD WESTBROOK, NO. 74 COMPUWARE CORVETTE C6.R
Do you feel confident for the race after today?
“It’s always good to be back at Le Mans. It was a good test for us but it’s clear the competition has stepped up as it always does in GTE Pro. Just when you think it can’t get any tougher it seems to be getting more competitive. We’ve definitely got our hands full this year, and therefore it’s important we focus on our own job and that’s what we did today. The main thing is the car feels good and drivable for 24 hours. We’ve definitely got a good starting point for race week.”

Target Le Mans: Corvette Racing Ready for Test Day

First steps toward eighth victory in world’s greatest endurance race



LE MANS, France (June 6, 2013) – With seven class victories in the Le Mans 24 Hours since 2001, Corvette Racing is an established force at the world’s greatest endurance race. The drive for an eighth championship begins this weekend with the two Compuware Corvette C6.Rs taking part in the annual Test Day at the 8.5-mile Circuit de la Sarthe on Sunday (June 9).



The eight-hour session is as critical as ever for the No. 73 and No. 74 entries. This serves as the first chance to verify settings and engineering the team established since the 2012 race.



“As is our standard practice, the objective will be to achieve the absolute best track setup for all conditions and not necessarily set the fastest lap time,” said Doug Fehan, Corvette Racing Program Manager. “We have learned throughout our time at Le Mans that having a car in which all the drivers are comfortable is far more meaningful than sitting on the pole. Simply put, getting everything right is required for success at Le Mans.”



The test also is key to getting Corvette Racing’s two endurance drivers – Jordan Taylor and Richard Westbrook – reacquainted with their teammates and cars. Neither Taylor nor Westbrook have driven the Corvette since the Sebring 12 Hours in March to open the American Le Mans Series.



“Normally, it only takes a few laps to readjust,” said Westbrook, who will drive the No. 74 Corvette with Oliver Gavin and Tommy Milner. “But Le Mans is Le Mans, and it’s a very different track than anything else in the world. Things do take longer there. But I’m not too worried. The last two years I missed the test and it wasn’t too much of a problem. So this year being able to do it is a bonus. More track time is better.”



While Westbrook will contest Le Mans for the fourth time – third with Corvette – the 23-year-old Taylor made his debut in 2012. The magic of Le Mans wasn’t new; he spent his formative years watching his father, Wayne Taylor, compete at the 24 Hours. As was the case a year ago, Taylor teams with Jan Magnussen and Antonio Garcia who have seven class wins at Le Mans to their credit.



“It will be nice having seat time in a car that you don’t drive that often,” Taylor said. “Taking a couple months off is difficult, but that’s the benefit of the test day. Getting more laps at Le Mans is always a good thing, as is learning from my teammates who all have massive amounts of experience.



“I knew (Le Mans) so well last year having watched the race my whole life that when I got on the track I already knew where I was,” Taylor added. “It was a matter of braking points and how much speed you could carry. The track itself is fun for a driver but for an engineer it’s a little tougher because you have high-speed corners where you need downforce but long straights where you want to take it (the downforce) off. There is definitely an engineering compromise but the Corvette guys do a really job with that and always give us a good car.”



A great car and great strategy netted Corvette Racing a class Victory Lane at Sebring. The Gavin/Milner/Westbrook trio drove from two laps down due to an electrical problem and gave the team a huge endurance boost.



“Sebring was a monkey off our backs,” Westbrook said. “Even though we won the ALMS championship last year, in endurance races we had a bad record. The last two years I’ve been in the No. 74 car, we were leading by more than a lap and failed to finish. So I personally really needed Sebring and I know the crew wanted to prove they could do it not just in a two-hour race but also in a 12-hour race. It’s a massive confidence builder going into Le Mans.”

Thanks for sharing!

Quote:

ALMS.com opened up the link to US so we were able to watch it on their website. Was surprised at the good quality. Hope they continue to do that.

NO. 3 COMPUWARE CORVETTE C6.R WINS AT LAGUNA SECA WITH FLAWLESS RACE

No. 4 Compuware Corvette Finishes 10th after Gear Box Issue Early in Race

SALINAS, Calif. – (May 11, 2013) – A well-executed team effort helped Corvette Racing return to victory lane at the 2.238-mile, 11-turn Laguna Seca road course for the second consecutive year. Jan Magnussen and Antonio Garcia, drivers of the No. 3 Compuware Corvette C6.R, scored their first American Le Mans Series (ALMS) GT Class win of the season and first since 2011. Oliver Gavin and Tommy Milner, drivers of the No. 4 Compuware Corvette C6.R scored Corvette Racing’s first win of 2013 in the season-opening race at Sebring.

Gavin qualified fourth for the ALMS GT Class at Laguna Seca while Garcia posted the sixth-fastest GT time in his No. 3 Corvette.

Right out of the gate, the No. 4 Corvette team faced adversity as they made contact with another car but were able to continue on with no damage. After both cars stopped for fuel and tires just over an hour into the race, the No. 3 car piloted by Magnussen powered their way to the front of the field while trouble struck the No. 4 Corvette again when Gavin radioed the crew that his car was stuck in sixth gear.

A full course caution coincided with the gear box problem and the crew brought Gavin down pit road and to their attention under yellow. The team quickly identified the problem which was a cracked hose in the gear box. Unfortunately the repairs cost the team five laps and they fell to the rear of the GT ranks, and came home in 10th position.

At the halfway mark of the race, Magnussen had stretched out a two second lead over second place until a full course caution fell for a car stuck in the sand. That is when the No. 3 team decided to bring Jan in for tires, fuel and a driver change. It was yet another lightning-fast stop for the Corvette Racing crew which kept the car at the front of the field.

With Garcia behind the wheel, the No. 3 team would not relinquish the lead again. The margin was tight most of the race and varied from three-tenths to almost two seconds. The crew and drivers had no room for error in such a close race. The No. 3 Corvette team impressively spent four seconds less on pit road than their competitors in second place. A number which surely factored into tonight’s victory.

Magnussen was happy with the long awaited win in a tough race. “I have to say, today was one of the most perfect races we’ve had with Corvette Racing,” he said. “We were under pressure the whole way. We never had a big lead, we really had to work through traffic and not get stopped by the slower cars and lose too much time. It was a matter of being precise the whole race. The pit crew made perfect stops. We didn’t have any issues in the pits. We did the driver change during only a short fuel, so there wasn’t a lot of time to make it. I am so happy we finally get a win over a year and a half. With this one, if you can’t win driving like this, you can’t win. It is a lot of pressure, but we have a great crew behind us the whole time.

“I knew right away we had a good car, but immediately in my mind I didn’t think we would win it because we have been in that situation many times last year where we had a good car, and a good situation going, but didn’t get the win. So this race was just a really tough race because we were under pressure the entire time and there was no room for any mistakes in the pits or on track and the whole team just performed fantastic.”

Garcia, who drove the final laps under intense pressure, gave much credit to this team. “It was brilliant,” said Garcia. “Even the driver change was amazing. Even if it was 11 or 12 seconds on fuel, we made it out on time and I could hardly even do my belts before taking off. So basically that is the main thing. The Corvette crew did a great job out there and all the pit stops were under yellow and even if we were coming in bumper-to-bumper, every time we were going out of the pits, nobody was behind us. They were behind, but they were further back than when we came in. You need a fast Corvette race car, but just as important is having a crew that performs like these guys did today. I think last year we did like 5 second places, so we really deserved a win or two. I thought today, with as perfect as we’ve been driving, if we don’t get this win, I don’t know what else to do. Everything worked, right where it needed to be.”

