CORVETTE RACING AT WATKINS GLEN: THIRD STRAIGHT VICTORY FOR GARCIA, MAGNUSSEN

Win equals GT Le Mans championship leads; Gavin and Milner fourth after penalty

WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. June 30, 2014 – In its 15 years of existence, Sunday marked Corvette Racing’s first event at Watkins Glen International. The team made its debut one to remember with a dominating GT Le Mans (GTLM) victory in the Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen for Antonio Garcia and Jan Magnussen in the No. 3 Chevrolet Corvette C7.R.

The duo led most of the day to earn their third straight class victory in the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship. In the process, Garcia and Magnussen moved into the lead of the GTLM driver’s championship, as did Chevrolet in the manufacturer standings and the No. 3 Corvette C7.R in team points.

“The Corvette C7.R team’s first race at Watkins Glen was exciting given the challenging track and intense competition that kept the pressure on all race,” said Jim Campbell, Chevrolet U.S. Vice President, Performance Vehicles and Motorsports. “Antonio and Jan drove a great race and the crew executed quick pit stops. We are thankful to come out of The Glen with a GTLM class win and the class championship lead.”

Garcia and Magnussen also won the third round of the Tequila Patrón North American Endurance Cup – a four-race championship made of the TUDOR series’ four endurance events.

The Garcia/Magnussen combination led 154 of the 185 GTLM laps. Magnussen drove the opening stint and took the lead from the pole-sitting BMW on the first lap. Despite holding as much as a 30-second lead at various points, the final minutes were tense ones. A full-course caution with 25 minutes left brought the Corvette inside its fuel window for the rest of the race. A final yellow period just after the restart meant a final-lap dash that saw Garcia hold off the second-place Viper by 0.185 seconds.

Oliver Gavin and Tommy Milner finished fourth in their No. 4 Corvette C7.R after running second to their teammates for most of the day. A stop-and-go penalty inside the last hour for what race officials judged to be avoidable contact halted their podium charge.

The day wasn’t a complete loss. Gavin and Milner moved into the lead of the Patrón Endurance Challenge with just the 1,000-mile Petit Le Mans remaining at the end of the season.

The next round of the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship is the Mobil 1 SportsCar Grand Prix presented by Hawk Performance from Canadian Tire Motorsport Park. The race, which Gavin and Milner won last year as part of the American Le Mans Series, is set for 2:05 p.m. ET on Sunday, June 13.

ANTONIO GARCIA, NO. 3 CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R

“The car was really good. I was running perfect. Jan (Magnussen) made perfect start and pulled a gap. Then we got a caution but we made the gap back up from zero to almost 20 seconds. Whenever I was able to go full-on we went up to almost a 30-second lead. Strategy-wise we were like two or three laps short (on fuel) I believe. We decided because the Viper … maybe they gambled a little bit more at the beginning so they were out of sequence to stretch their fuel to start with; they were good to go to the end. We decided to go too, and it was hard. To go through traffic, it was really difficult to save fuel. At the end we would have been OK to the end (without the last caution). That yellow obviously helped us a little bit more just in case. We weren’t really on it, but I believe Corvette Racing again did a perfect race. I think we led everything but qualifying.”

JAN MAGNUSSEN, NO. 3 CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R

“I have to say I am so pleased for how things have gone for the team this year, with the No. 3 car especially, but how we have developed a new car and we keep finding better things to do with it. We are finding better race speed over one lap over the whole distance and making the Michelin tires last for the whole stint. We have a fantastic race car. It’s a very competitive category and you have to be on your game with everything you do. There is no room for any mistakes otherwise you lose it.”

(First race in the Corvette C7.R at The Glen) “I have been here before in other categories, the GRAND-AM GT and also the GRAND-AM DPs earlier. Driving the Corvette C7.R around here is just a fantastic feeling. It’s such a fast race track. It’s almost like there is a part missing of the corner – normally you would have a big braking zone downshifts and everything getting the car ready to rotate and then shoot out the corner. Here that little bit is gone so basically for every corner you barely touch the brake, downshift, back to full throttle. It’s all about the momentum here to build the speed, and that is where dealing with all the traffic was very important; you didn’t get bogged down too much because it would kind of ruin your rhythm. I think both of us did that really well today.”

