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I'm not sure what's so hard about this. It's called the IMSA Weathertech Sports Car Championship. Sponsors will come and go, but look behind the curtain and you'll find IMSA every time.
I don't think difficult is exactly the word I would use. More like frustrating. IMSA, Alma Tudor has had more name changes than Zsa Zsa Gabor. I have even heard race commentators mention it during a race. Mind you it was in the middle of the night when they were dead drunk or dead sleepy or both.
I'm not sure what's so hard about this. It's called the IMSA Weathertech Sports Car Championship. Sponsors will come and go, but look behind the curtain and you'll find IMSA every time.
IMSA is the name of the sanctioning body, the other names are series sponsors.
No different from the days of the BFG Goodrich Challenge, the Kelly Series, the Camel GT series -
all were IMSA sanctioned series.
In fact, during the ALMS years the IMSA name was still kept as the sanctioning body.
Exactly???? And you don't feel this is confusing to the general public? I just feel as though there was an identity of the almost year long event with the term American Le Mans Series. However I surely could be wrong in this supposition.
Exactly???? And you don't feel this is confusing to the general public? I just feel as though there was an identity of the almost year long event with the term American Le Mans Series. However I surely could be wrong in this supposition.
I may be wrong --
but I don't recall ALMS having season-long sponsors, hence using their own name did provide continuity as you mention.
Hopefully the current IMSA sponsors will remain in place long enough for some media and fan recognition.
CORVETTE RACING AT SEBRING: Speeding Toward More History
Press Release:
CORVETTE RACING AT SEBRING: Speeding Toward More History
Corvette Racing with nine Sebring class wins and last four Triple Crown victories
First event for Corvette Racing since dynamic 1-2 finish at Daytona
Garcia, Magnussen part of GT Le Mans-winning Corvette in 2015
This year’s Sebring marks the 60th anniversary race for Corvette brand
DETROIT (March 15, 2016) – Sebring and Corvette. They go together like America and apple pie. In fact, they have for 60 years now – America’s longest-running endurance race and America’s sports car. The relationship continues in 2016 as Corvette Racing returns to Sebring International Raceway for this weekend’s 64th annual Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring Fueled by Fresh from Florida.
Corvette Racing is the defending winner in IMSA’s GT Le Mans class. It was the second leg of a Triple Crown season for the team, which became the first in 15 years to win the world’s three biggest endurance races in the same year: Sebring, the Rolex 24 At Daytona and the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
A year later and Corvette Racing is back at Sebring looking to start a season two-for-two. Oliver Gavin, Tommy Milner and Marcel Fässler in the No. 4 Corvette C7.R won at Daytona in a historic 1-2 finish by 0.034 seconds – the smallest margin of victory in the Rolex 24 regardless of class. Antonio Garcia, Jan Magnussen and Mike Rockenfeller were second at Daytona in the No. 3 Corvette.
The pairings are the same for the 12 Hours, and it’s a formidable lineup. Between them, the group has 13 class victories. Gavin has five wins, Magnussen four, Garcia two, and Milner and Fässler one each; the latter’s was an overall win 2013. Magnussen and Garcia were part of the winning lineup a year ago.
The number of production-class victories for the Chevrolet badge at Sebring also is staggering. The Bowtie ranks second in Sebring history with 27 class victories. Of those, 22 were by a production-based Corvette… including nine for Corvette Racing since 2001. In all, Corvette Racing has 98 victories worldwide.
This year’s 12 Hours has added meaning for the Corvette brand as it marks the 60th anniversary of Corvette’s initial foray into motorsports. Corvette raced for the first time in the 1956 Sebring 12 Hours with five entries, one of which placed ninth overall and won its class.
The same year, work began on two special Corvettes that would race in the 1957 Sebring 12 Hours – the Corvette SS and Corvette SR2. Both were purpose-built race cars that provided a foundation for future production Corvettes in terms of technology and aerodynamics. In order to highlight the early days of Corvette as a racing brand, a Corvette SR2 and Corvette SS will be on display this weekend in the Sebring Gallery of Legends.
Since the mid-50s, Corvettes have been constant entries at Sebring. That heritage was amplified when Corvette Racing arrived with the beginning of the American Le Mans Series in 1999.
