Motorsports News
Corvette C6R Continues Tradition With 1-2 GTS Class Finish at Le Mans
By GM Media; photos copyright Richard Prince
Jun 19, 2005, 17:56 PST

Le Mans 18-Hour Report: Too Close to Call

Two Laps Separate Four GT1 Contenders as Showdown Looms in Final Six Hours of 24 Hours of Le Mans

LE MANS, France, June 19, 2005 - The heat is building at Le Mans, and so is the drama in the GT1 class. After 18 hours of hard racing, the two Corvette C6.Rs and two Aston Martin DBR9s were within two laps of each other. With six hours remaining, the British and American rivals held alternating positions in the GT1 standings. The No. 58 Aston Martin led with 262 laps, followed by the No. 64 Corvette C6.R and No. 59 Aston Martin with 261 laps and the No. 63 Corvette C6.R with 260 circuits to its credit. Sunrise at the Circuit des 24 Heures du Mans came at 6 a.m., and within three hours the temperature had climbed to 85 degrees. The prospect of higher temperatures in the final quarter of the 24-hour enduro will test teams and machines.   "With the rising temperature, I believe we are crossing paths with our competition," said Corvette Racing engineering manager Doug Louth. "We were better in the heat of the day yesterday; we appeared to have a better package and our tires were working well in those conditions. While we went quicker than we had run all week in the evening, we were still not as competitive in the cooler conditions. Now with the heat building again, we're starting to see a relative improvement in our cars and we're putting on tires that we know work well for us in hot conditions. That could put us on par with, or a little better than, the competition. With six hours to go, we should have something left for them at the end." Human factors will also play a crucial role in determining the outcome of this test of endurance. The Corvette Racing engineering team has taken steps to help the drivers perform at peak efficiency. "The Corvette C6.Rs are equipped with an air conditioning system that blows cool air into the helmet through a flexible tube," explained Steve Wesoloski, GM Road Racing group manager. "Supplying cool air for the driver to breathe lowers his core temperature. There is also a blower that pumps air through ventilation holes in the seat to cool his body by evaporation. "Large openings at the rear of the side windows vent air out of the cockpit," Wesoloski continued. "The enclosed cockpit is an aerodynamic aid; the side windows keep the airflow attached on the sides of the car, improving the effectiveness of the rear wing. In the past we ran side windows on the C5-R only at Le Mans, but to optimize the C6.R's aero balance with its shorter rear overhang, we now run side windows at every race. We have not yet run a race in weather as hot as this with the C6.R, so this is the first real-world test of the system." The 24 Hours of Le Mans will conclude at 10 a.m. EDT (4 p.m. local time) on Sunday, June 19. SPEED Channel will televise 17.5 hours of live coverage; check local listings for times. GT1 Top-Five Standings after 18 Hours: Pos./Car No./Drivers/Car/Laps 1. (58) Enge-Kox-Lamy, Aston Martin DBR9, 262 2. (64) Gavin-Beretta-Magnussen/Chevrolet Corvette C6.R, 261 3. (59) Brabham-Sarrazin-Turner, Aston Martin DBR9, 261 4. (63) O'Connell-Fellows-Papis/Chevrolet Corvette C6.R, 260 5. (50) Goueslard-Dupard-Vosse, Ferrari 550, 249