OLIVER GAVIN, NO. 4 CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R

“Certainly we made a step forward with the car after yesterday morning. We went back to basics with stuff, we changed a lot chassis-wise with the car. So was it the perfect setup? No because it was just really a bit of a stab at it, but it was good enough to race and be in the hunt. I genuinely think we should have had a second-place. Tommy (Milner) did a great job at the start and really got us in a fantastic position. It looked like we were going to be able to race cleanly for second.

(Race impressions) “On the double stint that I did, the first on the medium tire was good and I hung with Jan (Magnussen) pretty much. And then on the harder tire it was trickier. It made it a lot more difficult. But we were still there still in second-place looking like we were going to be able to fight for that and then Tommy (Milner) just got a crazy decision with the penalty. We went back and forth for a long time and it’s a great shame that it ruined our race. We went from second to fourth and I think we should have really had a second. That would have been a great result for the team and the guys. They worked so hard over the whole weekend.”

TOMMY MILNER, NO. 4 CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R

“First and foremost, I’m very proud of our guys. After Oliver (Gavin) and I were not very happy with the car in practice they put a lot of work into trying to fix the car and it seems like that we have done that. The car was certainly quite a bit better in the race. We were just kind of behind the eight ball – just needed some more practice time to kind of fine tune it, but I think we are back in the ballpark again. That is obviously really encouraging for going forward.

(Race impressions) The race was pretty good. I had a really fun start there. It was just a shame that I got a penalty for something that I don’t believe should have been a penalty. Obviously the race control saw it differently. We can only just move on and kind of put that behind us and be proud of what we achieved. Obviously a great job by the No. 3 car guys; they executed very well. Our guys did as well. We had great pit stops, great strategy calls… they did everything right.  We deserved a podium today, but we had it taken away.”

DOUG FEHAN, CORVETTE RACING PROGRAM MANAGER

“Today was emblematic of one of my key racing axioms – 25 percent great car, 25 percent great team and 50 percent good fortune. We had all those in our corner today, backed up by flawless pit stops and a great strategy by our engineers. With plenty of power from GM Powertrain, you add all that up and it’s a victory in our first visit to Watkins Glen International in the Sahlen’s Six Hours of the Glen. I couldn’t be more proud of our guys for standing on that top step. Everyone worked very hard to earn this one.”

 

 

CORVETTE RACING AT LE MANS: RUNNER-UP FINISH FOR CORVETTE C7.R

Garcia, Magnussen, Taylor lead Corvette Racing effort with GTE Pro podium

LE MANS, France June 16, 2014 – The new Chevrolet Corvette C7.R is a podium finisher in its debut at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Antonio Garcia, Jan Magnussen and Jordan Taylor were runners- up in the GTE Pro class in Corvette Racing’s No. 73 Corvette C7.R thanks to late-race heroics by the trio.

Despite losing valuable laps due to safety car nuances and a faulty valve stem for the Corvette’s air jack system, the No. 73 Corvette and its drivers completed 338 laps and finished a lap shy of the team’s first victory at the French endurance classic since 2011. The runner-up Corvette traveled 2,862.52 miles in the event.

“It was an honor to race the Chevrolet Corvette C7.R at the 2014 24 Hours of Le Mans in the GTE Pro class,” said Jim Campbell, Chevrolet U.S. Vice President, Performance Vehicles and Motorsports. “While Corvette Racing has won in class seven times, we are proud of the persistence, determination and teamwork from the drivers, engineers and crew that delivered a runner-up finish for the new Corvette C7.R. The team’s ‘never-give-up’ approach was evident during each lap, pit stop and driver rotation.