In addition, Corvette Racing routinely tests at Sebring – not just to prepare for the event but also perfect many of the components that are common to the C7.R and the Corvette Z06 production car.
That first race at Sebring for the Corvette C5-R ushered in a new era of racing Corvettes at the historic track. The introduction of Corvette Racing occurred two months earlier in the Rolex 24 At Daytona but Sebring served as sort of a full circle return for the Cross Flags. This weekend marks the 17th consecutive season Corvette Racing has fielded two cars for the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring, plus the team has conducted a number of tests at the track over the years – including in early February.
The 2016-spec Corvette C7.R is an updated racecar due to changes in Automobile Club de l’Ouest regulations for top-level GT cars that compete in the IMSA GTLM class. There are a number of aerodynamic changes including a larger splitter at the front and diffuser at the rear of the Corvette. Side skirts and a repositioned wing also are among the most notable changes, along with updated safety features that are now mandated on all GTLM cars.
The powertrain on the Corvette C7.R is unchanged from 2015 with a 5.5-liter V-8 Chevrolet small block powering the race car. The Corvette C7.R will use E20 fuel during the IMSA season and the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
The 64th Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring is set for 10:40 a.m. ET on Saturday, March 19. It will air on FOX Sports 1, FOX Sports 2 and FOX Sports Go. Live audio coverage from IMSA Radio is available on IMSA.com.
Corvette, Chevrolet on Display at Sebring
In addition to the on-track activity at Sebring, fans can learn all they need to know about Chevrolet by visiting the Corvette Racing Display from Thursday to Saturday in the Sebring Midway. Among the Chevrolet attractions at the Display and at Sebring include:
• Chevrolet 2016 production vehicles such as the Malibu LTZ, Equinox, Silverado 2500 HD, Camaro – the 2016 Motor Trend Car of the Year and an accessorized Corvette Stingray
• A Corvette C7.R show car
• The 2016 Chevrolet Cruze and 2016 Chevrolet Colorado Diesel – the 2016 Motor Trend Truck of the Year.
• Samples of Chevrolet engines, performance parts and accessories available to fans for purchase from their local Chevrolet dealer
• A variety of Chevrolet and racing related activities for adults and kids
• Commemorative t-shirts for fans who sign up with Corvette Racing.
The Corvette Racing display opens 9 a.m., Thursday and 8 a.m., Friday and Saturday.
In addition, Chevrolet will pace the two highest-profile races of the Sebring weekend – the 12 Hours of Sebring and Friday’s Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge – with an arctic white Chevrolet Corvette Z06.
ANTONIO GARCIA, NO. 3 CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R: “The Sebring 12 Hours is a race that I think everyone at Corvette Racing looks forward to. A big reason is our success there with nine wins including last year. It was a good example of what can happen at Sebring. We did not have the fastest car but we had the best strategy and didn’t make any mistakes as drivers or in the pits. At the end of the day, that was the difference.
“Sebring is an important place for everyone at Corvette Racing. We have had many tests there that help us get ready not just for the IMSA season but also Le Mans as well. Cars are punished more at Sebring than any other track, including Le Mans. So if you want to see how strong a car you have, Sebring is the place to do it.”
JAN MAGNUSSEN, NO. 3 CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R: “I always like going to Sebring. It’s a classic, old-school track and one you can’t find anywhere else in the world. In a lot of ways you really like Sebring and you really dislike it, too. It’s great because the event is fantastic and we always have good support from the fans and Corvette owners. But it beats you physically like no other track. Your neck, arms, hands, knees… they’re incredibly sore after the week. But winning there is worth it. I’m hoping we can repeat and give Corvette Racing our 10th Sebring win.”
MIKE ROCKENFELLER, NO. 3 CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R: “It will be good to be back at Sebring and competing there with Corvette Racing for the first time. There are lots of things you remember always about Sebring. One is how rough the circuit is for long stretches. It’s definitely not like any other track you will race on during the year! But that is what we all enjoy about going to Sebring is the constant challenge of the surface and the other cars in the race. Another nice part is the number of fans and how enthusiastic they are about Sebring each year. It’s very much like a party and that is one of the unique things every year that I enjoy about Sebring.”
