ALMS: Corvette Racing considers its future
04-25-2007, 05:06 PM
#1
Melting Slicks
Thread Starter
Member Since: Mar 2005
Posts: 2,763
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
ALMS: Corvette Racing considers its future
Corvette Racing Considers Its Future
AutoWeek | Published 04/25/07, 12:46 pm et
Corvette Racing could step down from the GT1 class to GT2 to compete against Porsche and Ferrari if no GT1 opposition materializes soon in the American Le Mans Series. Chevrolet has been left to race against itself in the ALMS GT1 class this year after the factory Prodrive Aston Martin team was unable to put together a full-season effort.
Corvette program manager Doug Fehan said that building a GT2 version of the car is one option open for next season. Another option is to take the C6.Rs to race in the European-based Le Mans Series.
“Since we started planning the Corvette program in 1996, we have continuously evaluated a wide variety of arenas in which the car could race,” Fehan said. “I can’t say we are leaning toward GT2, although all the homework is done.”
Fehan denied that the Pratt & Miller factory team will test a GT2-spec Corvette this summer. He stressed, however, that Chevrolet could only justify competing against itself in the ALMS for one season.
Fehan maintained that Prodrive-campaigned Aston Martin Racing will return to the ALMS before the end of the season. He suggested that the team could return for the new Detroit race in September.
Rumors that Aston Martin’s new owners have signed off on an ALMS comeback were dismissed by AMR’s George Howard-Chappell. “It is possible but by no means planned,” he said.
----
The DBR9s that raced last year were run by the factory Prodrive team, but not funded by Aston Martin.
IMSA gives no money to full factory and factory supported teams.
Check this link of official race results from the 4 hour race in 2005 at Laguna Seca.
http://www.imsaracing.net/2003/event...ficialRace.pdf
AutoWeek | Published 04/25/07, 12:46 pm et
Corvette Racing could step down from the GT1 class to GT2 to compete against Porsche and Ferrari if no GT1 opposition materializes soon in the American Le Mans Series. Chevrolet has been left to race against itself in the ALMS GT1 class this year after the factory Prodrive Aston Martin team was unable to put together a full-season effort.
Corvette program manager Doug Fehan said that building a GT2 version of the car is one option open for next season. Another option is to take the C6.Rs to race in the European-based Le Mans Series.
“Since we started planning the Corvette program in 1996, we have continuously evaluated a wide variety of arenas in which the car could race,” Fehan said. “I can’t say we are leaning toward GT2, although all the homework is done.”
Fehan denied that the Pratt & Miller factory team will test a GT2-spec Corvette this summer. He stressed, however, that Chevrolet could only justify competing against itself in the ALMS for one season.
Fehan maintained that Prodrive-campaigned Aston Martin Racing will return to the ALMS before the end of the season. He suggested that the team could return for the new Detroit race in September.
Rumors that Aston Martin’s new owners have signed off on an ALMS comeback were dismissed by AMR’s George Howard-Chappell. “It is possible but by no means planned,” he said.
----
The DBR9s that raced last year were run by the factory Prodrive team, but not funded by Aston Martin.
IMSA gives no money to full factory and factory supported teams.
Check this link of official race results from the 4 hour race in 2005 at Laguna Seca.
http://www.imsaracing.net/2003/event...ficialRace.pdf
04-25-2007, 05:28 PM
#2
Le Mans Master
Then so be it...if no one wants to bring the fight to us, let's bring it to them. I think the Z06 is a PERFECT car to bring in GT2.
I can't see them running Euro Le Mans...no one in the US can watch the races on TV. Think about the thousands of US based Corvette fans which watch ALMS soley for the Corvette. These are the folks that are buying the cars, not the Euro market. While it would be good for them to increase their coverage in Europe, doing it at the expense of the their bread and butter US market would be a bad business call. They need both, and the GT2 class does this. It still gets them in Le Mans and enables them to race in ALMS.
I can't see them running Euro Le Mans...no one in the US can watch the races on TV. Think about the thousands of US based Corvette fans which watch ALMS soley for the Corvette. These are the folks that are buying the cars, not the Euro market. While it would be good for them to increase their coverage in Europe, doing it at the expense of the their bread and butter US market would be a bad business call. They need both, and the GT2 class does this. It still gets them in Le Mans and enables them to race in ALMS.