“Every race, including the 24 Hours of Le Mans, provides a great opportunity to learn on the track and then enhance the technologies in the Corvette road car.”

Campbell added: “Thanks to the Corvette and Chevrolet owners who supported the Corvette Racing efforts at Le Mans or followed the racing action this weekend from around the world.”

The first daylight hours Sunday saw the trio fighting back after losing laps to a faulty valve stem for the car’s air jack and twice being separated from its competitors by a safety car in the race’s opening 12 hours. The No. 73 Corvette led for extended periods in the early portion of the race.

The final four hours of the race started with Taylor trailing the third-place Porsche by about 90 seconds before the young American drove a storming triple-stint to close the gap by more than half to 47 seconds. By the time he handed the No. 73 Corvette over to Magnussen and the Dane completed his first flying lap of his final stint, the interval to the new second-place Porsche was 28 seconds with an hour and 40 minutes left.

Magnussen drove a single stint and handed over to Garcia. The Spaniard took out huge chunks of time and took the second position for good when the Porsche pitted with trouble 75 minutes from the end.

The No. 74 Corvette C7.R of Oliver Gavin, Tommy Milner and Richard Westbrook placed fourth in class. The car had been running in podium contention as well before losing eight laps due to a slipped alternator belt and gearbox leak.

Gavin had reported a low voltage reading and a burning smell inside the car near the halfway point. Upon further examination, the crew found the alternator belt covered oil.

“As always, Le Mans was a stern test,” said Mark Kent, Director of Chevrolet Racing. “Achieving a runner-up position for the No. 73 Corvette is remarkable. It is a great reward for the dedication and work ethic of our team at Corvette Racing, Pratt & Miller and our Powertrain Group. We look forward to continuing this momentum when we return to the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship at Watkins Glen in two weeks.”

Corvette Racing’s next race is the Sahlen’s Six Hours at The Glen on Sunday, June 29 from Watkins Glen International. The event will air live at 11 a.m. ET on FOX Sports 1.

 

CORVETTE RACING AT ROAD AMERICA: A PAIR OF PODIUM FINISHES

Second and third for Compuware Corvettes; Gavin and Milner regain drivers’ title lead

ELKHART LAKE, Wis. Aug. 12, 2013 – Corvette Racing scored two podium finishes Sunday at Road America in the Orion Energy Systems 245. The No. 3 Compuware Corvette C6.R of Antonio Garcia and Jan Magnussen placed second in the sixth round of the American Le Mans Series. Oliver Gavin and Tommy Milner, driving the No. 4 Compuware Corvette, finished third.

The race, shown to a nationwide audience live on ABC, marked the first time this season that the two Corvettes finished on the podium in the same race. Even more importantly, the results provided a major boost for the drivers, Corvette Racing and Chevrolet in the ALMS GT championships.

Gavin and Milner, defending GT champions, moved back into the lead in the driver standings. Garcia and Magnussen unofficially are third but only six points out of the championship lead.

Chevrolet solidified its lead in the manufacturer standings, as did Corvette Racing in the team championship.

“The Corvette Racing drivers and team exhibited terrific teamwork on the track and in the pits, and with race strategy to claim two podium positions in the American Le Mans Series at Road America,” said Jim Campbell, U.S. Vice President, Performance Vehicles and Motorsports.  “The team’s never-give-up approach will bode well as we go into the final races of the season. It was a great points day for Tommy Milner and Oliver Gavin as they reclaimed the lead in the ALMS GT driver standings. Jan Magnussen and Antonio Garcia also improved their standing, as well.”

Endurance racing is a true team sport, and that played out again Sunday. The Corvette Racing pit crew executed two perfect stops during the race’s penultimate full-course caution period. The two Corvettes entered the pits running seventh and eighth in class. with 90 minutes remaining but left pitlane first and third.

The race began on a wet track with Magnussen in the No. 3 Corvette and Milner in the No. 4. Both Corvettes, like the rest of the field, began on wet tires. Both Magnussen and Milner ran aggressive yet cautious stints in the beginning before both cars went to slick tires at the 40-minute mark. From that point, strategy and some of the best pit work in the ALMS took over.