OLIVER GAVIN, NO. 4 CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R: “We’ve had so many great moments at Sebring. Certainly I’ve had many that personally have meant a great deal to me, and many of them came with Corvette Racing. The track has played a large role in the history of our team. We as a team and Chevrolet have used Sebring to test and develop our cars not just for the 12 Hours but also for Le Mans as well. It has been a testing and proving ground for Corvettes over the last 60 years and it has served us all well.
“The 2013 race is one I’ll remember for a long time. We had to fight and claw our way back for what felt like the entire way. Really it was a total team victory - Tommy drove a great stint, our engineers called a great race and our crew guys were spot-on. That’s what it takes to win at a race like Sebring. Everything has to be in sync. It was the same at Daytona this year and we are hoping it happens again this year at Sebring.”
TOMMY MILNER, NO. 4 CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R: “Sebring is such a historic track and without a doubt the most physically demanding for us each year. But that’s why it has a special place in sports car lore. The 12 Hours is a race every driver looks forward to and wants to win. Being able to add my name to that list in 2013 is something I’ll never forget. Everything came together at the end on the strategy and pit stop to put me in a position to race for the win.”
“Sebring is an important place for Corvette. It’s the first race for the brand 60 years ago, and it’s obviously played a big role in the development of Corvette Racing as one of endurance racing’s top programs. In two days of testing there, you’re able to pound and beat on your car and equipment to make sure it will last under the most extreme conditions.
MARCEL FÄSSLER, NO. 4 CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R: “I am looking forward to racing again with Oliver and Tommy after our win at Daytona. It was one of the biggest and most exciting wins I’ve been a part of. Obviously have very good memories of racing and winning at Sebring. Although it has been a few years since my last 12 Hours, I always enjoyed competing there. The fans and the atmosphere are great. In a lot of ways it is like Le Mans. Our test there in February gave us valuable feedback. It was definitely a different feeling being in a GT car than a prototype but it didn’t take very many laps for me to get up to speed.”
DOUG FEHAN, CORVETTE RACING PROGRAM MANAGER: “There is only one Sebring. The unique surface conditions brutalize both the car and the driver. Unlike Daytona and Le Mans, the drivers have no opportunity to rest at any point during a lap. It is those things - and there are many - that raises Sebring to icon status in the world of road racing. We certainly have had our share of success here including an electrifying, strategy-based victory last year. So, coming off a tremendous victory at The Rolex 24 at Daytona last month, I think it's safe to say our fans are definitely going to witness yet another epic endurance battle.”
2016 WeatherTech SportsCar Championship – GTLM Standings (After one of 10 events)
Driver Standings
Team Standings
Manufacturer Standings
1. Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner/Marcel Fässler – 36
2. Antonio Garcia/Jan Magnussen/Mike Rockenfeller – 33
Fourth Corvette C7.R For 2016 Le Mans 24 Hours
on 07/04/2016 14:07 in Latest News, Le Mans News
DSC can confirm that a fourth Chevrolet Corvette C7.R will contest the 2016 Le Mans 24 Hours.
In addition to the pair of 2016-spec factory entered GTE Pro class cars and the full season FIA WEC Larbre Competition 2015 spec C7.R the GTE Am class entry for Team AAI, slated as a Corvette C6.R is now set to feature a 2015-spec C7.R, believed to be the 2015 Le Mans winning ex factory car.
The effort will again be supported in logistics and engineering by Rudi Penders’ Prospeed organisation, this the effort that brought a pair of LM GTE Am Porsches to the fray in 2015 bringing both cars home.
Team AAI also still retains a reserve-listed Corvette C6.R at present
Television Broadcast:
8:00 PM ET (Qualifying) 4/15/2016 IMSA.com
GTLM 5:35 pm-5:50 pm Qualifying local and times may change
7:00 PM ET 4/16/2016 FOX Sports 2
11:00 PM ET 4/16/2016 FOX Sports 1 (tape delayed)
12:30 PM ET 4/17/2016 FOX Sports 1 (tape delayed)
Saturday, April 16, 2016 Online Coverage
IMSA.com (includes live images, in-car cameras and announcers) http://www.imsa.com/camera/imsatv
CORVETTE RACING AT LONG BEACH: Race-Winning Momentum Heads West
Press Release:
CORVETTE RACING AT LONG BEACH: Race-Winning Momentum Heads West
A third straight IMSA victory would give Corvette Racing 100 wins in program history
Chance for Corvette Racing to add to another milestone to history books
Gavin, Milner arrive with Rolex, Sebring victories and GTLM points lead
Garcia, Magnussen look to recapture winning ways
Corvette Racing with five class victories at Long Beach
DETROIT (April 12, 2016) – Since its first race in 1999, Corvette Racing has accumulated one of sports car racing’s most enviable records. Now the sport’s leading GT team is on the verge of reaching another milestone as it heads west for the next two races of the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) season.