Gavin teamed with Milner to win the GT class in last year’s event at Laguna Seca, finishing 3.45 seconds ahead of the No. 3 Corvette C6.R, driven by Garcia and Magnussen for a 1-2 finish. Gavin and Milner continued their success that culminated in winning the 2012 ALMS drivers’ championship, and opened the 2013 season with a victory at Sebring last month.

The other top-ten finishers in Saturday’s race in ALMS GT competition were, No. 17 Porsche 911 GT3 RSR (2nd), No. 56 BMW Z4 GTE (3rd), No. 91 SRT Viper GTS-R (4th), No. 23 Ferrari F458 Italia (5th), No. 55 BMW Z4 GTE (6th), No. 48 Porsche 911 GT3 RSR (7th). No. 06 Porsche 911 GT3 RSR (8th), and the No. 62 Ferrari F458 Italia (9th).

Corvette Racing has 79 ALMS class victories, including four in 2012, making it the most successful team in American Le Mans Series history.

3rd place start on grid for Laguna Seca 4-hour race
11/05/2013
In the 15-minute qualifying session this afternoon at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, Olly set the fourth quickest lap of the session in his No.4 Corvette C6.R and was due to line up behind the pole-winning Risi Ferrari and two Porsches. However, the Core Autosport Porsche which was due to start on the front row failed its post-session tech inspection and Olly and his team mate Tommy Milner will now start tomorrow’s four-hour race, round three of the 2013 American Le Mans Series, in third place.

Olly’s best time of 1:22.924 was only two hundredths of a second behind the Falken Porsche – a measure of just how close the ALMS GT category remains. With Milner, the British driver won the GT class in last year’s event at Laguna Seca, finishing 3.45 seconds ahead of the No. 3 Corvette C6.R, driven by Antonio Garcia and Jan Magnussen.

“Where we are right now with the car with the weight we have got on and everything else, I think we are pretty much maxed-out,” said Olly. “For a four race it’s a pretty decent spot and we know that plenty can happen. Last year we proved that we could win races from wherever you are on the grid – fourth, fifth, seventh, no matter where – and we didn’t have to be on pole.

“I was quite surprised to see the cars in front of us – not necessarily the Risi Ferrari as we know that’s fast – but Core Autosport has come out quickly with their brand new Porsche and the Falken car has worked extremely well on the slower speed circuits where it’s not quite so warm. Porsches have traditionally been good here.

“The temperature hasn’t been so great for us but we’re pretty happy with our balance and the race is long so strategy will be important. We know there’s still plenty of potential for a good result. It’s difficult to see or know what the temperature is going to be tomorrow as the marine layer keeps coming over and the sun keeps going in and out;, temperatures are yo-yoing up and down. Just trying to get the right tire choice and pressures right is going to be tricky, but someone is really going to hit it right tomorrow and end up winning.

“We’ve had a pretty good direction on set up from last year and we haven’t had to chase it wildly but we’ve been adjusting the car throughout every session. With the changing temperatures, it’s a bit of a moving target here. In qualifying all the GT cars have generally good drivers and you didn’t have a load of people dropping wheels off and dragging sand onto the track, taking weird lines. Everyone was pretty disciplined and good so that was satisfying and pleasing. We’re really looking forward to tomorrow.”

http://www.olivergavin.com/2013/05/3r ... -laguna-seca-4-hour-race/

Corvette Racing Returns to Laguna Seca, Site of 1-2 Finish in 2012



(Monterey, Calif., May 9, 2013) – When teams and drivers return to a track where they have previously enjoyed success, it sparks a heightened sense of anticipation heading into the event. For the drivers and crew members of the No.’s 3 and 4 Compuware Corvette C6.Rs, this weekend’s four-hour American Le Mans Series (ALMS) Monterey at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca means a return to the site of a 1-2 Corvette Racing finish in 2012.



“I think the longer format is going to play into our hands,” said Oliver Gavin, co-driver with Tommy Milner of the No. 4 Corvette C6.R. “We have performed well over the longer races recently, and I really feel we have got the best team.”



Gavin teamed with Milner to win the GT class in last year’s event at the 11-turn, 2.238-mile road course, finishing 3.45 seconds ahead of the No. 3 Corvette C6.R, driven by Antonio Garcia and Jan Magnussen.



“We regularly make up time on people in the pits – either with quick tire changes, how we play our fuel strategy or the strategy in general,” Gavin said. “We’ve got a great group of guys. These races are so tight it sometimes comes down to when you take your last stop and how much fuel you take on, and with a longer race you’ve got a wider strategy window to play with.”



Corvette Racing, which won the season-opener at Sebring and scored two top-five finishes at Long Beach, is tied for the ALMS GT Team Championship lead. Chevrolet leads the series’ GT Automobile Manufacturer standings by three points.



“Monterey is always one of the great events of the year,” Milner said. “The track lends itself to some great racing.”



Corvette Racing produced a 1-2 finish at the six-hour American Le Mans Series at Monterey last year as Gavin and Milner bounced back from a troubled pit stop to finish 3.45 seconds ahead of Magnussen and Garcia. While Magnussen drove the No. 3 Corvette C6.R from fifth to second in the final hour, Gavin took the No. 4 Corvette C6.R to the lead with about hour remaining en route to producing Corvette Racing’s second consecutive win of the season on its way to the 2012 manufacturer and team and championships.



“We had success there last year with our Corvettes, but as we saw at Long Beach we need to be on our game to give ourselves a chance to win again this year,” Milner said.



Gavin said the track conditions this weekend should make for a challenging event.



“Looking at the forecast, it looks as though it could be quite cool, so how well you make your tires work could steer the outcome of the race; they will certainly play a big part in the weekend,” Gavin said. “There’s likely to be plenty of cautions and incidents with 36-plus cars in the field; it makes for a full race track. Additionally, the track surface is always very dusty which adds to the challenges. The GT class drives around in a high-speed train and it only really gets broken up when there’s an incident, or when you come against faster or slower traffic. You have to be 100 percent on top of your game and concentrating fully; you can’t afford one slip up otherwise you won’t finish in the top-five, let alone on the podium.”



Corvette Racing has 78 ALMS class victories, including four in 2012, making it the most successful team in American Le Mans Series history.


The Tequila Patron American Le Mans Series at Monterey starts at 6:30 p.m. Eastern time on Saturday, May 11. GT qualifying is 7:55-8:10 p.m. Eastern time on Friday, May 10.