Corvette Racing’s next event is the Grand Prix of Baltimore on Aug. 30-31 from the Baltimore Inner Harbor street circuit. Gavin and Milner placed second there last season, and Gavin and Magnussen teamed for a third-place finish in 2011.

 

 

CORVETTE RACING AT ROAD AMERICA: The Spiritual Home

 

Compuware Corvettes come to Elkhart Lake in thick of ALMS GT championships

ELKHART LAKE, Wis. Aug. 07, 2013 – For more than 50 years, Road America has come to define the quintessential American road racing circuit. Likewise, the Chevrolet Corvette has been America’s sports car for 60 years. This weekend, Corvette Racing serves as the bridge that once again reunites the two icons for the Orion Energy 245 – the sixth round of the 2013 American Le Mans Series. The team enters its two velocity yellow Compuware Corvette C6.Rs in the two-hour, 45-minute race.

Road America – featuring 14 turns and measuring 4.048 miles – is one of the more popular stops for Corvette Racing’s lineup and the whole of the ALMS paddock as well. The track also promotes fantastic racing as the last two ALMS races there produced the closest overall finishes in series history. Audiences on ABC can watch all of this year’s race action live at 3 p.m. ET on Sunday, Aug. 11.

For years, Road America has been the site of numerous debuts and race victories for the Corvette brand. It only makes sense – a high-performance automobile deserves a high-performance track. Since 2002, Corvette Racing has carried on the proud tradition of winning at Road America. The span includes six class victories in the ALMS along with a plethora of pole positions and fastest race laps. Oliver Gavin, co-driver with Tommy Milner in the No. 4 Compuware Corvette, owns a particularly strong record with three race victories, four career pole positions and four fastest race laps. Three times he was both the fastest qualifier and fastest driver in the race on the same weekend.

Gavin and Milner enter as winners of the most recent ALMS round at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park and sit second in the GT drivers’ championship and only five points out of first. The duo also is the only one in the class to win more than once in 2013. Third in the championship is the pairing of Antonio Garcia and Jan Magnussen in the No. 3 Compuware Corvette. They won at Laguna Seca in May and placed second in early July at Lime Rock Park. Magnussen has two victories at Road America, and Garcia made his Road America debut last season.

With three victories this year, Chevrolet leads the manufacturers championship and Corvette Racing is first in the team standings.

The weekend has extra meaning for the North American sports car scene. The ALMS and GRAND-AM’s Rolex Sports Car Series share the Road America weekend as a preview to next year’s United SportsCar Series championship – a result of the merger of the two sports car racing organizations. Corvette Racing’s two endurance drivers – Jordan Taylor and Richard Westbrook – will race in Saturday’s Rolex Series event.

 

CORVETTE RACING IN CANADA: PRESSURE-PACKED WIN FOR GAVIN, MILNER

Second win of 2013 for No. 4 Compuware Corvette; Garcia/Magnussen place fourth

 BOWMANVILLE, Ontario July 21, 2013 – Oliver Gavin and Tommy Milner scored their second victory in the American Le Mans Series on Sunday with a hard-earned effort in the Mobil 1 SportsCar Grand Prix at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park. Milner took the checkered flag in the No. 4 Compuware Corvette C6.R for the fifth round of the ALMS as the duo became the first in the GT class to win multiple races in 2013.

The victory played out in thrilling style before a live audience on ESPN2. Milner drove a pressure-packed final stint to win by 0.267 seconds. It moved Gavin and Milner into second place in the GT championship lead as they seek to win back-to-back titles. Corvette Racing retained its lead in the team standings, as did Chevrolet in the manufacturers’ race.

Antonio Garcia and Jan Magnussen placed fourth in class after a stellar effort. The No. 3 Corvette started from the rear of the grid after a massive crash by Magnussen in Saturday’s qualifying. They stand third in the unofficial driver standings.

