Corvette Racing in Europe in 2008

[dxk1]

I just read an article at The Paddock that says Beretta and Gavin will race for Luc Alphand Adventures all next season if there are no conflicts with the ALMS season! Here is the link: http://www.the-paddock.net/content/view/241903/49/

This could mean greater involvement of Corvette Racing with the LMS program for next year. That would be nice.

DK

[dxk1]

Originally Posted by dxk1

I just read an article at The Paddock that says Beretta and Gavin will race for Luc Alphand Adventures all next season if there are no conflicts with the ALMS season! Here is the link: http://www.the-paddock.net/content/view/241903/49/

This could mean greater involvement of Corvette Racing with the LMS program for next year. That would be nice.

DK

The same article also said, it was likely LAA would be running a second C6.R next year.

DK

[Jonerz]

This would mean that two Corvette factory drivers would be running in the "second car" (I'm assuming by which they mean the primary car). Are we all assuming that with two factory drivers comes factory support in terms of $$$ and man power? I think that was my initial thought, but somehow I doubt it.

Chris

[Sportscarguy08]

Honestly i could care less what the factory plans to do with Alphand. The real GT1 battle has always and will always be in FIA GT..The Maseratis are much stronger competition for the vettes than Astons and one Saleen in the LMS....Hezemans team and PK Carsport are smaller teams that can still challenge the big works supported teams of Vitaphone, and for that i think their teams get more credit in my book.

[Adam43]

Originally Posted by Sportscarguy08

Honestly i could care less what the factory plans to do with Alphand.

You must be in the wrong thread then.

The real GT1 battle has always and will always be in FIA GT.

If you wish to discuss the relative merits of FIA GT and LMS (or other series), please find a different suitable thread, or start one.

This is about Corvette team's plans in Europe and what they may do.

Thanks.

Off topic posting: http://tentenths.com/forum/showthread.php?t=98774

[dxk1]

Originally Posted by Jonerz

This would mean that two Corvette factory drivers would be running in the "second car" (I'm assuming by which they mean the primary car). Are we all assuming that with two factory drivers comes factory support in terms of $$$ and man power? I think that was my initial thought, but somehow I doubt it.

Chris

I think Corvette Management is preparing itself for a reoccurence of the lack of competition in ALMS by setting up the possibility that they might do LMS with LAA being their surrogate factory team. They sent drivers and engineering support for LAA at Spa and could easily do the same for the entire season of LMS next year and maybe Spa again if they face such little competition as they did this year in ALMS.

Tying together some ideas from other threads, GT1 may be on the way out, Corvette has extra cars, so put 1 and 1 together and they just may want to be able to compete with all their cars before things change. What better way to accomplish that than to run ALMS and LMS teams next year. Both Gavin and Beretta have been looking to racing in Europe anyway and allowing them to do so will keep everybody happy.

DK

[Sportscarguy08]

I wasnt trying to be a hot head in the wrong thread...i was simply stating my opinion on the matter of the factory only supporting one team in a larger way than others. If you look at the Prodrive efforts, it varies a bit...

I like Alphand and think they do a bang up job and would like to see a second C6R in the LMS, especially with the likes of the two ollies.

[minimangler]

Well, the factory can't support every team in every series- as works teams are banned in FIA GT, it makes sense to toe in the water in LMS before a full assault as a works team in the near future?

[dxk1]

Originally Posted by Sportscarguy08

Honestly i could care less what the factory plans to do with Alphand. The real GT1 battle has always and will always be in FIA GT..The Maseratis are much stronger competition for the vettes than Astons and one Saleen in the LMS....Hezemans team and PK Carsport are smaller teams that can still challenge the big works supported teams of Vitaphone, and for that i think their teams get more credit in my book.

While FIA-GT certainly has more GT1 competition that LMS, there appears to be less room for the Corvette Factory to be involved. Thus, more subtle help to Carsport Holland & PK Carsport is called for (perhaps similar to what was done with LAA at Spa) in the future (Why not a C6.R for Kumpen and Longin?). It seems in LMS, the Corvette Factory can be more directly involved and it is, perhaps, easier to participate. Also, if the factory got involved in both FIA and LMS, they might need to hire more drivers!

DK

[bil588]

Why not enter GT2 to sell customer cars? Teams have bought ex-factory C5-Rs and C6.Rs, why not customer cars for GT2?

GM has an exclusive contract with Pratt & Miller through the 2010 season.

http://www.autofieldguide.com/articles/050702.html

[Fogelhund]

Originally Posted by bil588

Why not enter GT2 to sell customer cars? Teams have bought ex-factory C5-Rs and C6.Rs, why not customer cars for GT2?