WIN A 2014 CORVETTE! https://www.racetowincorvette.com/:b=ie8/#/intro

2013 American Le Mans Monterey Presented by Patrón

Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, Monterey, California, USA
May 9 - 11, 2013

Tune-in Details:

Live Qualifying:
5/10/2013 at 6:45 pm CDT on ESPN 3

Live Streaming:
5/11/2013 at 5:15 pm CDT on ESPN 3

Television Broadcast:
5/12/2013 at 3:00 pm CDT on ESPN 2


LIVE TIMING:
http://www.imsaracing.net/2003/lt/ltc.html

http://scoring.alms.com/

Live Timing for mobile device:
http://scoring.alms.com/mobile.html

SEBRING PIT NOTES:
http://twitter.com/almsnotes

http://www.alms.com/races/tequila-pat ... -mans-series-long-beach-1

RADIO ALMS
http://www.americanlemans.com/

Live onboard cameras:
http://www.alms.com/camera/live-audio-broadcast

TICKET INFO:
http://www.mazdaraceway.com/get-ticke ... -montereypresented-patron

Entry List:
http://www.imsaracing.net/2013/events ... 20ALMS%20MRLS%20Entry.pdf

Spotters Guide:
http://www.spotterguides.com/

Corvette Corral:
Not posted yet

Event Schedule:
http://www.imsaracing.net/2013/events ... %20MRLS%20Supp%20Regs.pdf

Map:
http://www.mazdaraceway.com/track-map-racing-lines

WEATHER:
http://www.myweather2.com/Motor-Racin ... /Laguna-Seca-Circuit.aspx

Corvette Racing Banquet:
http://corvettemuseum.com/registration/RaceDinners/champ2013.shtml

CORVETTE RACING FINISHES 4TH AND 5TH AT LONG BEACH

Tied for Manufacturer Lead After 2 Rounds



(LONG BEACH, Calif., April 20, 2013) – Corvette Racing scored two top-five finishes at Long Beach to maintain a share of the lead in the American Le Mans Series (ALMS) Manufacturer Standings through the first two races of the season.



Tommy Milner and Oliver Gavin, drove the No. 4 Compuware Corvette C6.R to a fourth-place finish in the GT class in the two-hour Tequila Patron American Le Mans Series at Long Beach on the 1.968-mile, 11-turn street circuit. Antonio Garcia and Jan Magnussen finished fifth in the No. 3 Compuware Corvette C6.R.



“As we saw in qualifying, the cars are just so close in performance,” Milner said. “We were in a good spot, but just a little unlucky there.”



Milner, who earned his first career ALMS race at this event last year, qualified sixth and had driven up to fourth when the team pitted with just over an hour remaining, and changed drivers. During the exchange, the team had a difficult time securing the steering wheel.



“Pretty much our race was so dictated by that pit stop where I got in and really just struggled to get the wheel on,” Gavin said. During the stop the team also experienced some trouble with one of the tires, and “the wheel got spun around and I was then trying to find the point where it had to slot on, and it wasn’t so easy to see. By the time I got it on, everybody else had finished up their pit stops and we came out pretty much at the back.”



Garcia, meanwhile, started fourth and quickly moved toward the front.



“Everything went to plan, basically,” Garcia said. “We knew how usually the first lap works here. I basically put pressure on, and the two cars in front of me both went off so I kind of made myself a little bit of a gap and made a pass on both.”



But, a series cautions slowed the No. 3 Corvette C6.R’s momentum, and brought pit strategy into play.



“All of those yellows – especially that first one, it was like flipping a coin,” Garcia said. “I think it was the right call to stay out, but then with all of these yellows coming after is where being in the lead wasn’t such an advantage anymore.”



The No. 3 Corvette C6.R was running second when the driver change was made.



“It started off pretty well,” Magnussen said. “I think the way the strategy and the pit stops worked out really hurt us. It seemed like everybody else was trying to salvage something and kind of went out of sequence and gained really well on it, and we lost on it, unfortunately. We were struggling a little bit too much right there at the end with grip.”



With less than 15 minutes remaining, Gavin passed Magnussen for fourth place.



“It was another learning lesson for us,” said Gavin, who teamed with Milner and Richard Westbrook last month to win the season-opening Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring. “It was good just to score the points in the championship, to get fourth place, I’ll take that every day with how rough that race was. It was pretty nasty at times, and difficult, and traffic was hard. There was plenty of bumping and banging, and you just have to try and keep the car clean. There were a number of times where I thought, ‘Oh, this could get pretty messy here. We’re going to lose a corner off the car.’ Or, it was just sliding and sliding and you were just hoping that it was going to stop sliding before we ended up hitting the wall, and fortunately it did.”



The No. 55 BMW Z4 GTE won the race, followed by the No. 56 BMW Z4 GTE, the No. 91 SRT Viper GTS-R, and the two Corvettes.



Unofficially, Chevrolet and BMW share the Manufacturers Standings with 34 points apiece.



“Those guys battled the whole race,” said Jim Campbell, Chevrolet Vice President of Performance Vehicles and Motorsports. “I would say tires were a factor throughout the race. It was tricky out there. I commend the whole Corvette Racing team for really staying focused and driving toward the front. You know, a couple of cars in front of us were a little tight on gas. We didn’t get them today, but it was a good points day and momentum in the season continues. So, on to Monterrey.”



The ALMS season resumes with Round 3 on May 9-11 with the American Le Mans Series Monterey (Calif.) at Laguna Seca, where Gavin and Milner won last year.



Long Beach Results



1. #55 BMW Z4 GTE (Auberlin/Martín)

2. #56 BMW Z4 GTE (D. Muller/Hand)

3. #91 SRT Viper GTS-R (Farnbacher/Goossens)

4. #4 Chevrolet Corvette C6.R (Gavin/Milner)

5. #3 Chevrolet Corvette C6.R (Magnussen/Garcia)

6. #48 Porsche 911 GT3 RSR (Miller/Holzer)

7. #23 Ferrari F458 Italia (Sweedler/Bell)

8. #93 SRT Viper GTS-R (Bomarito/Wittmer)

9. #62 Ferrari F458 Italia (Beretta/Malucelli)

10. #17 Porsche 911 GT3 RSR (Henzler/Sellers)

Connect with Team Chevy on social media. Like us on Facebook at facebook.com/TeamChevy, follow us on Twitter @TeamChevy, and add +TeamChevy into your Google+ circles.

Team Chevy racing photos are available at: http://media.gm.com/product/public/us/en/gmracing/photos.html

About Chevrolet


Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world's largest car brands, doing business in more than 140 countries and selling more than 4.5 million cars and trucks a year. Chevrolet provides customers with fuel-efficient vehicles that feature spirited performance, expressive design, and high quality. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.

Good report! Thanks for sharing. Will post official GM media statement after the race views on TV.

CORVETTE RACING QUALIFIES 4TH AND 6TH AT LONG BEACH



(LONG BEACH, Calif., April 19, 2013) – Jan Magnussen, driver of the No. 3 Compuware Corvette C6.R, qualified fourth (1:19.047 secs.) in the American Le Mans Series (ALMS) GT Class at Long Beach. Tommy Milner, who won his first ALMS race at this event last year, qualified sixth (1:19.083) in the No. 4 Compuware Corvette C6.R on the 1.968-mile, 11-turn Long Beach Street Circuit.



“We definitely made some good improvements between practice and qualifying,” Magnussen said. “It’s always hard here because there’s such a long time between the two sessions, so you really have to think about how the track is going to develop, so I think we made some good choices. We’ll go back and look at some old data and fine-tune a little bit, but overall, I’d be happy to race this car.”



Magnussen added that the No. Corvette C6.R experienced a minor problem during practice, but it was fixed before qualifying.



“We had a small issue shifting this morning. Fixed. All gone,” Magnussen said. “I’m really looking forward to tomorrow.”



Magnussen will team with Antonio Garcia for tomorrow’s race.



Milner will again team with Oliver Gavin. The two won the 2012 ALMS drivers’ championship, and opened the 2013 season with a victory at Sebring last month.



“Obviously, it’s super, super close, as it always is in GT,” Milner said. “So, the position doesn’t sound great; sixth is not what I was hoping for, but it was only two-tenths off the pole. That’s pretty close.