Corvette Racing’s next victory will be its 100th – a mark that no other North American professional sports car entrant can come close to matching. The first opportunity to claim No. 100 comes this weekend at the Bubba Burger Sports Car Grand Prix from the famed Long Beach street circuit. It will be Corvette Racing’s 10th appearance at Long Beach with five class wins already in-hand.
Oliver Gavin and Tommy Milner, who share the No. 4 Chevrolet Corvette C7.R, arrive at Long Beach with consecutive wins in the Rolex 24 At Daytona and the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring. As a result, the pairing leads in GT Le Mans (GTLM) points for the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. Gavin and Milner won together at Long Beach in 2012 to start their run to the American Le Mans Series GT title. Gavin has two other Long Beach wins to his credit – 2007 and 2009.
Corvette Racing’s two-car effort also includes Antonio Garcia and Jan Magnussen in the No. 3 Corvette C7.R. They recorded the C7.R’s first victory in the 2014 Long Beach race – the first of four straight in IMSA competition. The Garcia/Magnussen duo were third last year, and Magnussen had previously won at Long Beach in 2007.
The 100-minute Bubba Burger Sports Car Grand Prix is the shortest event on Corvette Racing’s 2016 schedule. It is part of the Grand Prix of Long Beach weekend, now in its 42nd year. The event is one of racing’s most recognized around the world with a picturesque 1.968-mile, 11-turn street circuit that sits on the shores of the Pacific Ocean.
A total of 25 cars are entered for this year’s IMSA race, which in addition to GTLM includes the Prototype category and the Prototype Challenge field. It’s a larger grid than in years past, which will add to the challenge of an already tricky and narrow street course.
The 2016-spec Corvette C7.R is an updated racecar due to changes in Automobile Club de l’Ouest regulations for top-level GT cars that compete in the IMSA GTLM class. There are a number of aerodynamic changes including a larger splitter at the front and diffuser at the rear of the Corvette. Side skirts and a repositioned wing also are among the most notable changes, along with updated safety features that are now mandated on all GTLM cars.
The powertrain on the Corvette C7.R is unchanged from 2015 with a 5.5-liter V-8 Chevrolet small block powering the race car. The Corvette C7.R will use E20 fuel during the IMSA season and the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
The Bubba Burger Sports Car Grand Prix of Long Beach is set for 4:05 p.m. PT on Saturday. It will air live on FOX Sports 2 with tape-delayed broadcasts on FOX Sports 1 at 11 p.m. ET on Saturday and 12:30 p.m. ET on Sunday. Live audio coverage from IMSA Radio is available on IMSA.com.
ANTONIO GARCIA, NO. 3 CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R: “Long Beach is always a nice event. It has been good for Jan and I for the last couple of years with a win and a podium in our Corvette C7.R. It’s only a 100-minute race so the timing and execution of the pit stop will be key. You hope you don’t have anything go wrong and have to make more than one stop. There will be more cars on the track this year, so the chances of more full-course yellows are greater, which can interfere with strategy. One mistake can end your race or someone else’s.”
JAN MAGNUSSEN, NO. 3 CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R: “Things are a little bit different for Antonio and I going to Long Beach than the last couple of years. There has been nothing wrong with our speed and performance. We lost out by less than a car length at Daytona and were leading at Sebring before a crash took us out. So we’re behind on points but we can’t panic yet. A lot can happen at Long Beach even though it’s only 100 minutes.”
