C8 Corvette Won’t See Motorsports Action ‘for a while’
06-28-2018, 07:44 PM
#1
Le Mans Master
Thread Starter
C8 Corvette Won’t See Motorsports Action ‘for a while’
I think we’ll continue to see the same [C7.R] version for a while. Eventually there will be an eighth-generation Corvette. When they introduce that car, we’ll be racing it. But I don’t think that’s going to be for a while.”
https://www.corvetteforum.com/articles/c8-corvette-wont-see-motorsports-action-for-a-while/
https://www.corvetteforum.com/articles/c8-corvette-wont-see-motorsports-action-for-a-while/
Last edited by johnglenntwo; 06-28-2018 at 07:51 PM.
06-28-2018, 08:37 PM
#2
Safety Car
I have copied that article here:
It’s been four years since the C7.R Corvette racer debuted at both Le Mans and IMSA. Which is obviously a very long time in the world of motorsports. As the C7 road car winds down and we prepare for the arrival of the all-new C8 Corvette, one might assume that we would also see a C8.R as well. But apparently, we’d be wrong. Because according to Corvette Racing’s program manager Doug Fehan, the C7.R will soldier on indefinitely.
Which should come as no surprise, really. The C6.R campaigned from 2005-2013. And it’s not like the C7.R hasn’t enjoyed its fair share of success, going 8-for-18 at Le Mans. Thus, Fehan didn’t seem to concerned with the car’s age at the historic race, telling Motorsport.com that he’s content soldiering on with the “old” car.
“I think we’ll continue to see the same [C7.R] version for a while. Eventually there will be an eighth-generation Corvette. When they introduce that car, we’ll be racing it. But I don’t think that’s going to be for a while.”
However, Fehan sees the C7.R’s age and experience as a positive thing. “I don’t like to refer to it as an old car,” he said. “But it has many years of participation here at Le Mans, which is not a bad thing. We went faster last night in this car than we’ve ever gone before, which means that development pays off. Improvement in tires, aerodynamics, chassis – all those things.”
It makes perfect sense in a sport constantly seeking to level the playing field. Plus, durability and reliability are just as important as all-out speed in endurance racing, after all. “We know time and time again that the team that spends the least amount of time in the pit box is most likely the team that’s going to win the race. Not necessarily the fastest car,” Fehan added.
Originally Posted by Corvetteforum
C8 Corvette Won’t See Motorsports Action ‘for a While’
By Brett Foote - June 28, 2018 The roadgoing C8 is right around the corner. But that doesn’t mean a C8.R is in the near future.It’s been four years since the C7.R Corvette racer debuted at both Le Mans and IMSA. Which is obviously a very long time in the world of motorsports. As the C7 road car winds down and we prepare for the arrival of the all-new C8 Corvette, one might assume that we would also see a C8.R as well. But apparently, we’d be wrong. Because according to Corvette Racing’s program manager Doug Fehan, the C7.R will soldier on indefinitely.
Which should come as no surprise, really. The C6.R campaigned from 2005-2013. And it’s not like the C7.R hasn’t enjoyed its fair share of success, going 8-for-18 at Le Mans. Thus, Fehan didn’t seem to concerned with the car’s age at the historic race, telling Motorsport.com that he’s content soldiering on with the “old” car.
“I think we’ll continue to see the same [C7.R] version for a while. Eventually there will be an eighth-generation Corvette. When they introduce that car, we’ll be racing it. But I don’t think that’s going to be for a while.”
However, Fehan sees the C7.R’s age and experience as a positive thing. “I don’t like to refer to it as an old car,” he said. “But it has many years of participation here at Le Mans, which is not a bad thing. We went faster last night in this car than we’ve ever gone before, which means that development pays off. Improvement in tires, aerodynamics, chassis – all those things.”
It makes perfect sense in a sport constantly seeking to level the playing field. Plus, durability and reliability are just as important as all-out speed in endurance racing, after all. “We know time and time again that the team that spends the least amount of time in the pit box is most likely the team that’s going to win the race. Not necessarily the fastest car,” Fehan added.
06-28-2018, 08:46 PM
#3
Burning Brakes
06-28-2018, 08:47 PM
#4
Safety Car
I have read and re-read the above article, yet find nothing compelling to lead me to conclude what the author has. IMO, it is more opinion than fact, and does not address the key factor in what both Doug has repeatedly publicly said, that “we race what we sell.”
I am a huge fan of Doug’s, attribute lot of the teams outstanding racing program to him. I do not see a quote from Doug in this article nor in the other interviews he has recently done on this subject saying, that when the C8.R is finished, we will hold off racing it. I heard him speak at his NCM BASH presentation and what he said there was that the two C7.R Crew Chiefs “Danny and Brian who were listed in writing as being on the agenda, are not here because they are working on the C8.R.” Harlan, sitting next to Doug at the main table on stage, winced.
Doug is properly walking the line on what he has been saying more recently after he said what he did at the BASH. Perhaps he was gently educated back into talking the party line.
