The 56th running of the 12 Hours of Sebring didn't bring new competition to the championship-winning Corvettes, but it did bring a new fuel technology. Namely, the cars adopted E85 cellulosic ethanol made from wood waste as their fuel source.

GM CEO Rick Wagoner fully supports the fuel switch as part of a push to expand ethanol availability to American motorists. At the '08 Detroit Auto Show, Wagoner pointed out that while there are over six million duel-fuel E85 vehicles in the United States, the vast majority of E85 stations are located in the Midwest. GM wants to solve this problem by adding E85 outlets around the country.

High-performance vehicles, and auto racing in general, are often criticized for having a negative impact on the environment. The American Le Mans Series (ALMS) decided recently to take a leadership role in quelling this criticism by introducing green technology to its racing series. Not only does this approach help silence critics, it supports the goal of finding new ways to wean American consumers off of exported oil.

In the off-season, ALMS partnered with the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council (EPIC) to serve as its 2008 fuel supplier. For '08, all non-diesel competitors are required to run E10 (10 percent ethanol and 90 percent gasoline). Three teams-including Corvette Racing-were selected to compete with the E85 fuel blend (85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline). But during initial testing, Corvette Racing discovered that the C6.Rs' existing fuel cells weren't compatible with the new E85 fuel. The adhesive holding the cells together began separating, creating a safety hazard. As a result, it was decided that the cars would run the E10 blend at Sebring while new fuel cells were being built. These new cells will be in the Corvettes for the next race at St. Petersburg, where the cars will run on E85.

For the most part, the Corvette's GT1 competitors once again stayed at home. Only one other car-a privately owned Aston Martin entered by Bell Motorsports-showed up at Sebring, and it was more than 2 seconds slower than the C6.Rs in qualifying. The No. 3 Vette-driven by Johnny O'Connell, Ron Fellows, and Jan Magnussen-took the GT1 pole and was thirteenth fastest overall with a time of 1:57.013. The No. 4 car-driven by Olivier Beretta, Oliver Gavin, and Max Papis-was fourteenth fastest with a 1:57.412. In GT2, Lou Gigliotti's new LG Pro Long Tube Header Corvette qualified twenty-sixth overall and eleventh in class. The LG car looked impressive in its first outing and should prove to be a top class contender in the months ahead. Up front, a Peugeot Sport diesel LMP1 prototype secured the overall pole with a time of 1:43.976.

Once the green flag fell, over 150,000 spectators watched as the front runners swapped places during the early laps. Not surprisingly, the two Corvettes thundered away from the lone Aston. At the end of the first hour, the No. 3 C6.R had moved up two positions to eleventh overall, while the No. 4 car was fourteenth. At the two-hour mark, Beretta brought the car into the pits with an apparent drivetrain problem.

"I came out of Turn Nine, and it went completely loose," he reported. "I thought the race was gone. I was worried that the wheels would lock up, and I bring the car back to the pits. I didn't want to get stuck on the course."

The car was returned to the transporter, where the crew replaced the right halfshaft. The stop took nine minutes. The C6.R then returned to the race in twenty-fifth position overall, a full nine laps behind its class-leading stablemate. "We lost the inner tripod joint on the right side," explained team manager Gary Pratt. "It snapped one of the three drives at the spline. We've never seen this failure before."

The unexpected pit stop put the Aston into second place in class, two laps behind the leading No. 3 C6.R. By the fourth hour, the Aston was four laps down, while the No. 4 Vette was an additional four laps in arrears in twenty-first position overall. Shortly thereafter, the Aston spun due to a rear-brake problem and broke its front splitter. This required a behind-pit-wall repair, pushing the green screamer down to twenty-third overall. Unfortunately, Gigliotti's No. 28 GT2 Corvette also was withdrawn during the fifth hour due to an overheating engine.

By the seventh hour, the GT1-leading No. 3 Corvette was in ninth position, while the No. 4 Vette was thirteenth overall and second in GT1. Up front, the LMP2 Penske Porsches were battling the bigger, heavier LMP1 Audis for the overall lead. In the end, the Porsches pulled off an upset victory, taking First and Second, while the Corvettes finished Eighth and Tenth to capture yet another One-Two win in GT1. The Bell Aston finished Sixteenth overall-29 laps behind the winning Vette.