OLIVER GAVIN, NO. 4 CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R: “It’s always interesting going to Long Beach. You go from two of the longest races of the year to the shortest. It’s definitely a different mindset. You have one pit stop and one driver change. It’s all about making sure you can execute as fast and as well as possible. Tommy and I have had a fantastic start, and we’re full of confidence. Our Corvette has been running extremely well. Coming into this race with the points lead is great. But this is a totally different beast. You have to switch hats a little but fundamentally the car setup and how we attack a race weekend is somewhat similar to how we have so far this year. We know the race is extremely short and sweet. We have to execute thoroughly.”
TOMMY MILNER, NO. 4 CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R: “Long Beach feels like a whole new challenge compared to Daytona and Sebring. Our success at Daytona and Sebring is a nice reward for the hard work the whole team has put in but Long Beach will be a new challenge for us. We need to be fast right away if we want to be successful this weekend but be aware of the risk of making a mistake as that will undoubtedly hamper our chances. Oliver and I come into the race with the points lead and we will be working hard with Corvette Racing to help keep that momentum going.”
DOUG FEHAN, CORVETTE RACING PROGRAM MANAGER: “Corvette Racing is off to another exceptional start. We have proven we are the top endurance GT team in racing. Now we will test ourselves in the shortest race of the season at 100 minutes in Long Beach. The nature of this and any street circuit elevates the level of risk, but it’s an aspect of the event we have mastered before. Long Beach is always an entertaining race that draws some of the largest crowds we see every year. We’re looking to put on another exciting show for them.”
2016 WeatherTech SportsCar Championship – GTLM Standings (After two of 10 events)
Driver Standings
Team Standings
Manufacturer Standings
CORVETTE RACING AT LONG BEACH: Gavin, Magnussen Part of Tight GTLM Fight
Press Release:
CORVETTE RACING AT LONG BEACH: Gavin, Magnussen Part of Tight GTLM Fight
Fittipaldi nabs first Long Beach pole position for Action Express Racing; Ricky Taylor second
Corvette Racing going for 100th program victory
Gavin to start fourth, Magnussen in fifth
Second straight Long Beach overall pole for Corvette DP
DETROIT (April 15, 2016) – Corvette Racing will go for its 100th victory in program history Saturday from the second and third rows of the GT Le Mans (GTLM) grid as part of the Bubba Burger Sports Car Grand Prix at Long Beach. Oliver Gavin qualified fourth in the No. 4 Chevrolet Corvette C7.R, and Jan Magnussen was right behind in the No. 3 Corvette.
In Prototype qualifying, Action Express Racing’s Christian Fittipaldi led a front-row sweep for the Corvette Daytona Prototype by beating out Ricky Taylor, last year’s pole winner for Wayne Taylor Racing.
The two Corvette C7.Rs ran 1-2 for the majority of Friday’s qualifying session. Gavin, pole winner in his first race at Long Beach in 2007, set the pace early before finishing the session with a best lap of 1:17.573 (91.331 mph). Magnussen, with two Long Beach pole positions to his credit, posted a quick lap of 1:17.676 (91.120 mph).
Corvette Racing will go for its sixth Long Beach victory in 11 years in Saturday’s 100-minute race. Gavin and Tommy Milner won in 2012 – a season in which they also won the American Le Mans Series’ GT championship – while Magnussen and Antonio Garcia won in 2014; it was the first victory for the Corvette C7.R and the first of four straight wins for the duo.
The driver pairings remain the same for this year’s race. Bill Auberlen (BMW) was Friday’s GTLM pole winner.
Fittipaldi captured his first career pole position at Long Beach with a lap of 1:14.962 (94.512 mph) in the Action Express No. 5 Mustang Sampling Corvette DP. He and Joao Barbosa will go for their first victory together at the street circuit event.
Taylor’s best time was a 1:15.113 (94.297 mph) on his final qualifying lap in the Wayne Taylor Racing’s No. 10 Konica Minolta Corvette DP. He and brother Jordan are the defending race winners, and the pairing was second two years ago at Long Beach.
Eric Curran qualified Action Express Racing’s No. 31 Whelen Engineering/Team Fox Corvette DP in the fourth spot with a lap of 1:15.741 (93.540 mph). Marc Goossens was seventh in Visit Florida Racing’s No. 90 VisitFlorida.com Corvette DP at 1:16.163 (93.022 mph).
