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Here's the story...
lllustrated Corvette Series No. 110 - 1999 C5-R Corvette:
"Factory-Backed Corvette Racer"
Almost from the beginning, Corvettes
have been the ultimate American “could have been”
race cars. Whereas its domestic rivals operated factory-supported
racing programs, GM chose a different approach. The company built hot
cars and parts, and sometimes even helped selected racers via an
unofficial “back door” policy, but it always
avoided an all-out racing program. That is, until the C5 Corvette was
released.
Zora Arkus-Duntov gave us the
legendary ‘57 SS project, the ’63 Grand Sport, and
the 427 L-88 racers, while Dave McLellan championed the
‘88-’89 Corvette Challenge cars. Dave
Hill’s efforts culminated in birth the all-new ‘97
C5. By the end of ’98, it was obvious the new car was a sales
success, posting nearly triple the sales from the previous
(abbreviated) season. With the financial bottom line firmly in place,
it was time to go racing!
In the fall of 1998, a fully backed
GT racing effort was blessed and christened the
“C5-R.” The new team was to be managed by Doug
Fehan and Ken Brown, engine work was assigned to Joe Negri, and
race-car builders Pratt & Miller Fabrication would manage
chassis development and car construction.
GT rules required that mostly stock
parts be used. This gave the newly redesigned Corvette a competitive
advantage. The hydro-formed steel main rails, front and rear chassis
cradles, and LS1 engine were nearly track-ready in stock form. From
there, it was simply a matter of adding selected race-spec parts to
build an all-out competition Corvette.
To hit the 2,500-pound target weight,
the C5-R was put on a weight-reduction plan, gaining carbon-fiber body
panels and other lightweight pieces. Retained stock parts included the
rack-and-pinion steering, front and rear control arms, windshield,
auxiliary and driving lights, and basic block design. The modified LS1
engine displaced 427 cid, had 12.5:1 compression, and produced over 600
horsepower and 500 lb-ft of torque. The new body panels were designed
for maximum stability at 200 mph. Since the basic shape was already
excellent, improvements were limited to add-on appendages and underbody
treatments.
Two race cars were built by members
of GM Motorsports, Chevrolet Race Shop, Pratt & Miller
Fabrication, and Riley & Scott Race Car Engineering. The
driving team consisted of Ron Fellows, Andy Pilgrim, John Heinricy,
Chris Kneifel, Scott Sharp, and John Paul Jr. After a thorough test
session in Sebring in November 1998, the team was ready for its maiden
race—the 24 Hours of Daytona in January 1999.
Both Vettes finished the race, outlasting 36 other entries, and one of
the cars came in Third in class. The crew, drivers, and machines showed
stunning potential for a debut effort. Yes, some minor parts broke, but
the Corvette finally had the backing it had deserved since 1953.
Wherever he was, Duntov must have been smiling.
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