CORVETTE RACING CONFIRMS GT1 CHAMPIONSHIP DEFENSE
Corvette Racing officials have announced the perennial championship winning team will return to the American Le Mans Series in 2007 to defend its GT1 drivers, team and manufacturers crown in North America's leading sports car series. In addition, plans are underway for another assault on this year's 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Corvette Racing is the most successful team in the history of the American Le Mans Series with 45 class wins, six consecutive GT1 team and manufacturer championships and the last five driver titles. The results at Le Mans paint a similar picture with five of the last six class championships.
"In order to gauge Corvette Racing's impact on the American Le Mans Series, all you need to do is observe the tremendously long lines at each of our driver autograph sessions," said Scott Atherton, Series President and CEO. "General Motors, Corvette Racing and Pratt & Miller each have been integral components of the American Le Mans Series since Corvette returned to world-class sports car racing in 1999. We look forward to continuing this relationship for many years to come."
Corvette Racing will test in February in preparation for the season-opening round of the 12-race season: the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring on March 17. Corvette has won America's greatest sports car racing in four of the last five seasons.
Since its debut in 1999, Corvette Racing has competed in 77 races worldwide, scoring 51 victories and 34 one-two finishes (29 in the American Le Mans Series). Corvette Racing drivers Ron Fellows, Johnny O'Connell, Oliver Gavin and Olivier Beretta have combined to win the Series GT1 drivers championship five consecutive seasons.
"The Corvette C6.R race program continues Chevrolet's tradition of racing production-based vehicles to improve the breed," said GM Racing director Mark Kent. "The continuous exchange of information and the constant transfer of technology between the racing and production programs ensure that lessons learned on the track benefit every Corvette on the highway."
Corvette Racing officials have announced the perennial championship winning team will return to the American Le Mans Series in 2007 to defend its GT1 drivers, team and manufacturers crown in North America's leading sports car series. In addition, plans are underway for another assault on this year's 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Corvette Racing is the most successful team in the history of the American Le Mans Series with 45 class wins, six consecutive GT1 team and manufacturer championships and the last five driver titles. The results at Le Mans paint a similar picture with five of the last six class championships.
"In order to gauge Corvette Racing's impact on the American Le Mans Series, all you need to do is observe the tremendously long lines at each of our driver autograph sessions," said Scott Atherton, Series President and CEO. "General Motors, Corvette Racing and Pratt & Miller each have been integral components of the American Le Mans Series since Corvette returned to world-class sports car racing in 1999. We look forward to continuing this relationship for many years to come."
Corvette Racing will test in February in preparation for the season-opening round of the 12-race season: the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring on March 17. Corvette has won America's greatest sports car racing in four of the last five seasons.
Since its debut in 1999, Corvette Racing has competed in 77 races worldwide, scoring 51 victories and 34 one-two finishes (29 in the American Le Mans Series). Corvette Racing drivers Ron Fellows, Johnny O'Connell, Oliver Gavin and Olivier Beretta have combined to win the Series GT1 drivers championship five consecutive seasons.
"The Corvette C6.R race program continues Chevrolet's tradition of racing production-based vehicles to improve the breed," said GM Racing director Mark Kent. "The continuous exchange of information and the constant transfer of technology between the racing and production programs ensure that lessons learned on the track benefit every Corvette on the highway."