The Bubba Burger Sports Car Grand Prix of Long Beach is set for 4:05 p.m. PT on Saturday. It will air live on FOX Sports 2 with tape-delayed broadcasts on FOX Sports 1 at 11 p.m. ET on Saturday and 12:30 p.m. ET on Sunday. Live audio coverage from IMSA Radio is available on IMSA.com.
CORVETTE RACING QUOTES
OLIVER GAVIN, NO. 4 CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R – QUALIFIED FOURTH IN GTLM: “It was a pretty decent session. It's warmer than it was this morning, obviously. So the tires came in quicker. We were quick at the beginning of the session, but it just seemed that the BMW and the Porsche came on strong there and we got bumped to fourth. I didn't string it all together perfectly, but it wasn't a bad lap. I could have maybe found another tenth here or maybe there, but I don't think we were ever going have the pace to quite catch the BMW. But fourth is a pretty good spot, and I think we have a chance. We have a pretty good race car. On longer runs, I think we should be in a reasonably good spot. We can attack and build a good race from that spot. So I'm pretty happy. Obviously you would like to be a fit farther forward and in P1, but we always seem to have a very good race car."
JAN MAGNUSSEN, NO. 3 CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R – QUALIFIED FIFTH IN GTLM: “It was not a bad qualifying actually. It was just not quite fast enough to be right at the front. We'll go back and look at the data and see if it is something we can improve for tomorrow. But it is difficult now because we are not on track between now and the race so it can only be small changes. We aren't a million miles off of what I think we can do. It is just little things. We will try to find them tonight and give it a go tomorrow."
CORVETTE DP QUOTES
CHRISTIAN FITTIPALDI, ACTION EXPRESS RACING NO. 5 MUSTANG SAMPLING CORVETTE DP – POLE WINNER: “I’m really happy to get pole here. This is where our team has had some hard times - this race and the next one. Maybe this could be a chapter changing in Action Express Racing’s history. We worked hard last year after Laguna Seca – where we had a miserable race - the first thing we did the following week was go test and understand what happened. We think we figured it out, and it showed itself today. This morning, I knew we would have a better car than last year. In the last practice, the car was pretty good; I just didn’t manage to do a very good lap, but in qualifying I knew we wouldn’t have any traffic. It was a matter of putting two good laps in a row.”
RICKY TAYLOR, WAYNE TAYLOR RACING NO. 10 KONICA MINOLTA CORVETTE DP – QUALIFIED SECOND: “The car was a pole car but, unfortunately, I brushed the (Turn Eight) wall early on, which really messed up the toe and ruined our qualifying. I feel bad because it should have been an easy pole and I just went for too much too soon. If you’re going to hit the wall, you should hit it at the end, not at the beginning so you can give yourself a chance. I guess that’s a little bit of a lesson, but the car was a pole car, for sure, which gives us confidence in the race. I’m going to try to get by him (today’s pole-winner Christian Fittipaldi). I know our pit stop will be faster, but I want to pass him on the track.”
CORVETTE RACING AT MONTEREY: Strong History at Laguna Seca
Seven class victories and three wins in last four seasons at Monterey
• Gavin, Milner enter with GTLM points lead, Rolex and Sebring wins
• Garcia, Magnussen went back-to-back in 2013-14
• Corvette Racing with 99 victories in program history
DETROIT (April 27, 2016) – Corvette Racing will wrap up its two-race swing on the West Coast at one of its most successful venues – Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca for a two-hour sprint race near the Monterey coast. The Continental Tire Monterey Grand Prix presented by Mazda is the team’s third race of the season and last before the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
A victory Sunday would be Corvette Racing’s eighth at the 2.238-mile, 11-turn circuit on the Monterey Peninsula and fourth in five seasons. Four different models of Corvette have won races there including the Chevrolet Corvette C7.R that won in 2013 and 2014.
Oliver Gavin and Tommy Milner, drivers of the No. 4 Corvette C7.R, were winners in the 2012 race in the previous-generation Corvette C6.R. The pairing is the hottest driver in the GT Le Mans (GTLM) class of the IMSA WeatherTech Sports Car Championship. They opened the season with victories in the Rolex 24 At Daytona and Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring.
They seemed on their way to a victory two weeks ago at Long Beach – which would have been No. 100 for Corvette Racing – before another GTLM competitor knocked Milner from the lead with two minutes left. He and Gavin still managed to place second and lead the class Driver’s Championship by 18 points, while Chevrolet leads the Manufacturer Championship by five points.