04-25-2007, 05:46 PM
#3
Melting Slicks
Thread Starter
Member Since: Mar 2005
Posts: 2,763
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Contact the ALMS at the link about Corvettes in GT2
http://www.americanlemans.com/series/contact.aspx
Pratt & Miller's website
http://www.prattmiller.com/
http://www.americanlemans.com/series/contact.aspx
Pratt & Miller's website
http://www.prattmiller.com/
04-25-2007, 05:57 PM
#4
Advanced
Member Since: Sep 2006
Location: Sonoma (home) Pomona (school) California
Posts: 71
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
There are many US fans who watch ALMS to see the Corvettes. It wouldnt make sense to pull out of ALMS. GT2 has the largest fields and most competition. It would be fun to go head to head with Porsche and Ferrari.
They already have a dominant GT1 car so it would be easy to race it in the Europe LMS. They could expand their coverage in Europe and keep the program running. Then if someone decided to enter GT1 in ALMS they could always bring the cars back from Europe.
I think it would be cool to see them running both series but it would be expensive. If I had to chose I would rather see them in GT2 in ALMS than GT1 in Europe.
They already have a dominant GT1 car so it would be easy to race it in the Europe LMS. They could expand their coverage in Europe and keep the program running. Then if someone decided to enter GT1 in ALMS they could always bring the cars back from Europe.
I think it would be cool to see them running both series but it would be expensive. If I had to chose I would rather see them in GT2 in ALMS than GT1 in Europe.
04-27-2007, 01:35 AM
#8
Melting Slicks
Thread Starter
Member Since: Mar 2005
Posts: 2,763
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
but then what if you took off the engine restrictors of the LMP engines. The 5.0 liter Judd V-10 would make over 800 hp without restrictors and AER's twin-turbo V-8 would have over (dailysportscar.com) 1,000 hp without restrictors.
Either way, that is a lot for a gearbox to handle.
http://www.mulsannescorner.com/juddgv510.html
new, 5.5 liter Judd V-10
http://www.mulsannescorner.com/aerturbolmp1v8.html
Either way, that is a lot for a gearbox to handle.
http://www.mulsannescorner.com/juddgv510.html
new, 5.5 liter Judd V-10
http://www.mulsannescorner.com/aerturbolmp1v8.html
04-27-2007, 09:37 AM
#9
Then so be it...if no one wants to bring the fight to us, let's bring it to them. I think the Z06 is a PERFECT car to bring in GT2.
I can't see them running Euro Le Mans...no one in the US can watch the races on TV. Think about the thousands of US based Corvette fans which watch ALMS soley for the Corvette. These are the folks that are buying the cars, not the Euro market. While it would be good for them to increase their coverage in Europe, doing it at the expense of the their bread and butter US market would be a bad business call. They need both, and the GT2 class does this. It still gets them in Le Mans and enables them to race in ALMS.
I can't see them running Euro Le Mans...no one in the US can watch the races on TV. Think about the thousands of US based Corvette fans which watch ALMS soley for the Corvette. These are the folks that are buying the cars, not the Euro market. While it would be good for them to increase their coverage in Europe, doing it at the expense of the their bread and butter US market would be a bad business call. They need both, and the GT2 class does this. It still gets them in Le Mans and enables them to race in ALMS.
04-27-2007, 10:35 AM
#10
I'd love to see either Corvette run a GT2 or race in Europe. This racing against itself dog aint gonna hunt.
On one hand, I want to see them stay in the ALMS in GT2 and the competition would be fantastic now that the Ferrari is competitive with the Porsche. OTOH, I'd love to see a "finely tuned machine" like P&M take it to Europe and kick their ***** on their home turf.
On one hand, I want to see them stay in the ALMS in GT2 and the competition would be fantastic now that the Ferrari is competitive with the Porsche. OTOH, I'd love to see a "finely tuned machine" like P&M take it to Europe and kick their ***** on their home turf.
04-28-2007, 03:48 AM
#11
Melting Slicks
Thread Starter
Member Since: Mar 2005
Posts: 2,763
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The F430 GTC was competitive last year.
Contact the ALMS about a GT2 Corvette
http://www.americanlemans.com/series/contact.aspx
Contact the ALMS about a GT2 Corvette
http://www.americanlemans.com/series/contact.aspx