What is happening right now is that the Corvette Racing Team is already or soon will be meeting with GM corporate (including the financial team), evaluating costs, racing options and more. Then when the corporate decision is made, then GM reps, most likely including Doug, will go negotiate with the ACO. Then and only then will they know when the C8.R is going to start racing. And we will learn sometime after that...
I am a huge fan of Doug’s, attribute lot of the teams outstanding racing program to him. I do not see a quote from Doug in this article nor in the other interviews he has recently done on this subject saying, that when the C8.R is finished, we will hold off racing it. I heard him speak at his NCM BASH presentation and what he said there was that the two C7.R Crew Chiefs “Danny and Brian who were listed in writing as being on the agenda, are not here because they are working on the C8.R.” Harlan, sitting next to Doug at the main table on stage, winced.
Doug is properly walking the line on what he has been saying more recently after he said what he did at the BASH. Perhaps he was gently educated back into talking the party line.
What is happening right now is that the Corvette Racing Team is already or soon will be meeting with GM corporate (including the financial team), evaluating costs, racing options and more. Then when the corporate decision is made, then GM reps, most likely including Doug, will go negotiate with the ACO. Then and only then will they know when the C8.R is going to start racing. And we will learn sometime after that...
06-28-2018, 09:08 PM
#5
Burning Brakes
I have read and re-read the above article, yet find nothing compelling to lead me to conclude what the author has. IMO, it is more opinion than fact, and does not address the key factor in what both Doug has repeatedly publicly said, that “we race what we sell.”
I am a huge fan of Doug’s, attribute lot of the teams outstanding racing program to him. I do not see a quote from Doug in this article nor in the other interviews he has recently done on this subject saying, that when the C8.R is finished, we will hold off racing it. I heard him speak at his NCM BASH presentation and what he said there was that the two C7.R Crew Chiefs “Danny and Brian who were listed in writing as being on the agenda, are not here because they are working on the C8.R.” Harlan, sitting next to Doug at the main table on stage, winced.
Doug is properly walking the line on what he has been saying more recently after he said what he did at the BASH. Perhaps he was gently educated back into talking the party line.
What is happening right now is that the Corvette Racing Team is already or soon will be meeting with GM corporate (including the financial team), evaluating costs, racing options and more. Then when the corporate decision is made, then GM reps, most likely including Doug, will go negotiate with the ACO. Then and only then will they know when the C8.R is going to start racing. And we will learn sometime after that...
I am a huge fan of Doug’s, attribute lot of the teams outstanding racing program to him. I do not see a quote from Doug in this article nor in the other interviews he has recently done on this subject saying, that when the C8.R is finished, we will hold off racing it. I heard him speak at his NCM BASH presentation and what he said there was that the two C7.R Crew Chiefs “Danny and Brian who were listed in writing as being on the agenda, are not here because they are working on the C8.R.” Harlan, sitting next to Doug at the main table on stage, winced.
Doug is properly walking the line on what he has been saying more recently after he said what he did at the BASH. Perhaps he was gently educated back into talking the party line.
What is happening right now is that the Corvette Racing Team is already or soon will be meeting with GM corporate (including the financial team), evaluating costs, racing options and more. Then when the corporate decision is made, then GM reps, most likely including Doug, will go negotiate with the ACO. Then and only then will they know when the C8.R is going to start racing. And we will learn sometime after that...
06-28-2018, 09:36 PM
#6
Le Mans Master
Thread Starter
I recall somebody in C7R racing complain about an inadequate chassis months ago! ;)
The C7R has only been winning roughly half as much as the C5R and C6R.
Last edited by johnglenntwo; 06-28-2018 at 09:41 PM.
06-28-2018, 09:54 PM
#7
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They aren't going to race a C8 until they have done a massive amount of testing and have mountains of data about the car. This is a hard right turn for GM and Pratt/Miller and they aren't going to unleash their most innovative car in decades and not have it be competitive. There is far too much at stake.
They will race it when it's ready and I don't think we will see it in competition until 2019.
They will race it when it's ready and I don't think we will see it in competition until 2019.
06-29-2018, 12:09 AM
#8
Le Mans Master
They aren't going to race a C8 until they have done a massive amount of testing and have mountains of data about the car. This is a hard right turn for GM and Pratt/Miller and they aren't going to unleash their most innovative car in decades and not have it be competitive. There is far too much at stake.
They will race it when it's ready and I don't think we will see it in competition until 2019.
They will race it when it's ready and I don't think we will see it in competition until 2019.
06-29-2018, 06:36 AM
#9
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Exactly. I can't believe the number of people who think the race car is going to be ready on the same day the street car is announced. The last 3 generations of Corvette race car have lagged the road car debut by roughly a year. There's just no way they can get the car developed, built, tested, and certified by the sanctioning bodies in time for the 2019 race season all while keeping it completely secret.
06-29-2018, 10:40 AM
#10
Race Director
Doug Fehan is one the smartest, cagiest dudes in motorsports. He will not show his hand until he is ready. "A while" could mean next decade, next year or next fall. The C8.R will debut when it is ready, and Doug Fehan will tell you, (and Ford, Porsche, Ferrari, BMW, et.al.) when HE is ready, which, apparently, is not now. The Rolex 24 is 7 months away. That is a long time. Corvette racing will do EVERYTHING they can to win it.....including bringing the right race car.