Antonio Garcia and Jan Magnussen in the No. 3 Corvette C7.R won in 2013 and 2014 at Laguna Seca. They are looking to end a string of bad luck that resulted in ninth-place finishes in their last two events. They were runners-up to the No. 4 Corvette at Daytona.
The Continental Tire Grand Prix of Monterey for GTLM and Prototype entries is set for 11:15 a.m. PT on Sunday. It will air live on FOX Sports 1 with audio coverage from IMSA Radio is available on IMSA.com.
Corvette Racing Display on Location in Monterey
Corvette Racing fans will have plenty to see and do at Laguna Seca. In addition to the on-track activity for Corvette Racing and Corvette Daytona Prototypes, the Corvette Racing Display will be open starting Friday morning. Fans can learn all they need to know about Chevrolet and see a number of Chevy attractions:
• Award-winning Chevrolet 2016 production vehicles such as the Colorado Diesel – the 2016 Motor Trend Truck of the Year – and the Camaro – the 2016 Motor Trend Car of the Year
• Additional Chevrolet vehicles including Silverado HD, Malibu, Cruze, Equinox and Corvette Stingray
• A Corvette C7.R show car
• Samples of Chevrolet engines, performance parts and accessories available to fans for purchase from their local Chevrolet dealer
• A variety of Chevrolet and racing related activities for adults and kids
• Commemorative t-shirts for fans who sign up with Corvette Racing.
The Corvette Racing display opens at 8 a.m., Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
ANTONIO GARCIA, NO. 3 CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R: “Jan and I are in a similar situation as when we arrived at Laguna Seca in 2013. We had a fast Corvette and were in contention during a number of races prior, but we finally broke through for our first win together in Monterey. It was a great race and very satisfying. We arrive again looking to turn around our fortunes. We’ve led every race this year but haven’t gotten the results we feel we deserve. Hopefully we can break through before we head to Le Mans.”
JAN MAGNUSSEN, NO. 3 CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R: Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca is a fun track to drive and really one of my favorites. There are passing opportunities at the final turn and the hairpin, and you can also grab an opportunity at the Corkscrew but you really have to commit. With split races for the classes this weekend run over two hours, the weekend is going to be really interesting. If we don’t have any yellows, then two hours is going to be right on the limit of trying to make it on one stop. The place here at Laguna really has an awesome flow to it. After the Andretti hairpin you can really get an brilliant run through the next flow of corners up to the Corkscrew.
OLIVER GAVIN, NO. 4 CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R: “Laguna Seca is one of the best venues for sports car racing in America. It’s a fantastic area and that adds to the history of the track and motorsport in the Monterey area. It also helps that Corvette Racing - and myself personally - has had a great deal of success at Laguna Seca over the years. Tommy and I have great momentum after the first three rounds of the season. What happened at Long Beach is still disappointing but we would all like nothing more than to get back on a winning track in Monterey before we prepare for Le Mans.”
TOMMY MILNER, NO. 4 CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R: “Long Beach is over and everyone on the No. 4 Corvette team is ready to move on to Laguna Seca. It’s a great place to be and is one of my favorite stops on our schedule. You face a number of challenges with small mistakes potentially leading to bigger problems. Keeping the car on the track and out of the sand and gravel is a priority. Fortunately we have a Corvette that brakes and turns well in the mid-speed corners that make up the layout. Leaving here with the points lead and a victory would give us great momentum ahead of our return to Le Mans in June.”
DOUG FEHAN, CORVETTE RACING PROGRAM MANAGER: “The Monterey Peninsula is certainly the most panoramic region we visit, and Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca is one of the most formidable circuits on which we race. From the iconic Corkscrew to the windblown sand, this place presents every driver with daunting challenges at every corner. After our brush with victory in Long Beach, I can assure you all our guys are totally engaged and fully prepared to give our fans what they pay to see and move on to Le Mans on a positive note.”
2016 P/GTLM Continental Tire Monterey Grand Prix Race Broadcast
Relive all the action from the Continental Tire Monterey Grand Prix powered by Mazda (P/GTLM), the fourth race of the 2016 WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season.
03-04-2016, 06:58 AM