The win marked Johnny O'Connell's seventh class victory at Sebring-an all-time track record. The Corvettes, meanwhile, performed brilliantly on their new, eco-friendly fuel, stoking early expectations for yet another GT1 manufacturer's championship in '08.

The Callaway Z06.R Corvettes have been cutting a wide swath through a variety of European racing events, including the Dutch Belcar, the FIA GT3, and the German ADAC GT Masters series. The GT Masters format matches the FIA GT3 rules, with one-hour races, mandatory pit stops with driver changes, and GT3-spec cars.

The final two races of the ADAC season were held at the famous Hockenheim Ring in southern Germany. Over 140,000 spectators attended this event, which featured the popular DTM (German Tour Car) series. The GT Masters contests were added to the main DTM race as a supporting event.

The Martini-Callaway team tapped its two top FIA GT3 drivers, Klaus Ludwig and Jff,rgen von Gartzen, to drive the No. 26 Nicola Bulgari-owned Z06.R. Because they did not compete in the ADAC series on a full-time basis, the drivers were listed as guest entries and were not eligible to receive GT Masters championship points.

Regular ADAC GT Masters competitors Toni Seiler and Patrick Gerling entered their No. 25 Cosmopolitan-sponsored Z06.R. Rounding out the Martini-Callaway contingent was the No. 24 MM Racing Z06.R, driven by ADAC GT regulars Jiri Skula and Martin Matzke. Incredibly, Skula and Matzke, who hail from the Czech Republic, had only recently turned 17, and neither one had a regular driver's license. All of the Corvettes were carrying an added 110 pounds of "reward weight" in the passenger compartment. Their top rivals, the Kessel Racing Ferrari 430s, were carrying no such extra weight.

Thirty cars competed for the pole positions for Races One and Two. The pole winner for Race One was another FIA GT3 regular driving a Kessel Ferrari. Second was a Lamborghini Gallardo, and in third-just 0.129 seconds behind the Ferrari-was von Gartzen. Skula/Matzke were tenth and Seiler/Gerling were fourteenth. Ludwig won the pole position for Race Two, with Skula/Matzke in ninth and Seiler/Gerling last due to an engine problem.

The green flag fell for Race One under cool, sunny skies Saturday afternoon. The secondplace Lamborghini quickly fell out of the race with a blown engine, allowing von Gartzen to take his place behind the leading Ferrari. The Ferrari slowly opened up a 5-second lead, while the rest of the field slowly fell behind the two front-runners. Von Gartzen was fighting the extra 110 pounds, which upset the Corvette's handling and punished its brakes. The Seiler/Gerling Z06.R, meanwhile, was spun out by an Aston Martin, pushing the yellow Corvette to the back of the field. Farther back, the Skula/Matzke Vette was slowly moving up the order.

With the driver changes complete, the leading Ferrari found itself only four seconds ahead of a hard-charging Ludwig. Ludwig quickly closed the gap to 0.2 second and made several attempts to pass the 430. Finally, near the end of the long straight, Ludwig made the pass stick, but the Ferrari squeezed by to retake the lead. With three minutes to go, Ludwig suddenly pulled off the track with a broken halfshaft, ending the exciting duel. The Skula/Matzke car finished Fourth, while the Seiler/Gerling Vette moved up to take Eighth.

In Race Two on Sunday, Ludwig quickly pulled out to a sizable lead over two Lamborghinis and a Ferrari. Matzke was on the move and was soon holding down fourth after one of the Lambos fell out with mechanical problems. Soon, the second Lamborghini's engine expired, making the order Corvette, Ferrari, Corvette. At the same time, the Seiler/Gerling Z06.R was moving rapidly through the field from its last-place starting position.

GT Masters rules require that all competitors make a 70-second pit stop, timed from the entry point to the exit of pit lane. Missing this mark brings a 30-second penalty. Ludwig brought the silver Corvette into the pits with a commanding lead. Von Gartzen resumed the race and maintained that lead, with the Ferrari second and the Skula/Matzke Corvette third. Unfortunately, even though von Gartzen took the checkered flag at the head of the field, the team was assessed a 30-second penalty for pitting two seconds too quickly.