“Obviously, I’d love to get a win here again, like I did last year, my first win in ALMS, but at the end of the day is the championship and finishing the race and keeping the nose of the car clean, give it to Oliver and let him work his magic like he did last year.”



Corvette Racing has 78 ALMS class victories, including four in 2012, making it the most successful team in American Le Mans Series history.

The Tequila Patron American Le Mans Series at Long Beach starts at 4:30 p.m. Pacific time on Saturday, April 20.

CORVETTE RACING LOOKS FORWARD TO LONG BEACH RETURN



(LONG BEACH, Calif., April 19, 2013) – Corvette Racing returns to where its championship season in 2012 earned its first of four victories: The 1.968-mile, 11-turn Long Beach Street Circuit.



Oliver Gavin and Tommy Milner, co-drivers of the No. 4 Compuware Corvette C6.R, won at Long Beach last year en route to the Team and Driver championships. It was their first victory as a team, and Milner’s first victory in the American Le Mans Series.



“Long Beach was the start of the run to the Championship for Tommy and me,” Gavin said. “As you so often have to be on street races, we were a little lucky in that the two cars in front of us on the grid had issues on the fourth corner of the race and their race was compromised from there on. We still had to battle our way from then on to the front but our car was good straight off and that was a big plus point.”



One of the keys at Long Beach, Gavin said, is the very last turn.



“The most important corner on the track is the last one and getting off that corner well is vital for lap time and opportunities to overtake other cars,” Gavin said. “If you can get into someone’s tow on the straight it’s the best chance you get to pass others going into Turn 1. Street tracks are always a bit of a lottery, but if you are able to switch on your tires fast, ride the bumps easily and go through and off the corners well, you’ve got a good chance to be fast.”



Doug Fehan, Corvette Racing Program Manager, agrees that luck is important, particularly on street courses.



“There’s a formula that I like to extoll, and it’s for any race: It’s 25 percent great car, 25 percent great team and 50 percent good luck,” Fehan said. “And that gets modified just a little bit when you go to street races, and the good-luck portion plays a much greater role. Because you have a great car and a great team, but in a street race anything can happen to you – from turn one, lap one to turn 10, final lap of the race. You’ve got to have good fortune on your side. Anybody who wins at Long Beach, has good fortune on that day. That’s just the way street races work.”

Corvette Racing, which also won the 2012 ALMS Manufacturer Championship, opened the 2013 season with a victory last month. Milner made a late pass for the lead and held on for the final 15 minutes as the No. 4 GT Compuware Corvette C6.R overcame an early electrical issue and two key penalties to win the GT class 61st Annual Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring at Sebring International Raceway.

Fehan thinks the one-month break between the first two races will be a good thing for the two Corvette Racing teams.



“It lets the guys wind down a little bit, and you clearly get to take more time and get the car correct and ready for the next race,” Fehan said. “There’s a huge emotional build-up to that event at Sebring, and a huge emotional release when you’re victorious, so to have a little extra time to catch your breath, get yourself sorted out, and enjoy and contemplate what you’ve accomplished, and then re-focus on what you have to do. So, the break is actually pretty good.”



The No. 3 Compuware Corvette C6.R, driven by Antonio Garcia and Jan Magnussen, looks to bounce back from an electrical issue at Sebring.



“The issues that we had with the 3 team at Sebring were just devastating,” Fehan said. “As it turns out, a simple little pin on one little wire, and it took those guys out of contention – and they had a car that was good enough to win. Now, if you do this game long enough, you’re going to have those experiences. Everybody goes through that. They all want to perform at their optimum, they all want to make sure that they bring a car that they know can win. And they did that at Sebring. It just didn’t work out. It was one of those racing bad days. As quickly as that can happen to you, it can turn around. I think they are very energized by that, I think they know that at a street race it is anybody’s ballgame and the 3 guys are not at all down and out about it at this point. You go home, you get past it and you come back harder than ever.”



Corvette Racing has 78 ALMS class victories, including four in 2012, making it the most successful team in American Le Mans Series history.



CORVETTE RACING

86 RACE WINS (78 ALMS, 7 LeMans, 1 GRAND-AM)

AMERICAN LE MANS SERIES



CORVETTE RACING ADVANCE

Tequila Patrón American Le Mans Series at Long Beach

LONG BEACH TEMPORARY STREET COURSE

LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA

APRIL 17, 2013



DID YOU KNOW? Both the 2014 Corvette Stingray coupe and convertible are powered by the new LT1 6.2L V-8, with an estimated 450-hp and 450 lb-ft of torque. As no structural reinforcements are required for the convertible, both models share almost identical power-to-weight ratios. The LT1 combines several advanced technologies, including direct injection, Active Fuel Management and continuously variable valve timing to support an advanced combustion system designed to balance power and efficiency.



CORVETTE RACING & TEAM CHEVY SOCIAL MEDIA: Connect with Corvette Racing and Team Chevy on social media. Like us on Facebook at facebook.com/TeamChevy, follow us on Twitter @CorvetteRacing and @TeamChevy, and add +TeamChevy into your Google+ circles



CORVETTE RACING FOR THE FANS AT LONG BEACH:

• Fans can visit the Corvette Racing and Chevy IndyCar Display in the Long Beach Convention and Entertainment Center.

• Fans can check out great Chevrolet vehicles including: 2014 Corvette Stingray, 2014 Silverado, 2014 Impala, Camaro ZL1, Volt, Malibu, Traverse, Sonic, and Spark.

• At the display fans can see a variety of show cars and specialty vehicles including: The IndyCar Series Series No. 1 Dallara-Chevrolet show car, the Turbo movie Camaro show car, Corvette C6.R and 60th Anniverisary Corvette 427.

• Fans can see a sample of engines, parts and accessories available for purchase from Chevrolet at their local Chevrolet dealer.

• Other activities at the Corvette Racing and IndyCar Display include a variety of interactive games for adults and kids.

• Display hours of operation: Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.; Saturday, 8:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.; and Sunday 8:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.



CORVETTE RACING IN AMERICAN LE MANS SERIES (ALMS) COMPETITION:

• Corvette Racing has 78 ALMS class victories, making it the most successful team in American Le Mans Series history.

• Longest winning streak in GT1 (25, 2007 Sebring-2009 Long Beach)

• Corvette Racing has nine Manufacturer and Team Championships, and eight Drivers Championships.

• Corvette Racing was the Michelin Green X Challenge GT Manufacturer Champion (Chevrolet) and Team Champions (No. 3 Corvette C6.R, Jan Magnussen/ Antonio Garcia) in 2012.



CHEVROLET ON THE TRACK—GRAND PRIX OF LONG BEACH:

• Corvette Racing has participated in every ALMS race in Long Beach, winning three straight in the GT1 class (2007-09) and one in the GT class (2012).

• The team also scored consecutive runner-up finishes in 2010-11 after moving to the GT category.

• Corvette Racing has qualified first in class three times in Long Beach (Qualifying was cancelled in 2012 due to rain).

• Oliver Gavin and Tommy Milner’s 2012 victory in Long Beach was the first for this driver combination, and Milner’s first career ALMS win.