GM has an exclusive contract with Pratt & Miller through the 2010 season.

http://www.autofieldguide.com/articles/050702.html

With the technology, and expertise that they have developed, it is a real shame that they aren't allowed to move to P1 by GM.

[TWK]

Murphy's summary:

There’s been lots of talk - but precious little action - lately.
The good news: The Corvette program is approved through 2010.
The I-don’t-know-what-it-is news: Depending on what happens on the competition front they aren’t restricted to just continuing in ALMS GT1.
More good news: Aston Martin has been talking to IMSA.
Not so good news: They were looking for rules breaks in return for a commitment for the rest of this season and 2008.
The good-for-them news: IMSA wouldn’t play. Race on the ACO rules or don’t race.
More good news: Most at Aston Martin want to play anyway.
The bad news: George (or Dave, the Bear’s heard it both ways) won’t play.
The good news, part deux:Corvette hasn’t ruled out a GT2 program. Maybe the green Fords are irrelevant.

My take? A GT2 program is more likely than a full-out factory European campaign. Just "the gut" on this one.

[AU N EGL]

Originally Posted by Fogelhund

With the technology, and expertise that they have developed, it is a real shame that they aren't allowed to move to P1 by GM.

and who says that is not an option?

[brielga]

Today's ALMS "symbolic" racing seems to accomplish just that: a symbol of commitment to keep GT1 alive. 2008 might be a different story and the presence of the second semi-official LAA C6R is a logical next step imho. Pratt & Miller support all European customers (except Markland Racing who bought their car on their own and never contacted them) so a slight shift of investment can get the Vettes racing and getting real wins next year in Europe, a better deal than the GT1 parade we see today in the ALMS. Corvette can also potentially sell even more cars for either GT class on the FIA-GT, LMS, FFSA, etc. They have succeeded at Sebring, Le Mans and Spa against Aston, Maserati, Ferrari... I can't imagine a better way to show you have the quickest/most reliable car....

[dxk1]

I agree with the previous post and according to D. Palmeter's website, Corvette (Pratt & Miller) have at least 3 C6.Rs that could be sold right now and SRT has had one of their C5.Rs up for sale all year. These "extra" cars could vastly increase the Corvette participation in all aspects of European GT racing next year if someone wants to buy them and put them on the track!! And, as has been said, Pratt & Miller are willing to provide technical support to some degree or another.

DK

[David]

Some thoughts on Yurp racing from a devoted Corvette fan -

- The Corvette Tech Center Team spends a lot of time talking to customers and one place that they get a chance to communicate with the true performance enthusiasts is in the Corvette Corral at each ALMS race. They make a very serious effort to have a two way exchange of information and there is real evidence that the product benefits from these exchanges.

- These Corral events have a social life of their own and do not seem to be significantly diminished, YET, by the lack of real competitive racing in ALMS GT1.

- Racing ONLY in Europe would create logistic and availability constraints that would result in fewer Corvette Team members communicating with a smaller number of Corvette customers. Not a good thing.

- The investment in racing, regardless of the level and location, is justified by how much it directly and indirectly - through improved products, increased exposure and proven performance - increases profits. (Not to ignore, of course, other unquantified influences such as the bonus playtime in exotic, faraway lands for the corporate executives.)

My hope for Corvette Racing in 2008?
-- The awesome capability of Corvettes racers made of cubic dollars and cubic inches has been clearly established; get over the current ALMS GT1 ego trip and let any interested also-rans have it back (for a while).
-- Do a serious GT2 effort in ALMS - Ferrari and Porsche can match the spending and kicking around a Viper, if it stays around, is always fun.
-- Do some sort of a Porsche-type customer program in Europe to support Corvettes running against the real GT1 competition in FIA GT and LMS.
-- Keep a close watch on (and provide quiet support for) GT3 and hope it stays strong and makes it to the USA.

Then -
-- Depending on what is learned, and what the competition does, launch a coordinated attack in the racing and sales worlds for 2009 and kick some major global butt.

(PS - But please pretend like that super cheater...err...super charged thingie doesn't exsist.)

[dxk1]

I agree with most of David's post above. I believe Corvette has a tremendous opportunity in GT3 and have had a great start, especially in Belcar where Kumpin and Longin have been very competitive and have won a few races and lead the standings. Having cars in the British GT3 would be a good idea too. Having a Corvette in ALMS GT2 sounds like a good idea, especially with Vipers beginning to appear. Imagine Porsche, Ferrari, Corvette, Viper & Panoz (if they could it together again).