This would have put the Ferrari at the top of the podium, but because the team was not a regular ADAC Masters GT competitor, Skula and Matzke got the nod. The young Czechs were overwhelmed with their surprise victory, proudly drinking champagne from their trophies as the rest of the Martini-Callaway team joined in the celebration. The Seiler/Gerling Corvette finished a remarkable Fifth overall after making a dash from last place at the start.

The '07 FIA GT3 season was an epic battle between the top supercar manufacturers in the world. Each of the ten races saw a minimum of 35 competitors supported by manufacturers including Ferrari, Porsche, Aston Martin, Ascari, and Lamborghini. You'll notice our omission of the Corvette, as it was the only car not directly supported by its manufacturer.

Callaway Competition didn't let this lack of corporate backing stop it from designing and building the fabulous Z06.R GT3 Corvette. In 2006, with the help of private sponsors, the Callaway folks purchased several street Z06s and removed the interiors, windows, and suspension. Next, they added complete rollcages, coilovers, adjustable antiroll bars, open exhausts, upgraded transmissions, and rearend coolers. In addition, the revised Z06s received wider carbon-fiber fender flares, hood vents, and a wind-tunnel-tested aero package that included a new front splitter and a rear wing from the C5-R.

The completed car was tested extensively by the FIA to determine if it would be competitive in GT3. Guess what? It was too competitive, so FIA officials mandated that the Z06.Rs be fitted with a 10mm air restrictor, hard-compound tires, and 132 pounds of extra weight.

Six Z06.Rs were built initially, and two teams were formed with three cars each. For 2007, these teams were Martini-Callaway and Team Riverside. After a hectic season, both crews headed to Dubai for the last two GT3 races of the year. Martini-Callaway was in second place in both the team and drivers championships, while Team Riverside's No. 19 Corvette drivers, James Ruffier and Arnaud Peyroles, were a close third in the drivers championship race.

The team championship is awarded to the team that accumulates the highest finishing-points total, among all three of its cars, over the course of the season. At Dubai, only two teams were fighting for that honor: the Kessel Racing Ferraris and the Martini-Callaway Corvettes. The first race was won by the Nicola Bulgari-owned No. 18 Z06.R, driven by Luca Pirri and Jff,rgen von Gartzen. The second Martini-Callaway team car finished Fourth, and the third car was Fourteenth. This performance moved the Martini-Callaway team into a three-point lead with only one race remaining.

Von Gartzen qualified the No. 18 Bulgari Z06.R in third in the final race, behind the No. 19 Riverside Z06.R and the pole-winning Aston Martin. The other two Martini-Callaway team entries were eleventh and thirteenth on the grid. The pressure was on Pirri/von Gartzen to place ahead of Ferrari drivers Henri Moser and Gilles Vannelet and salt away the championship.

Moser, driving the No. 38 Kessel Ferrari 430, qualified fifth. He started the race at a good pace and maintained his position just two spots back from von Gartzen. This continued until the No. 16 Martini-Callaway Z06.R, driven by Klaus Ludwig, slipped by Moser to take fifth position. Moser began losing time behind Ludwig, so the team called him into the pits early. When co-driver Gilles Vannelet left the pits too early, the Ferrari was given a stop-and-go penalty. Pirri, meanwhile, was second after the driver change, behind the No. 26 Hexis Racing Aston. If he and von Gartzen could maintain this position, they would be champions.

At this point, the No. 38 Ferrari was lying in seventh position. But with around 15 minutes left in the one-hour race, the Kessel team No. 39 430 spun out. Unable to start, the wounded Ferrari completely blocked the track, bringing out the safety car.

"This safety car was a gift for us," Vannelet said later. "I had nothing to lose. When the green fell, I pushed as much as I could." He managed to overtake five cars, including Luca Pirri's Corvette. Pirri's hard-compound Michelin tires had cooled during the safety-car period, and when the green flag finally fell, he had trouble maintaining traction.

By the end of the race, Vannelet's inspired driving had landed the No. 38 Ferrari in Second Place, behind the winning No. 23 Aston. Pirri finished Fourth, Skula/Matzke's No. 17 Z06.R was Fifteenth, and Berberich-Martini/Ludwig's No. 16 Vette was Sixteenth. These finishes were better than the Kessel team entries', giving Martini-Callaway a one-point win in the team championship. Sadly, Pirri and von Gartzen missed the drivers championship by one point and finished Second.