“What a fantastic weekend for everyone at Corvette Racing,” said Mark Kent, Director of Racing – Chevrolet. “Congratulations to Oliver, Tommy and everyone on the No. 4 crew for a flawless performance. Likewise, I cannot minimize the effort by the No. 3 team to rebound from Saturday’s massive crash in qualifying. Once again, Corvette Racing never gave up.”

Gavin won for the 40th time in the series – third-most in its history. He made the most of an overnight adjustment to the No. 4 car and picked up two spots on the opening lap to move into third place. He settled in for the duration of his stint and pitted from the lead as cars in front of him pitted earlier. The No. 4 crew gave Gavin a precious two-second advantage during the first stop, which saw Milner move to the front shortly after the driver change.

The young American drove a strong double-stint to the end and got added help from the pit crew on a final stop that gave him another second over his nearest competition.

Garcia made up four positions in class in the opening 24 laps despite losing time attempting to overtake a slower GT car for the better part of 15 laps. Once around, he ran as high as third during his stint before handing off to Magnussen. The No. 3 crew short-filled on fuel during its first stop in an attempt to gain position while hoping for a caution period at the same time.

The No. 3 car did come away with the MICHELIN® GREEN X® Challenge trophy for the GT class. The award goes to the car that exhibits clean, fast and efficient performance levels in the ALMS.

Next up for Corvette Racing is the Orion Energy Systems on Sunday, Aug. 11 from Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wis.

ANTONIO GARCIA, NO. 3 COMPUWARE CORVETTE C6.R

“(The start) was very difficult. You’re on own from the back of the field. The car is very good. I passed a lot of cars right away and then I got stuck behind the No. 17. He was going very slow. He was defending for no reason and I don’t know what was going on. Running behind him was like losing all aero completely. We lost about 10 seconds. But we definitely had a competitive car. We would have liked a yellow but it seems like we need one we never get it!”

JAN MAGNUSSEN, NO. 3 COMPUWARE CORVETTE C6.R

“Maybe we could have gotten a podium. On the last restart, I got bogged down a little in the last corner and the Viper got a run on me into Turn 1 and squeezed his way by me. After that it was a matter of getting by the BMW. We were able to get some points on them in terms of the manufacturer and team championship. We would have liked some more points. The car was very good in the race but everyone is so evenly matched.”

OLIVER GAVIN, NO. 4 COMPUWARE CORVETTE C6.R

“The change we made overnight certainly seemed to have the car right in the window again. It was very busy at the start. I didn’t think I was on the right side of the track when it went green. Our lane wasn’t going very quickly and it looked like the BMW and a couple other cars were going to get by. Then all of a sudden it freed up and I was able to go by one of the BMWs at Turn 2. Coming off Turn 5 I was able to get around the other one. Then it was a case of following the Vipers around.

“The guys did a fantastic job in the pits before I handed over the car to Tommy. He drove brilliantly and withstood a massive amount of pressure from the Viper. He showed once again that at the end of the race when there is big pressure on, he can get the job done. It was a fantastic effort.”

TOMMY MILNER, NO. 4 COMPUWARE CORVETTE C6.R

“I knew after our great pit stop that it was a matter of doing qualifying laps. We came out just ahead of the Viper and I was able to get around him. Then the BMW was coming out on the next time around and I got around him too. I tried to focus forward and focus on my own race. After the caution period, I knew the last 30 minutes was going to be tough. I ran into some traffic on the last lap with a GTC car that held me up big-time and allowed Dominik (Farnbacher) to get right on my bumper. It was a big battle. I had to do everything I thought I could without getting a penalty to keep him behind. Our car wasn’t as quick as theirs going into Turn 8, so I told myself I was going to either spin at Turn 8 or I’m going to throw it in, make it stick and keep the lead. It held and here we are in P1. It was a fantastic effort by the team. It’s good for Oliver and I. It’s been a couple of bad races in a row so it’s good to get back on the podium again.”