Corvette for LeMans racing

[Power Surge]

Just a quick question for the history buffs.... was the Corvette ever used for LeMans racing (from the 60s to present day)?

[csx700?]

YES, it was........and still is........from the 50's to present day!

[computerworks]

Not famous for it...but they have shown up over the years.

From the text at the Corvette Museum site:

It fell to sportsman Briggs Cunningham to fulfill Duntov’s dream of competing at Le Mans . Cunningham fielded a trio of Corvettes at the French classic in 1960, and he was rewarded with an eighth-place finish overall and first in the big-bore GT class by drivers John Fitch and Bob Grossman.

The lure of Le Mans has proven irresistible for Corvette racers. Dick Guldstrand and Bob Bondurant topped 171 mph on the infamous Mulsanne Straight with their L88 Corvette in 1967, but dropped out with mechanical problems before the halfway mark.

Another generation of Americans returned to France in 1972 when John Greenwood and comedian Dick Smothers brought a Corvette painted in stars and stripes; it lasted 10 hours. Greenwood went back four years later to celebrate America ’s bicentennial with an outrageous wide-bodied, tri-colored Corvette, but a leaking fuel cell sidelined the American effort after five hours.

In 1994 a Corvette prepared by specialist Reeves Callaway was the fastest qualifier in the GT2 class, but was disqualified after 11 hours when it was refueled on the course. Callaway’s second and third-place finishes in the GT class in 1995 foreshadowed the arrival of the all-conquering C5-R Corvettes.

[csx700?]

..............let's not forget the factory backed C6R corvette program........

[VRM]

Oooo!! I know!! I know!!

1960: Briggs Cunningham entered 3 cars - all white with blue stripes (American racing colours - not Shelby stripes as some might think). Grossman and Fitchs 8th place finish in the #3 car was the best for Corvette until just a couple of years ago. Two cars have been found and restored - you can see my pics of the #3 car here:
http://public.fotki.com/VRM/corvette...ngham_1960_le/
Lucky Casners Camoradi team also entered one in that year. White with a single blue stripe and some nose mods. The cars is alive and well and living in CA today.

1962 had another Vette run by Tony Settember (also raced Cobras in Europe) and Jack Turner for Scuderia Sirroco. They DNF'ed. A friend of mine has some pics collected here:
http://palmeter.com/62LM01.htm
This car is also alive and well.

Alan Green Chevrolet planned to enter their Z06 in 1963, but they never did.

1967 had Bondo and Guldstrand sharing an L88 (one of 20 made in that year). The car was owned by the Botany 500 clothing company and painted in Sunray DX trim of white and blue with red stripes.

You can read a lot more about Sunray here:
http://www.v-r-m.com/decals/SunrayDX..._sunray_dx.htm

1968 had 2 L88 red coupes by Scuderia Filipinetti (a Swiss team). They both DNF'ed. The Sunray DX team also planned to enter 2 of their L88s as well, but the Sunray-Sunoco merger ended those plans as Penskes Sunoco team became the dominant race team.

1969 had another Scuderia Filipinetti car entered (the same chassis as one of last years car). They had planned for two cars but ended up selling one of them before the race.

1970 had two cars entered - one by Greder Racing (Henri Greder drove for Scuderia Filipinetti in the prior two years), and the other by Ecurie Leopard. Greder was not classified, and the leopard car DNF'ed.

1971 had the same two L88s by Greder and Ecurie Leopard return. Both DNF'ed. Delorenzos Owens Corning team had planned to enter two more L88s as well, but plans fell through. You can see what their cars looked like here:
http://public.fotki.com/VRM/corvette...ns_corning_12/

1972 had the Ecurie Leopard car, the Greder car, two cars for the Greenwood Team (Greenwood himself shared a car with Dick Smothers - yes, THAT Dick Smothers!) and one for NART (North American Racing team - the Ferrari dealer based in CT.) The Nart Corvette, painted in Ferrari red, was the only one that finished; they placed 15th.
Here are my pics of the NART car:
http://public.fotki.com/VRM/corvette...8_nart_lemans/

The same cars were back for 1973, but Greder placed 12th, the Ecurie Leopard car 18th, one of the Greenwood cars DNF'ed and the other Greenwood car DNQ'ed. The NART car never showed up.

1974 - Greder showed up with the only car to race - he placed 18th. Greenwood had planned to enter 1 car.

Greder showed up again in 1975, but DNF'ed.

1976 had only the Sprit of '76 Greenwood car with the IMSA body type. They DNF'ed.

Callaway entered some Corvette specials in the mid 90s (94-95??) that managed to place. There were also a couple of ZR1s entered, but I am pretty sure that they DNF'ed. I can look them up pretty easily if you want the info.

The last time I chacked the Corvette Racing website has the C5R and C6R results available.