Le Mans 12-Hour Report: Consistent Corvettes Second and Third in GT1

Routine Run for Corvette Racing at Midpoint of 24-Hour Race

LE MANS, France, June 19, 2005 - Nightfall brought cooler temperatures and welcome relief to the Circuit of the Sarthe as the rivalry between Corvette and Aston Martin heated up in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The No. 64 Compuware Corvette driven by Oliver Gavin, Olivier Beretta and Jan Magnussen was second in the GT1 class and eighth overall after completing 172 laps at 4 a.m. The No. 63 Corvette of Johnny O'Connell, Ron Fellows and Max Papis was on the same lap, 1:51.223 behind its sister car. Max Papis put in a triple stint in the No. 63 Corvette in the darkness, turning over the yellow C6.R to Johnny O'Connell shortly before 4 a.m.   "Italians like to stay up at night," Papis joked. "We've been working a lot on tire choices, and we've been finding a good balance in the car. The car is comfortable; it's cool and not tiring to drive, so you can stay in for a long while." The six-hour run since midnight has been routine in the Corvette Racing camp, with no repeat of the tire punctures that plagued the No. 64 car in the early stages of the race. "We're keeping on eye on the tires and adding fluids occasionally on pit stops, and so far everything is going by the book," said Ray Gongla, crew chief for the No. 63 Corvette C6.R. "We had two flat tires early, but now we're back in the game. The hot temperatures earlier today took their toll because the heat dehydrates you, but the crew's come through in good shape." Dan Binks, crew chief for the No. 63 Corvette C6.R, agreed with his colleague's assessment. "The drivers and crew are doing a great job and the car is running good, so everything's fine to this point," Binks reported. "We're fortunate that we haven't lost any time with flat tires, but we're only halfway through this race and a lot of things are going to happen before this race is finished." "So far I'm very happy with how everything is going," said Jan Magnussen after his nighttime stint in the No. 64 Corvette C6.R. "Obviously we didn't expect the two punctures we had in the beginning that put us behind the game, but we've caught up now. The first time in the car when the sun was out, it was tough because it was really warm, but the night stint was not bad." "It's always eventful and you have to keep your wits about you because you never know what's going to be around the next corner," noted Oliver Gavin after his double stint in the darkness. "People are flying off through the gravel traps, spinning, putting oil on the track - these things make the character of the race. Our car's balance is really good, and the C6.R is an awesome car that's getting stronger as the race goes on. I'm very happy with our position at the moment, but the test will come this morning when the heat returns." GT1 Top-Five Standings after 12 Hours: Pos./Car No./Drivers/Car/Laps 1. (58) Enge-Kox-Lamy, Aston Martin DBR9, 173 2. (64) Gavin-Beretta-Magnussen/Chevrolet Corvette C6.R, 172 3. (63) O'Connell-Fellows-Papis/Chevrolet Corvette C6.R, 172 4. (59) Brabham-Sarrazin-Turner, Aston Martin DBR9, 170 5. (50) Goueslard-Dupard-Vosse, Ferrari 550, 166

Le Mans Six-Hour Report: Corvette Racing Leads GT1

Papis Puts Corvette at Head of the GT1 Class

LE MANS, France, June 18, 2005 - With the first six hours of the 24 Hours of Le Mans completed, the battle between Corvette and Aston Martin is living up to its billing. Starting third and fifth in the GT1 class, the twin Compuware Corvettes were first and third at 10 p.m., with the leading car completing 86 laps around the 13.65-kilometer circuit. The No. 63 Corvette driven by Ron Fellows, Johnny O'Connell had a relatively trouble-free run in the first quarter of the race, while the pace of the No 64 Corvette of Oliver Gavin, Olivier Beretta and Jan Magnussen was slowed by two punctured left rear tires. "The car is running like a Swiss watch," said Max Papis after taking the GT1 lead at 9:15 p.m. "We were pushing really hard, and I think this battle is going to go down to the wire." The first quarter of the race was punctuated by punctured tires and off-course excursions by numerous competitors.   "We're just running our pace and letting the race come to us," said Steve Wesoloski, GM Racing Road Racing Group manager. "It's been an unusual six hours with so many tires being punctured and so much oil and debris on the track. We've made chassis adjustments to increase downforce and improve grip." Oliver Gavin was leading the GT1 class at the one-hour mark in the No. 64 Corvette C6.R when he had a tire go down on the fast Mulsanne Straight. He nursed the car back to the pits without incurring additional damage. "The crew radioed that a tire was losing pressure and I started feeling a vibration," Gavin reported. "When it went, it wasn't too hard to control the car, but it was very frustrating to drive around slowly because you want to get back to the pits as quickly as possible. It's Russian roulette with the tires because the gravel thrown onto the track is so sharp." Olivier Beretta experienced a similar tire problem one hour later. ""We had two punctures, which is just bad luck," he said. "The car is very good, and I didn't have any problems after the puncture." The Corvettes have been running 13 laps on a tank of fuel, and all of the drivers did double stints on the first cycle. Although the temperature topped 90 degrees this afternoon, the heat did not affect either the Corvette C6.R race cars or their drivers. "As hot as it is, the car was pretty comfortable, and I could have driven a third stint if I needed to," said Johnny O'Connell. "At this stage of the game we're not really focusing on speed. The brakes are good, the engine is good, the gearbox seems fine, so we're just concentrating on keeping the car running." Colin Powell Salutes Corvette Racing Corvette Racing marketing manager Gary Claudio opened this morning's team meeting by reading a fax from General Colin Powell, who drove the 2005 Corvette Indianapolis 500 Pace Car on May 29. Powell also owns a C6 Corvette. His message: "Best wishes to our team in Le Mans. I'll be watching the win!" GT1 Top-Five Standings after Six Hours: Pos./Car No./Drivers/Car/Laps 1. (63) O'Connell-Fellows-Papis/Chevrolet Corvette C6.R, 86 2. (58) Enge-Kox-Lamy, Aston Martin DBR9, 86 3. (64) Gavin-Beretta-Magnussen/Chevrolet Corvette C6.R, 85 4. (59) Brabham-Sarrazin-Turner, Aston Martin DBR9, 84 5. (50) Goueslard-Dupard-Vosse, Ferrari 550, 83

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