Big Fehan fan, BTW
06-29-2018, 10:42 AM
#11
Race Director
Anymore it's just BoP. Corvette Racing are a great team and have managed to figure out how to win with handicapped cars for over a decade. But if the IMSA powers that be want to, they can shut down any team, no matter how good the car, engineers, or drivers...
06-29-2018, 11:03 AM
#12
Le Mans Master
It couldn't possibly be that the competition has just gotten that much better. Nope, couldn't be that.
06-29-2018, 11:21 AM
#13
Le Mans Master
Thread Starter
Right! ;)
AND
Technology allows for those optimum production car variants. The best chassis is ME in a sports car.
(Get over it!
)AND
The OHV at 6,500 RPM is the more interesting question!
Last edited by johnglenntwo; 06-29-2018 at 11:25 AM.
06-29-2018, 12:02 PM
#14
Pro
If you payed more attention to the racing circuit for the last 10 years, and more, you'd realize that this is not entirely true. BOP has played a major role in making winning teams and, most of this has occurred since Corvette and Cadillac introduced their light weight and very powerful engines. This years race was further evidence when an otherwise so-so Porsche team, celebrating their 70th anniversary, won. Voila, a bit more power was released to them and they cheered success. It was obvious to the faithful of IMSA and those that are closely in tune with it that BOP played a major role in their victory.
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Rapid Fred (07-01-2018)
06-29-2018, 12:32 PM
#15
Burning Brakes
It all kinda depends on when Pratt & Miller started on the C8.R. This car did not just pop up yesterday. There have been mules on the road for over a year, which means Pratt & Miller had the only real part they need from GM - the frame. - for at least that long. The fact that Fehan's two best engineers are spending more time working with Pratt & Miller on the " new car" than on the C7.R (which he revealed at the Michelin Bash in April) says they are pretty far along.
Having said all that, the big development, once you have the chassis, is aerodynamics. But a lot of that is done in a BIG wind tunnel in Marietta, GA that youse guys will never see. So the body could be pretty far along too. Road testing is the last step, and generally can be done in months, not years.
They are all being very coy right now, but let there be no doubt, Corvette Racing was pissed off by Ford's dubious marketing adventure called the "Ford GT". They want revenge, and soon. Revenge is a dish best served cold, so the less they tell Ford (and you), the sweeter will be the surprise when they debut the car to race. I would expect you'll hear "it's a long way off" everyday until that sweet morning the beast starts running around Daytona at 200+ mph.
Having said all that, the big development, once you have the chassis, is aerodynamics. But a lot of that is done in a BIG wind tunnel in Marietta, GA that youse guys will never see. So the body could be pretty far along too. Road testing is the last step, and generally can be done in months, not years.
They are all being very coy right now, but let there be no doubt, Corvette Racing was pissed off by Ford's dubious marketing adventure called the "Ford GT". They want revenge, and soon. Revenge is a dish best served cold, so the less they tell Ford (and you), the sweeter will be the surprise when they debut the car to race. I would expect you'll hear "it's a long way off" everyday until that sweet morning the beast starts running around Daytona at 200+ mph.
06-29-2018, 01:23 PM
#16
Le Mans Master
Thread Starter
So the RSR's now being ME is Political!? ;)
If you payed more attention to the racing circuit for the last 10 years, and more, you'd realize that this is not entirely true. BOP has played a major role in making winning teams and, most of this has occurred since Corvette and Cadillac introduced their light weight and very powerful engines. This years race was further evidence when an otherwise so-so Porsche team, celebrating their 70th anniversary, won. Voila, a bit more power was released to them and they cheered success. It was obvious to the faithful of IMSA and those that are closely in tune with it that BOP played a major role in their victory.
Last edited by johnglenntwo; 06-29-2018 at 01:24 PM.
07-01-2018, 09:48 PM
#17
Le Mans Master
I don’t know. The LeMans comentators seemed to know something was going to be different for Corvette next year. As for development, Mid engine Corvette prototypes have been racing for years. I’m gonna take a wild guess and say a lot of that expereince went into the C8.
07-01-2018, 10:17 PM
#18
Team Owner
If you payed more attention to the racing circuit for the last 10 years, and more, you'd realize that this is not entirely true. BOP has played a major role in making winning teams and, most of this has occurred since Corvette and Cadillac introduced their light weight and very powerful engines. This years race was further evidence when an otherwise so-so Porsche team, celebrating their 70th anniversary, won. Voila, a bit more power was released to them and they cheered success. It was obvious to the faithful of IMSA and those that are closely in tune with it that BOP played a major role in their victory.
07-01-2018, 10:32 PM
#19
Race Director
since the NASCAR-types took over, the BoP has become far more important. That’s how you maximize participation.
07-02-2018, 10:15 AM
#20
Banned Scam/Spammer
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The C8R needs to be raced asap. The competition is already really tough for the C7R so it's time to retire it and move onto the new platform/technology.
I miss the days of C5-R and C6-R domination/wins at Le Mans.
I miss the days of C5-R and C6-R domination/wins at Le Mans.