Aren't you glad you asked!?! Don't ask me why I carry this stuff around in my head...I don't know either...and my wife does not want to know.

Steve

[Power Surge]

Was Ford the only American manufacturer to win LeMans?

[computerworks]

Originally Posted by Power Surge

Was Ford the only American manufacturer to win LeMans?

yup....1966-67-68-69.

First 2 by Shelby, last 2 by John Wyer

[Power Surge]

Thanks, I found the complete history of wins from 1923 to 2006 as well.

Just having a friendly debate with someone who is saying the Corvette was made for LeMans racing.

[computerworks]

Originally Posted by Power Surge

Just having a friendly debate with someone who is saying the Corvette was made for LeMans racing.

If he means...American LeMans series...he's right.

[VRM]

There was only 1 Mustang to race at LeMans. 1967 when Claude DuBois ran his GT350-R. He DNF'ed.
There were a handful of SB Cobras and the Cobra Daytonas, but there were no 427 Cobras raced at LeMans.

Zora Duntov had hopes of building a lot more Corvette Grand Sports and racing them at LeMans.

Steve

[Power Surge]

Originally Posted by computerworks

If he means...American LeMans series...he's right.

What is the American LeMans? Isn't that kind of contracdictory since the track was named LeMans?

[computerworks]

Originally Posted by Power Surge

What is the American LeMans? Isn't that kind of contracdictory since the track was named LeMans?

http://www.americanlemans.com/home/ALMSHome.aspx

It is the series that runs for example at Sebring

[Power Surge]

Originally Posted by computerworks

http://www.americanlemans.com/home/ALMSHome.aspx

It is the series that runs for example at Sebring

Hmm, ok. So did the C5R and C6R race in the American Series, or were those cars entered in the real 24 hr LeMans race?

[VRM]

Originally Posted by computerworks

If he means...American LeMans series...he's right.

Modern day rules are essentially the same between ACO and ALMS - that was part of the whole purpose of the ALMS.

The Vette didn't really do much serious racing until Duntov got involved. Duntov ran Lemans in a Porsche in the early 50s IIRC, and he did want to take the Vette racing.

Steve

[VRM]

Originally Posted by Power Surge

Hmm, ok. So did the C5R and C6R race in the American Series, or were those cars entered in the real 24 hr LeMans race?

Both.

Won the GT title for ALMS, and also the GT class at Lemans most recent years except 2003

[Power Surge]

Thanks. I got a buddy with a wicked Z06, and he always talks like Vettes are the greatest thing since sliced bread. I have no problem giving props when they are deserved, but he's one of those guys who'll trash talk anything Ford just for the joy of doing it. I just like to stuff it in his face from time to time .

[VRM]

Don Panoz wanted more races than just the Lemans 24 hour race.
he set up the ALMS (and there is a similar series in Europe and Asia). Most of the LM cars were only able to run at Lemans. It was really expensive to develop a car for just one race.
He started the ALMS using identical rules (and with the ACOs permission) as the 24 hour race.
It is probably identified as the American Lemans series to give it some clout with the people (like me and probably Ron) who would like to see more LM type racing.

The C5R and C6R are purpose built for LeMans and ALMS racing.
A stock Corvette would not be competitive in either.


Oh, the ACO stands for Automobile Club l'Ouest - the French organisation that runs the 24 hour race.

Steve

[VRM]

Originally Posted by Power Surge

Thanks. I got a buddy with a wicked Z06, and he always talks like Vettes are the greatest thing since sliced bread. I have no problem giving props when they are deserved, but he's one of those guys who'll trash talk anything Ford just for the joy of doing it. I just like to stuff it in his face from time to time .

Feel free to tell him that the Cobras took the GT class at LeMans almost 40 years before Corvette did. Cobras also beat the Ferrari for the FIA GT championship - something Corvettes (or anybody else) were never able to do.

Steve

[Power Surge]

Originally Posted by VRM

Feel free to tell him that the Cobras took the GT class at LeMans almost 40 years before Corvette did. Cobras also beat the Ferrari for the FIA GT championship - something Corvettes (or anybody else) were never able to do.

Steve

How long has the ALMS been around? Since the 60s? Did the Vettes ever win back then?

[VRM]

Originally Posted by Power Surge

How long has the ALMS been around? Since the 60s? Did the Vettes ever win back then?

ALMS has only been around since 1998 or so. The Vipers were beating the Corvettes at Lemans, and probably the first year or two of ALMS as well.

If you google Don Panoz it should have some more specific info on ALMS.

Corvettes did win SCCA championships in 1968, 59, 60, 61, and 62. Cobras won from '63 to '67 and then the Corvettes won again for a few years until Ollie (CSX3009) won again in '73 and '74 (I might be off by a year or two on some of these).

Vettes are great cars, but anything can be beaten by any combination of better car, better driver, or better luck.

Steve