CORVETTE RACING IN THE PADDOCK AT LONG BEACH GRAND PRIX – DOUG FEHAN

“There’s a formula that I like to extoll, and it’s for any race. It’s 25 percent great car, 25 percent great team and 50 percent good luck. And that gets modified just a little bit when you go to street races, and the good-luck portion plays a much greater role. Because you have a great car and a great team, but in a street race anything can happen to you – from turn one, lap one to turn 10, final lap of the race. You’ve got to have good fortune on your side. Anybody who wins at Long Beach, has good fortune on that day. That’s just the way street races work.”



CORVETTE RACING FROM THE DRIVER’S SEAT, LOOKING BACK ON 2012 RACE IN LONG BEACH – OLIVER GAVIN, NO. 4 COMPUWARE CORVETTE:

“Long Beach was the start of the run to the Championship for Tommy and me. As you so often have to be on street races, we were a little lucky in that the two cars in front of us on the grid had issues on the fourth corner of the race and their race was compromised from there on. We still had to battle our way from then on to the front but our car was good straight off and that was a big plus point.”



Chevrolet American Le Mans Series Statistics



Manufacturers and Team Championships

Total (2001-2008, 2012): 9



24 Hours of Le Mans Class Wins

Total (2001-02, 2004-06, 2009, 2011): 7



Drivers Championships

Total (2002-2008, 2012): 8



2013 Event Victories

(Sebring): 1



2012 Event Victories

(Long Beach, Laguna Seca, Mid-Ohio, Virgina International Raceway): 4





The Tequila Patron American Le Mans Series at Long Beach starts at 4:30 p.m. Pacific time on Saturday, April 20. GT Qualifying is at 5:25 p.m. Pacific time on Friday.

Here is a link to some of my Sebring pictures:

http://share.shutterfly.com/action/we ... kid=link5&cid=EM_sharview

and a link to some pics of the C7 at sebring:

http://share.shutterfly.com/action/we ... kid=link5&cid=EM_sharview

Circle City Corvettes, Inc. is having it's annual Corvette Beach Caravan, May 16-18, 2013. There will be a Corvette caravan from Dothan, AL. to Panama City Beach, FL., and we are going to party!

Meet the special guests such as the C7 Stingray, Kirk Bennion, Exterior Design Manager, Corvette Plant Engineers Steve Grilli & Eric Millette, and NCM Director, Wendell Strode, and attend their seminars. Enter the Car Show, Golf tournament or just relax on the beach. We will have door prizes, parties, Car Show, and a live Corvette Memorabilia auction to benefit the National Corvette Museum. Come join us for some fun and excitement at the beach! For information contact John Hickman at 334-347-5908 or jehickman@roadrunner.com Check out the website for more information on agenda and hotels: http://www.circlecitycorvettes.com/beach.html

Quote:

Not living in Florida! Maybe some day when my job doesn't interfere with my fun!

Quote:

I got one for you!

Johnny O takes you around the Long Beach street circuit:
http://youtu.be/TBetxnv0_qs

2013 Tequila Patrón American Le Mans Series At Long Beach

Street Course , Long Beach, California, USA

April 19 - 20, 2013

Broadcast Info

Television Broadcast: ABC
Sunday, April 21, 2013 - 12:00pm CDT

Live Streaming: ESPN 3
Saturday, April 20, 2013 - 6:15pm CDT

Live Qualifying: ESPN 3
Friday, April 19, 2013 - 7:00pm CDT


LIVE TIMING:
http://www.imsaracing.net/2003/lt/ltc.html
http://scoring.alms.com/

Live Timing for mobile device:
http://scoring.alms.com/mobile.html

SEBRING PIT NOTES:
http://twitter.com/almsnotes
http://www.alms.com/races/tequila-pat ... -mans-series-long-beach-1

RADIO ALMS
http://www.americanlemans.com/

TICKET INFO: 888-82-SPEED (77333)
http://gplb.com/mediafiles/files/2013 ... ette%20Corral%20Flyer.pdf

Entry List
http://www.alms.com/sites/default/fil ... ong%20Beach%20Entries.pdf

Spotters Guide: (03/12/13)
http://www.spotterguides.com/

Corvette Corral:
Not posted yet

Event Schedule:
http://www.imsaracing.net/2013/events ... 20Beach%20Supp%20Regs.pdf

Map:
http://www.alms.com/sites/default/fil ... Beach%20Track%20Map_0.pdf

WEATHER:
http://www.weather.com/outlook/recreation/outdoors/weekend/90806

Quote:

Yes, get a golf cart, then you can give me a ride when my other knee goes out!

Looking forward to getting the stickers whenever you get the chance. Thanks!

Quote:

Let's just say that the knee could not keep up with the rest of the body, lol.

Enter for your chance to win a 2014 Corvette Stingray & trip to the 24 hours of Lemans!

https://www.racetowincorvette.com/:b=ie8/#/intro

Re-watch the 2013 Sebring 12 Hr race, broadcast on youtube in 4 parts:

Part 1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1ojJ__qz5c&feature=youtu.be

Part 2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMjrSPFfJaY&feature=youtu.be

Part 3

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVuCRIt3Bw4&feature=youtu.be

Part 4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSv77UD0ZG4&feature=youtu.be

Join us May 31 – June 2on Belle Isle

Corvette Car Corral

Reserve your space today. They’re going fast!

Corvette Car Corral Experience Includes:

Premium Car Corral parking on Belle Isle

Reserved Seating in Flagstar Bank Grandstand 3
Access to trackside Car Corral grandstand
Fifth Third Bank Paddock Pass allowing access to "Garage Area"
Hospitality tent access, includes breakfast & lunch
Vehicle displays including Corvette Racing C6.R
2014 Corvette Stingray technical briefing (Sat. & Sun.)
Corvette team & driver appearances
Daily track lap sessions (subject to track availability)
Autograph sessions
Daily prize raffles


Corvette Car Corral Pricing Options

Single Day Options:

Friday

Driver: $50, Companion: Free

Saturday OR Sunday

Driver: $120, Companion: $80

Multiple Day Options

Friday & Saturday

Driver: $145, Companion: $80

Saturday & Sunday

Driver: $180, Companion: $120

Weekend: Friday - Sunday

Driver: $225, Companion: $120



2013 Tentative Schedule of Events

Friday, May 31, 2013

Practice & Qualifying Sessions - all three Series

Concert concludes the day’s activities

Saturday, June 1, 2013

GRAND-AM Rolex Series Drivers Autograph Session

Cadillac V-Series Challenge presented by the Metro Detroit Cadillac Dealers Race #1

GRAND-AM Rolex Series Fan Walk

Chevrolet GRAND-AM 200 presented by the Metro Detroit Chevy Dealers

Chevrolet Indy Dual in Detroit presented by Quicken Loans Dual #1

Post-race Concert by Bret Michaels

Sunday, June 2, 2013

Pirelli World Challenge Drivers Autograph Session

Cadillac V-Series World Challenge presented by the Metro Detroit Cadillac Dealers Race #2

IZOD IndyCar Series Drivers Autograph Session

Pre-race Concert

Chevrolet Indy Dual in Detroit presented by Quicken Loans Dual #2



Tickets/info: DetroitGP.com Tickets: 866-464-PRIX (7749)

http://detroitgp.com/tickets/index.cfm?cid=17697

CORVETTE RACING OPENS 2013 WITH WIN AT SEBRING

No. 4 Compuware Corvette C6.R Brings 8th 12-Hour Victory to Corvette Racing

SEBRING, Fla., (March 16, 2013) – Tommy Milner made a late pass for the lead and then held on for the final 15 minutes as the No. 4 GT Compuware Corvette C6.R won the American Le Mans Series GT class 61st Annual Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring at Sebring International Raceway on Saturday.

