What happened to the MCR Corvette C5-R GT?

[danhx]

I was disappointed to see that MCR withdrew their new 'vette from Sebring. It certainly sounds like they have all the right pieces for a beast of a GT car, a definite match for the Porkers. Can any of you fill me in as to why they had to back out? ...I know one of you can since you told me you knew but declined to elaborate before you signed off (ROB!!!)

[Fogelhund]

Money Shortage.

[Smokey 6 litre]

damn money,
there always seems to be a shortage.
no one wants to fully commit to anything,
espesially seeing as every predicts a market resession,
i think many more teams will need to pull out,
and definatley more works teams.

[danhx]

I really wouldn't have thought that they would have been hit with money troubles since it was pretty much a semi-factory deal. Chassis from Pratt and Miller(factory chassis builder), engines from Kaytech(factory engine builder), and Doug Fehan's help (Corvette Racing Program Director) all seemed to ensure the future of this car. I guess looks can be deceiving though.

Although i'm still waiting to hear from a particular someone who got an explanation from Shane Lewis to tell us the whole story...

[C_g]

It really wasn't a semi-factory deal. Although built up by Pratt & Miller and Katech, it was a customer car run by MCR.

It's too bad.

Hope Shane gets another ride for Sebring.

[edu]

I know another MCR Corvette...



MCR Supersport V8

The MCR Supersport V8 was created to contest the major brazilian sports-prototype and endurance races.
This car project, which has been fitted with a powerful V8 engine, is the most advanced stage which the designer Luiz Fernando Cruz has included in the MCR prototypes family. Its Chevrolet 5.9 litre V8, which develops nearly 600 BHP, is the current most powerful existing racing engine in Brazil, what combined with the proved MCR chassis efficiency, has a unique set up for the national stadards, only seen on prototypes that compete in the famous races like Le Mans, Daytona, Sebring, etc. This project, still under development, has the potential be the fastest racing car of Brazil.


MAJOR EVENTS:

BRAZILIAN PROTOTYPEs CHAMPIONSHIP (BRASCAR)
All rounds are of 3 Hours races, contested in the major brazilian circuits.

BRAZILIAN ENDURANCE CHAMPIONSHIP
A selection of the 4 most traditional endurance races in the country:
· Brazilian 1000 Miles - Interlagos
· Brasilia 1000 Kilometers
· 500 Kilometers of Interlagos
· 12 Horas of Tarumã



MCR PROTOTYPES - Brief history

MCR are the initials of Moro and Cruz. Designed by Luiz Fernando Cruz and jointly built with Ademar Moro's go-kart factory in Porto Alegre, the first MCR was born in the end of 1999. The first race was the 12 Hours of Tarumã in December/99, when the new car has won from lights to flag with a gap of 11 laps ahead of the second placed.
A number 18 chassis have been built to date, most fitted with 4 cylinder turbo or normally aspirated engines. Although their short history, the MCR cars have won many important races such as the 1000 KM of Brasilia and three times the 12 Hours of Tarumã. The leading performance shown in the last two editions of the Brazilian 1000 Miles, added to the 5 championship titles already achieved, show the winning potential of the MCR cars.



LUIZ FERNANDO CRUZ

Luiz Fernando Cruz, graduated mechanical engineer and racing driver, is the creator of the MCR prototypes and one of the MCR Supersport V8 drivers.
As a driver, Luiz Fernando Cruz takes part in national and international motor racing since 1976.
He started racing Karts and starred in brazilian Formula-Ford, always showing top performances.
In England, Cruz became the first driver from his native and prestigeous state, Rio Grande do Sul, to win a title abroad, when he won the Townsend Thoresen Champion of Snetterton Formula-Ford Championship back in 1987.
As an engineer, built and prepared his own cars, but it was when he worked as chief-designer for SWIFT CARS in England that he gained international notoriety. His projects were, among other titles, 1990 Formula-Ford Festival World Champion, 1988 European Formula-Ford Champion (beating M.Schumacher) and 1990 British Formula-Renault Champion. During his period at Swift, his cars also have won National Championships in Australia, New-Zealand, South Africa, Canada, Finland and the Scandinavian Formula-Ford Championship.
His professional track engineering experience also extended to France, with runner-up title in the 1990 F-Renault, to México, 1994 Formula-Renault Champion and 1994 Formula-3 runner-up.
Returning to Brazil in 1999, Luiz Fernando Cruz created the MCR.



MCR SuperSport V8

Technical Data:

Chassis: Tubular spaceframe structure, covered with aluminium sheets.
Bodywork: Fiberglass
Wheelbase: 2.760 mm
Width: 1.950 mm
Lenght: 4.500 mm
Weight: 900 Kg
Suspension: Push-Rods front and rear
Dampers: AVO Pro Race Schocks
Brakes: Wilwood 6 pistons front and 4 pistos rear
Transmission: Hewland DG-300 5 speed transaxle gearbox
Tyres:
Endurance = Good Year - front 325 x 16 - rear 355 x 16
Brascar = Pirelli - front 265 x 18 - rear 285 x 18
Wheels:
Endurance = front 16 x 12 - rear 16 x 14
Brascar = front 18 x 10 - rear 18 x 11


Engine: Chevrolet Small Block V-8
Displacement: 5900 cc (358 cid)
Power: 589 BHP @ 6800 RPM
Torque: 72 Kgfm (516 lbft) @ 4900 RPM
Block: General Motors

[RobweenerPI]

Dan, Shane never messaged me back....oh well. Maybe you could stop by West Palm on your way back home and ask him(Dan is in the Keys on Spring Break).