"Of course we are disappointed we did not win the drivers' championship," said von Gartzen. "But we won the team championship, which is important for Martini-Callaway Racing." In a down-to-the-wire season, the hardworking Martini-Callaway team overcame significant hurdles to propel its privateer Corvettes to the coveted GT3 team championship. Those of us fortunate enough to witness it were treated to a truly amazing performance.

Getting By With A Little Help

Team Riverside manager Jean Perrin had a dilemma. One of his three Corvettes had broken its steering rack during qualifying, and even though the team had brought a truckload of spare parts from France to the race, a new rack was not among them. So, when Perrin noticed several members of the Dubai Corvette Club drooling over the Riverside Z06.Rs, he decided to make a last-ditch appeal to charity: Did anyone have a C6 Z06 they might be willing to part with for a few hours? Club president Steve Roberts did, and he offered up his own '06 as a temporary donor car.

Roberts pulled his Z into the Riverside garage, and the crew began the job of dismantling the front end. Other crewmembers, meanwhile, labored to remove the faulty rack from the stricken No. 20 racer. With the borrowed rack installed, No. 20 was able to participate in the final race of the year. When the race was over, the Riverside crew reinstalled the rack in Roberts' Z, and he was on his way. Even half a world away, no automobile enjoys a more enthusiastic, tight-knit following than America's favorite sports car.

As we've noted in the past, the FIA's GT3 category showcases the top exoticcar manufacturers in the world. To ensure competitiveness in the series, most of these automakers-Aston Martin, Dodge, Ferrari, Lamborghini, and Porsche among them-build race-spec versions of their street cars and offer them to the public. In addition, factory technical support is provided to fix any failures that might occur during the heat of battle.

One exception is the Corvette. Chevy doesn't build a GT3-spec model for consumers, and the company doesn't provide factory support to teams that build and campaign their own GT3 Vettes. Despite these formidable hurdles, the three Corvette Z06.Rs of the Martini- Callaway team have proved to be some of the fastest cars in this very competitive series. After finishing Second overall in the opening round at Silverstone and Sixth/Tenth at the next event in Bucharest, the team headed to Monza, Italy, with high hopes for another great finish in Round Three.

The Autodromo Nazionale di Monza is a high-speed, 3.583-mile circuit located 15.5 miles north of Milan. World-famous jeweler andMartini-Callaway sponsor Nicola Bulgari wason hand at Monza to watch his team compete.Race One saw 37 cars vying for the pole position, with Luca Pirri ultimately winning the top spot in the No. 18 Martini-Callaway Z06.R. The legendary Klaus Ludwig, meanwhile, piloted the team's No. 16 Z06.R to the pole for Race Two.

Both races were flagged off under clear, hot skies and proved to be epic battles among Corvette, Aston, Ferrari, and Viper. In the end,however, the No. 18 Pirri/von Gartzen Vette took back-to-back checkered flags. The No.19 Z06.R, campaigned by the French team Riverside, finished Fourth and Third.

After the race, the Ferrari team protested the No. 18 Vette's second win. It seems the Z06.R only had 1.7 kg of fuel left in its tank after the race, just shy of the 2 kg required by series rules. As a result, the Martini-Callaway's second win was disqualified, and the car was listed as a non-finisher. This moved the Ferrari from Second to First and put the No. 19 Riverside Vette into the runner-up spot.

While this result was quite a blow to the Martini-Callaway crew, it was obvious from the team's performance at Monza that it was finally fielding competitive and reliable race cars. Even better, Pirri and von Gartzen moved into second place in the FIA GT3 drivers championship. With two events remaining (in the Czech Republic and Dubai), the two drivers still had a shot at the championship.

The penultimate contest of the '07 GT3 season took place at Brno in the Czech Republic. The course is a tricky, 13-turn circuit that's 3.377 miles in length, giving the Corvette's big 7-liter engine room to stretch its legs. Thirty-eight cars qualified for the weekend's first race, with the No. 18 Martini-Callaway Z06.R of Luca Pirri and Jrgen von Gartzen slotting between a pole-sitting Lamborghini Gallardo and the Kessel Racing Ferrari 430 of championship-points leaders Henri Moser and Gilles Vannelet. James Ruffier and Arnaud Peyroles qualified their Riverside Callaway Corvette eighth.