The No. 4 Corvette C6.R – driven by 2012 Drivers’ champions Milner and Oliver Gavin, and Richard Westbrook – overcame an early electrical issue and two key penalties to win the 2013 ALMS opener. It is Gavin’s fifth victory at Sebring; Milner and Westbrook each recorded his first.

“What an incredible effort by Corvette Racing; these guys never gave up,” said Jim Campbell, Chevrolet U.S. Vice-President for Performance Vehicles & Motorsports. “They came from behind multiple times. It was a focused team effort, with great driving and great calls in the pits, and great pits stops, and they delivered a big win. I’m proud of them.”

The No. 3 GT Compuware Corvette C6.R – driven by Antonio Garcia, Jan Magnussen and Jordan Taylor – retired with just over three hours remaining due to an overheated gearbox. The team, which also experienced an electrical issue early in the race, finished in 11th place in class, 120 laps off the pace in class.

Milner took over for Gavin with two hours to go and the No. 4 Corvette C6.R the No. 62 Ferrari F458 Italia by about one minute; when he pitted with an hour remaining, he was about a half minute behind.

“Those guys had an unreal pit stop at the end,” Milner said. “We were about a minute back and then 35 seconds at the next pit stop, and then we were 14 seconds back. And once I got to see him, I thought, ‘Here we go. I’ve got a chance here.’ Once I got close to him, he went wide in one and I knew he was pushing hard and he kept making mistakes, and that was it, that was the moment.”

“Really, it came down to when Tommy got on the back bumper of the leader, and that’s when I thought this is when we can really make this happen,” Gavin said. “Tommy was relentless – chasing him down, chasing him down, putting the pressure on. It was a spectacular victory for everybody at Corvette Racing. I’m really delighted.”

Gavin qualified second in the No. 4 Corvette C6.R, and on the very first lap gained the lead. The team was still out front in its class when, nearing the race’s third hour, Westbrook reported that smoke was coming from the dashboard.

“It was clear that we had a good car from the beginning, and then when I had that problem with the dashboard, which put us two laps down – it took a few yellows and some great stints by these two to get us back into position on the lead lap,” Westbrook said. “The pit stops and Tommy’s stint was just amazing at the end, and on balance I thought we deserved it, and we did it the hard way.”

Corvette Racing, which last year won the ALMS Manufacturers’ and Team championships, earned its ALMS-leading 78th all-time victory.

“You can’t start a better way,” Gavin said. “We had a very good year last year in the championship. We didn’t have a great Sebring last year, but this win just puts us up there straightaway, leading the championship off the bat. Tommy and I just sort of picked up where we left off last year, which is exactly what we wanted to do. Proud of all the guys at Corvette Racing today. They nailed every single stop. It was spectacular to watch.”

The No. 3 Corvette C6.R started fifth but experienced a couple of problems early. Garcia accidently ran into the back of a slower car which was in the middle of the track, and incurred a 60-second penalty, then he reported problems with downshifting. Starting on lap 20, the car three times came in for repairs – which included changing the gearbox, steering wheel and electronics.

The car is very, very good, it’s just a shame that we’re so far back,” Taylor said after his first stint. “We have a very competitive car.” The team used its remaining time on track as a test session before its night ended early.

GT Class, 61st Annual Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring

1. #4 Chevrolet Corvette C6.R (Gavin/Milner/Westbrook), 333 laps

2. #62 Ferrari F458 Italia (Bruni/Beretta/Malucelli), 333 laps

3. #17 Porsche 911 GT3 RSR (Henzler/Sellers/Tandy), -1 lap

4. #55 BMW Z4 GTE (Auberlin/Martín/J. Muller), -3 laps

5. #91 SRT Viper GTS-R (Dalziel/Farnbacher/Goossens), -4 laps

6. #48 Porsche 911 GT3 RSR (Miller/Holzer/Lietz), -4 laps

7. #56 BMW Z4 GTE (D. Muller/Hand/Edwards), -12 laps

8. #97 Aston Martin Vantage V8 (Turner/Mucke/Senna), -15 laps

9. #007 Aston Martin Vantage V8 (Della Lana/Johnson/Lamy), -26 laps

10. #93 SRT Viper GTS-R (Bomarito/Kendall/Wittmer), -30 laps



Connect with Team Chevy on social media. Like us on Facebook at facebook.com/TeamChevy, follow us on Twitter @TeamChevy, and add +TeamChevy into your Google+ circles.

Attach file:

---

  tropy.jpg (284.67 KB)

CORVETTE RACING QUALIFIES BOTH TEAMS IN TOP 5 AT SEBRING



(SEBRING, Fla., March 15, 2013) – Oliver Gavin, driver of the No. 4 GT Compuware Corvette C6.R, qualified second (1:58.934, 113.206 mph) in the American Le Mans Series (ALMS) GT class for the 61st Annual Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring at Sebring International Raceway – just 0.119 seconds off the pole. Antonio Garcia qualified fifth (1:59:348, 112.813 mph) in the No. 3 GT Compuware Corvette C6.R.



“I’m happy with what we’ve got,” Gavin said following his qualifying effort around the 3.74-mile track. “Yes, I’d like to have the pole, but this is a 12-hour event, it’s not a sprint. I think we can almost start in the back and still win this race. But, I’m pleased with the position we’ve got. I’m happy with our car.”



Garcia, too, is optimistic about the 2013 season opener following Friday’s qualifying session.



“That wasn’t the perfect lap; I just couldn’t get the perfect lap together like I should have,” Garcia said. “But, that’s not a big deal. It’s a long race and we’ll see about it tomorrow.”



Gavin and Tommy Milner, who won the 2012 ALMS drivers’ championship, will team with Richard Westbrook in the No. 4 Corvette C6.R for this weekend’s event. Garcia, Jan Magnussen and Jordan Taylor will drive the No. 3 Corvette C6.R.



“Going through the race tomorrow, I think our car’s going to come more and more to us,” said Gavin, who has four class wins and eight class podium finishes at Sebring. “The track’s going to come more and more to us. That’s from our years of experience from working here, driving here, racing here, competing here. You get a feel for it.



“I think that we’re in good shape. I feel confident. Our team has been doing seven-second pit stops. When you look at stuff like that, you go, ‘That’s pretty cool.’ As a driver, you know that when you come in for your stop, each time – boom – they’re going to be right there. It gives you a lot of confidence.”



Corvette Racing, the defending series Manufacturer and Team champions, has seven class victories at Sebring since 2002.



Gianmaria Bruni, driver of the No. 62 GT Ferrari F458 Italia, won his third consecutive pole at Sebring.



The 2013 Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring starts at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, March 16. GT Qualifying is at 1:35 p.m. on Friday.

85 ALMS CLASS WINS

AMERICAN LE MANS SERIES



CORVETTE RACING ADVANCE

61ST ANNUAL MOBIL 1 TWELVE HOURS OF SEBRING

SEBRING INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY

SEBRING, FLORIDA

MARCH 16, 2013

DID YOU KNOW? Both the 2014 Corvette Stingray coupe and convertible are powered by the new LT1 6.2L V-8, with an estimated 450-hp and 450 lb-ft of torque. As no structural reinforcements are required for the convertible, both models share almost identical power-to-weight ratios. The LT1 combines several advanced technologies, including direct injection, Active Fuel Management and continuously variable valve timing to support an advanced combustion system designed to balance power and efficiency.

