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CORVETTE RACING AT DETROIT: Antonio Garcia Q&A

Defending GTD PRO champion on flying the flag for Chevrolet on streets of Detroit


Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports driver Antonio Garcia met with members of the media via Zoom on Wednesday afternoon to discuss next week’s Chevrolet Detroit Sports Car Classic on the downtown Detroit street circuit. The Corvette Racing factory driver finished second in GTD PRO last year at Detroit alongside Alexander Sims on the way to sharing the GTD PRO Drivers Championship – Garcia’s sixth title in IMSA. He also was the 2024 GTD PRO pole-winner at Detroit.
 

ANTONIO GARCIA, NO. 3 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R

You’ve been part of Chevrolet and Corvette Racing for many years. Is there extra pressure and what do you and Alex expect once you get there next week?

“We’re looking forward to getting back there, for sure. And it’s time to win. Obviously in the last two years we raced there we only came away with a pole and a second last year, which coming from the back was a really good result for us. And I’m looking forward to getting back to Detroit underneath our headquarters and giving GM and Chevrolet the win for sure.”

With Detroit being one of the most manufacturer-driven events of the season, does racing in Detroit add extra pressure or motivation compared to any of the other weekends of the season?

“It’s not that it brings a little bit more pressure, but you have all the big guys for all the companies there and our brand for sure. So everybody’s looking forward to that race. It’s just underneath the GM offices and everybody is keen to see their car winning there. So far, Corvette hasn’t managed to win here yet on this new racetrack or street circuit. We came close last year. We were really strong both of the years. So I see no reason to be somewhere else. I’m sure we will be fighting for a win, either the 3 or 4. That’s the target for sure.”


In addition to the obvious stuff of racing in front of the bosses, are there more distractions on the weekend than at many other races where there may be public appearances and things like that?

“I don’t think it brings more attention in a way of more people coming. For sure you can see some other people that usually don’t come to the races, but they are able to come to these ones. For instance, all the Pratt Miller personnel usually come here and they set up a big tent to invite most of their workers. It’s nice to see them, it’s nice to get them to see what they built. And for sure, it doesn’t bring any more pressure. For me it’s just that Detroit is somewhere that I never won at, and I want to take that away.

“I’m really looking forward to that. And I love street circuits. I feel it’s very unique and just the way the track is settled and how bumpy it is. But I usually like them. I think Alex loves street circuits too. So it’s just a whole nice combination and I think it works. So I’m looking forward to racing again there and let’s see if this year is the year.”


We’ve talked about how important it is to win in Detroit for the American manufacturers. Let me be a little more specific about that and turn the question around a little bit. How important is it for you guys at GM to beat Ford in Detroit?

“If you come up with a win, that means you won against everyone. So for sure it is important to beat everybody out there. I mean, it’s obviously something that is more on everybody’s mind. Obviously every manufacturer wants theirs to be up front. It probably feels more like a good football match where you have the biggest teams out there competing against each other. Let’s put it that way. It feels more like a big match or Super Bowl… big teams fighting against each other, so it is important for sure.”

Ryan Smith