DK

[Speed-King]

In the days of the old DRM Porsche faced the same problem Corvette is facing now: They dominated their class, but the real action (and the puplic attention) was in the class below them.
Porsche built the 935 Baby to answer that situation.
Unfortunately the 935 Baby had only two races: one DNF and one extremely dominant victory, after that Porsche said that they had proven their point. I hope Corvette stay longer if they choose to go to GT2.
But they could learn from Porsches DRM programm on the GT1 front: Porsche never had a DRM division 1 factory programm. The result was a good number of customer 935s. They had not much diversity, but they had some great racing...

[dxk1]

There was a GT2/GT effort by Calloway Corvette in the Global GT Series from around 1994 to around 1996 and then in the first year of FIA-GT by GBs Augusta Racing Team. They also raced at Le Mans in 1994 (DNF), 1995 (9th overall; 2nd in GT2, 11th overall; 3rd in GT2 and a DNF), 1996 (DNF), 1997 (DNF) and 2001 (in GT Class) with a DNF, but were leading the Class before they dripped out. The Calloway Corvette also ran some early ALMS races without much success before they disappeared. I was just wondering, did Corvette support them in any way besides allowing them to use the name? This would be a sort of precedent for Corvette in European GT/GT2 racing.

DK

[FIRE]

Originally Posted by dxk1

There was a GT2/GT effort by Calloway Corvette in the Global GT Series from around 1994 to around 1996 and then in the first year of FIA-GT by GBs Augusta Racing Team. They also raced at Le Mans in 1994 (DNF), 1995 (9th overall; 2nd in GT2, 11th overall; 3rd in GT2 and a DNF), 1996 (DNF), 1997 (DNF) and 2001 (in GT Class) with a DNF, but were leading the Class before they dripped out. The Calloway Corvette also ran some early ALMS races without much success before they disappeared. I was just wondering, did Corvette support them in any way besides allowing them to use the name? This would be a sort of precedent for Corvette in European GT/GT2 racing.

DK

Callaway Competition (based in Germany) developed the GT3.

[dxk1]

Originally Posted by FIRE

Callaway Competition (based in Germany) developed the GT3.

Thanks! I appreciate this reply. Do you know whether Corvette had any input into this operation or whether it was a totally private effort?

DK

[HORNDAWG]

Originally Posted by dxk1

Thanks! I appreciate this reply. Do you know whether Corvette had any input into this operation or whether it was a totally private effort?

DK

Well lets just say that John Heinricy was a driver in the car early on!

L.P.

[FIRE]

I think the GT3 project was initiated by Toine Hezemans (Carsport Holland). Don't know if Corvette is involved but for homologation reasons I think a manufacturer has to give the green light.

At www.corvettemotorsport.com there's info about the GT3 and GT1 (C6R and C5R). I get the impression this website is owned by Corvette Europe (Kroymans company, based in Holland).

Website Callaway Competition: www.callawaycars.de

[Bob Riebe]

Originally Posted by FIRE

I think the GT3 project was initiated by Toine Hezemans (Carsport Holland). Don't know if Corvette is involved but for homologation reasons I think a manufacturer has to give the green light.

At www.corvettemotorsport.com there's info about the GT3 and GT1 (C6R and C5R). I get the impression this website is owned by Corvette Europe (Kroymans company, based in Holland).

Website Callaway Competition: www.callawaycars.de

THat was back when Chevy was fiddling with the Mercury/Lotus built DOHC engine and I am sure the successes of Callaway was welcomed with the luke-warm results gained from the DOHC engine car in all aspects.
A Minnesotan, whose name escapes me, did finally build a GT-1, or was it 2, version of the DOHC Corvette.
It is now running, or was, in the Corvette club races in Europe.
Bob

[Sportscarguy08]

Originally Posted by FIRE

I think the GT3 project was initiated by Toine Hezemans (Carsport Holland). Don't know if Corvette is involved but for homologation reasons I think a manufacturer has to give the green light.

At www.corvettemotorsport.com there's info about the GT3 and GT1 (C6R and C5R). I get the impression this website is owned by Corvette Europe (Kroymans company, based in Holland).

Website Callaway Competition: www.callawaycars.de

Toine helped with the program, but Callaway was approached by the SRO when the GT3 idea came along. Toine knew Ernst Woher at Callaway and it went from there. After shipping over some cars to their shop, they began working on the project.

Amazing that when comparing the GT3 vette program to the rest....the vette is the only car that was not provided by the factory (porsche, ferrari, viper, aston, etc were made by either the offical groups or the factory). So with their win at monza, it made it that more special...

Honestly i would prefer it the way it is in Europe, and thats....private efforts...


And yes...i agree CorvetteMotorSport is a great site for checking out all the latest European news with the vettes...