CORVETTE RACING & TEAM CHEVY SOCIAL MEDIA: Connect with Corvette Racing and Team Chevy on social media. Like us on Facebook at facebook.com/TeamChevy, follow us on Twitter @CorvetteRacing and @TeamChevy, and add +TeamChevy into your Google+ circles

CORVETTE RACING FOR THE FANS AT SEBRING INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY:

• Fans can visit the Corvette Racing Display in the Sebring International Raceway in the midway area, and the Chevrolet Ride and Drive will be located in the Skid Pad.

• Fans can check out great Chevrolet vehicles including: 2014 Silverado, 2014 Impala, Volt, Malibu, Traverse LTZ, Sonic Hatchback and Spark.

• On Saturday, March 16, fans will be able to see the C7 Corvette Stingray at the display.

• Fans can see a sample of engines, parts and accessories available for purchase from Chevrolet at their local Chevrolet dealer.

• Other activities at the Corvette Racing Display include a variety of interactive games for adults and kids.

• Display hours of operation: Thurs. March 14th – 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.; Fri. March 15th – 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. and Sat. March 16th - 8:00 a.m. - 7:30 p.m.

• Ride and Drive hours of operation: Fri. March 15th 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. and Sat. March 16th 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

CORVETTE RACING IN AMERICAN LE MANS SERIES (ALMS) COMPETITION:

• Corvette Racing has 85 ALMS class victories, making it the most successful team in American Le Mans Series history.

• Corvette Racing has nine Manufacturer and Team Championships, and eight Drivers Championships.

• They were the Michelin Green X Challenge GT Manufacturer and Team Champions in 2012.

CHEVROLET ON THE TRACK—SEBRING INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY:

• Chevrolet drivers have seven Sebring 12-Hour class wins at Sebring International Raceway (2002-04, 2006-09).

• Corvette Racing drivers finished 1-2 in the Sebring 12-Hour race three times (2007-09).

• Corvette Racing has qualified first in class 9 times at Sebring.

• 2013 marks Corvette’s 57th 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.

CORVETTE RACING at SEBRING INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY – DOUG FEHAN, Corvette Racing Program Manager

"Sebring has so much importance and not just from an historic perspective. You have to remember it is the inaugural race of the 2013 ALMS season. Every manufacturer has worked all winter to present their most competitive product to both their fans and their adversaries. Along with all this, it is Corvette's 60th Anniversary year and all of the world will be watching. Don't forget, when you are the reigning champions, everyone has you in their sights. This year's 12 Hours of Sebring has the potential to be a monumental battle and all of us at Corvette Racing are fully prepared to defend our crown."



Chevrolet American Le Mans Series Statistics



Manufacturers and Team Championships

Total (2001-2008, 2012): 9

24 Hours of Le Mans Class Wins

Total (2001-02, 2004-06, 2009, 2011): 7

Drivers Championships

Total (2002-2008, 2012): 8

2012 Event Victories

(Long Beach, Laguna Seca, Mid-Ohio, Virgina International Raceway): 4



Connect with Team Chevy on social media. Like us on Facebook at facebook.com/TeamChevy, follow us on Twitter @TeamChevy, and add +TeamChevy into your Google+ circles.

About Chevrolet

Quote:

Sorry, I don't know. I won't be able to get there until later in the afternoon. I am sure fans won''t be able to get even close to the conference room. They monitor the hotel closely as they don't want fans to go through the lobby and watch the race from the back of the hotel. A great viewing area.

Knee surgery did well. Just hoping I can do a lot of walking at Sebring! Anyone else going?

Thanks for your help. Here is my latest:

2013 61th Annual Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring

Media INfo:

The Reveal:
DATE: Thursday, March 14
TIME: 2:30 p.m. ET
LOCATION: Chateau Élan Hotel and Conference Center at Sebring International Raceway
TUNE IN:
- Broadcast live on SPEED
- Live streaming on alms.com, grand-am.com & SPEED.com
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
- Unveiling of name, branding and logo for the new unified sports car series
- Unified series’ competitive class names for 2014

Live Qualifying:
Friday, March 15, 2013 - 1:05pm EDT

Television Broadcast: Speed/Fox
Saturday, March 16, 2013 - 10:30am EDT

Live Streaming:
Saturday, March 16, 2013 - 10:30am EDT

LIVE TIMING:
http://www.imsaracing.net/2003/lt/ltc.html
http://scoring.alms.com/

Live Timing for mobile device:
http://scoring.alms.com/mobile.html

SEBRING PIT NOTES:
http://twitter.com/almsnotes

RADIO ALMS
http://www.americanlemans.com/

TICKET INFO: 800-626-7223
(scroll down & choose Corral Parking Packages & choose Corvette Corral:
http://www.sebringraceway.com/12hr_tickets.lasso

Sebring Entry List
http://www.alms.com/sites/default/fil ... sts/Sebring%20Entry_0.pdf

Spotters Guide: (03/12/13)
http://www.spotterguides.com/

Corvette Corral:
http://www.alms.com/sites/default/fil ... al%20SIR%20Schedule_0.pdf

Sebring Schedule:
http://www.alms.com/sites/default/fil ... ng%20Event%20Schedule.pdf

Sebring Map:
http://www.alms.com/sites/default/fil ... Sebring%20Track%20Map.pdf

Sebring Team Communications:
http://lastturnclub.com/index.php?opt ... sk=view&id=792&Itemid=111

WiFi Communications Map:
http://www.imsaracing.net/2012/events ... WiFi%20Coverage%20Map.pdf

WEATHER:
http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick. ... 7&textField2=-81.4535&e=1

*******************
From Sebring:

Corvette Heads Epic GT Field-
Six Manufacturers to Battle

Corvette will be among the favorites to win.

In what could be the best GT battle in Sebring's six decades of endurance racing, six manufacturers will battle at Sebring's legendary once-around-the-clock classic. American muscle will be well represented as Chevrolet Corvette and Dodge Viper battle against European high performance legends Ferrari, Porsche, BMW and Aston Martin.

Corvette has won at Sebring seven times during the ALMS era, but all five of their competitors have also won at Sebring, with BMW winning last year's race. The GT battle will likely go down to the wire, just like 2007 when the final margin was less than one second after 12 hours of racing.

Corvette Racing Runner-Up in Petit Le Mans


No. 3 Corvette Finishes Second for Fifth Time in 10 American Le Mans Series Races


BRASELTON, Ga., Oct. 20, 2012 ? The race for the GT class victory in the season-ending Petit Le Mans came down to speed versus fuel economy. With the No. 3 Compuware Corvette C6.R driven by Jan Magnussen, Antonio Garcia, and Jordan Taylor cutting seconds from the No. 01 Ferrari's lead with every lap, Ferrari driver Toni Vilander made it to the finish without a final fuel stop. Thus the No. 3 Corvette finished second for the fifth time in 10 American Le Mans Series races this season.


The winning Ferrari and the runner-up Corvette both completed 375 laps on the 2.54-mile Road Atlanta circuit, with the Ferrari 30.676 seconds ahead at the checkered flag after nine hours and 37 minutes of intense racing. The championship-winning No. 4 Compuware Corvette of Oliver Gavin, Tommy Milner, and Richard Westbrook pitted from the lead just before the six-hour mark with a steering problem, and lost 26 laps to the leaders while the Corvette crew replaced the rack, ultimately finishing 12th.


Garcia drove the final two-hour stint in the No. 3 Corvette, taking the class lead at eight hours into the race. Vilander pitted the Ferrari for fuel at 8:28 in the race, and Garcia made his final stop 13 minutes later. Vilander emerged with a 60-second lead, but Garcia cut that to 30 seconds in the closing laps. Two years ago, Corvette Racing won Petit Le Mans when the class-leading Ferrari's fuel cell ran dry on the final lap; this year the outcome was different.


"It was a good gamble for them," Garcia said. "At the end they stretched it, and they got the victory. Corvette Racing did what we had to do, we ran our plan perfectly, and all three drivers did all we could.


"I learned a lot this year, and I appreciate all that the team did for me," said the Spaniard after his first full season with Corvette Racing. "We just need to learn and come back stronger next year."


"It's hard not to be a little disappointed, but that's how it is," Magnussen said. "Tonight's result was an indication of how our season has gone ? so close and yet so far. We had a fantastic car, we just missed out at the end."


The Corvettes started third and fourth on the grid after the pole-winning No. 02 Ferrari was disqualified for a infraction in post-qualifying technical inspection. At the green flag, Gavin grabbed second behind Scott Sharp in the No. 01 Ferrari, while Garcia made it safely through the first lap in sixth. Garcia methodically moved forward, gaining fifth on lap six, fourth on lap eight, and third on lap 12. Gavin and Garcia were then running second and third behind the No. 01 Ferrari. Gavin took the lead at the 40-minute mark with a pass in Turn 7.


"At the start I managed to get a jump on the BMW and followed Sharp through," Gavin said. "There was a bit of banging and bumping behind us, so I wanted to just hang with the Ferrari and get away. Sharp got up on the curb in Turn 6, then I nipped inside into Turn 7 and got by him."


"We made it through the first turn and the first lap, that's the important thing," Garcia laughed. "I just waited to see how the car felt, and when I saw my opponents starting to make mistakes or have problems, that's when I made my charge, one by one."


Driver changes just before the first full-course caution at the one-hour mark saw Magnussen take the lead in the No. 3 Corvette with Milner second. At 90 minutes, Johannes Van Overbeek in the No. 01 Ferrari passed the Corvettes to take the point in GT. Both Corvettes then pitted under the second full-course caution, dropping to sixth and seventh behind several cars that did not pit. After the cars cycled through their pit stops, Magnussen was second and Milner third after 2.5 hours of racing.


"I made a mistake in Turn 5 and went for a big ride over the curb," Milner reported. "I got too greedy with how much curb I thought I could use. It spit me out pretty far, and I'm glad I got away with it."


"We were developing the car throughout the day so we?d have a good car at the end," Magnussen said. "The traffic was crazy, crazy, crazy, and not just the new guys."


The next round of pit stops came at 2:45 into the race, with Richard Westbrook getting into the No. 4 Corvette and Jordan Taylor into the No. 3 Corvette. They ran second and third, respectively, through their stints. Garcia replaced Taylor at 3:42, while Westbrook did a double stint before handing off to Gavin at 4:34 in the race.


"I spent a lot of time in traffic around guys who didn't want to get passed even though they were a couple of laps down," Taylor reported after his first race laps at Petit Le Mans. "It was frustrating and I lost a bit of time. We were still on the lead lap, and that's what mattered at that point."


Both Corvettes pitted during the race's third full-course caution, with Gavin replacing Westbrook in the No. 4 Corvette and Garcia staying in the No. 3 Corvette. Gavin took control of the race at the midpoint, extending his lead to 17 seconds with only himself, Sharp, and Garcia on the lead lap after five hours of racing.


"It's just extremely busy out there," Westbrook explained. "You get 10 laps in clean air and feel like a hero, and then you get 10 laps in traffic and that brings you right back down to Earth. You have to fight hard to stay out of trouble, as strange as that may sound."


Fortuitous timing of the race's fourth full-course caution at 5:27 in the race helped the Corvette cause. Both cars reached pit lane before the pits were closed, while Sharp had to wait for the pits to open before pitting. When racing resumed, Milner was in the lead in the No. 4 Corvette and Magnussen second in the sister No. 3 Corvette.


At 5:56 in the race, Milner radioed to the crew that he had a problem with the steering. He was called to the pits, where the crew inspected the front end. Milner went back out for an exploratory lap, and with the problem persisting, he then took the car to the transporter. The Corvette crew replaced the steering rack and Milner returned to battle 45 minutes later, 26 laps down to the leader.


"Everything was going to plan, and then something happened with the steering," Milner said. "I had a big dead zone turning left that made the car very difficult to drive. More importantly, if there was something broken internally, it could put our car and other racers at risk. They made the right decision to replace the steering rack, and we went back out. This team never gives up!"


With the No. 4 Corvette's mechanical misfortune, Magnussen became the GT leader in the No. 3 Corvette. Magnussen lost the lead to the No. 01 Ferrari on a pit stop exchange at 6:34 in the race, then shadowed the Ferrari as a series of caution periods interrupted the race. Three cars were on the lead lap in GT: No. 01 Ferrari, No. 3 Corvette, and No. 55 BMW.


"I had a good first stint, but it was a shame that the second stint was mostly behind the safety car," Magnussen said. "We put ourselves in good position to fight for the victory at the end, and that was really what it was all about."


Magnussen handed off to Garcia at 7:39, and Antonio promptly passed the No. 01 and No. 02 Ferraris on his out-lap. Running second in GT behind the No. 55 BMW of Joerg Mueller after the pit stop sequence, he held off van Overbeek's Ferrari. When the No. 55 BMW pitted, Garcia took the lead and held it until his final pit stop at the 8:41 mark dropped him to third. After the BMW was assessed a stop-and-go penalty for improper refueling procedure, Garcia took off in pursuit of the class-leading No 01 Ferrari, now driven by Vilander. He cut the Ferrari's lead in half, but the Italian car won its gamble on fuel, running the last hour and 11 minutes without a pit stop.


The No. 3 Corvette C6.R won the 2012 Michelin Green X Challenge championship in the GT class. Overseen by the Green Racing steering group comprised of representatives of the U.S. Department of Energy, the Environmental Protection Agency, SAE International and the sanctioning International Motor Sports Association, Corvette Racing won the ?race within the race? with the best score for clean, fast, and efficient performance.


Petit Le Mans GT Results (Top 10)

Pos./Car No./Drivers/Car/Laps

1. 01 Sharp/van Overbeek/Vilander, Ferrari 458 Italia, 375

2. 3 Magnussen/Garcia/Taylor, Corvette C6.R, 375

3. 55 J. Mueller/Auberlen/Summerton, BMW E92 M3, 374

4. 56 D. Mueller/Alzen/Summerton, BMW E92 M3, 373

5. 45 Bergmeister/Long/Pilet, Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, 373

6. 17 Henzler/Sellers/Ragginger, Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, 372

7. 44 Neiman/Holzer/Tandy, Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, 369

8. 91 Wittmer/Farnbacher/Hunter-Reay, SRT Viper GTSR, 369

9. 02 Brown/Cosmo/Lazzaro, Ferrari F458 Italia, 368

10. 48 Miller/Maassen/Leitz, Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, 367