Peyroles made a good start and kept close to the leaders. "It was easy to stay in contact with the others but hard to overtake , so I decided to stay behind and save the tires for James," he explained.

The strategy worked. After the driver change, Ruffier inherited a relatively fresh car and managed to overtake all those ahead of him. "After five or six laps, my car was just better than the others, and I managed to overtake them easily," he said. "Our Corvette was consistent and very good during the race." The Riverside Vette went on to take the winning checkered flag, trailed closely by the Martini-Callaway Corvette of Pirri/von Gartzen and the Ferrari.

"All the people working on this project deserve this victory. They work so hard, they never give up. They are fantastic guys," declared Peyroles after the race.

Fellow Corvette drivers Pirri and von Gartzen were quick on the track but lost too much time during the driver change. "I was second before coming into the pits, after our pit stop, Jrgen was behind Henri Moser's Ferrari," explained Pirri. Pirri and von Gartzen eventually got ahead of the Ferrari and crossed the finish line in Second.

In the follow-up race, Ruffier jumped from his Sixth-place qualifying position to take the lead during the opening laps. Von Gartzen followed in Second. "When I was behind Ruffier, it was hard to follow him," said the German. "He was really good, so I preferred to let him go. I knew that Luca Pirri could make the difference." After the driver change, Pirri managed to take the lead and go on to win for the second time this season.

With 18 points scored in Brno, Pirri and von Gartzen were only 8 points behind Moser and Vannelet for the drivers' championship going into the season-ending race in Dubai. "I think Dubai is going to be a good track for the Corvette," said von Gartzen. "We are very optimistic. We are going to keep putting pressure on the Ferraris and see what happens at the end." Only five points, meanwhile, separated Kessel Racing and Martini-Callaway Racing for the manufacturer's championship. The last round in Dubai would be decisive.

Not too long ago, we stopped by DynoTech Engineering (DTE) in Indiana to view the creation of the company's latest Viper-spanking monster, a C6 convertible fitted with an early-production APS twin-turbo system. Capable of putting a smile on the face of even the most jaded pedal-pusher, this E-Ticket ride served up serious power in a package that looked, sounded, and felt like a stock C6.

During our time with DTE proprietor Phil Rickard, we got word of an upcoming track day to be held at the O'Reilly Raceway Park in Indianapolis. Although Rickard had originally planned to spend the day testing out the capabilities of the company's new turbo toy, he decided to go all-out and invite friends and customers for a full-fledged drag session.

The weather was hot and dry for a late-fall afternoon. Under constant threat of a brewing thunderstorm, the Corvettes held their own, pulling down respectable quarter-mile times despite the building humidity. How well did they do? Read on and find out for yourself.

Don Coleman
Cincinnati, OH
Convertible
Best Time: 10.89 at 129.23 mph

Those of you who are unfamiliar with Don Coleman's C6 need look no further than our Mar. '07 issue, wherein we detailed how DTE turned the then-nearly-new convertible into a forced-induction monster that sounds, looks, and feels completely stock. That is, until you give it some gas.

The engine itself has little more than some beefed up internals that include Comp Cams pushrods and valve springs. The real show stopper comes in the form of an APS twin-turbo system that blows through a Magnaflow exhaust. Out back, you'll find a DTE Stage 2 rearend. All in all, the C6 now puts out at an impressive 552 rwhp and 573 rwtq, leaving the initiated to ask, "Why?" Answers Coleman, "For the fun of it." Is there any better reason?

Jim Ross
St. Marys, OH
'04 Convertible
Best Time: 12.452 at 113.81 mph

Insurance salesman Jim Ross had a dream that he shared with the DTE crew. That dream? To fit a new LS2 under the hood of his '04 vert. Three years after its creation, the Gen IV-powered droptop still gets regular use, playing daily driver to Jim and his wife, Teri.

The 364ci engine uses ported heads, a custom DTE cam, a FAST intake, and Dynatech headers to churn out a heady 425 rwhp and 410 rwtq. Fitted with a DTE-built 3.73-geared rear, the Vette has traveled as far as Niagara Falls and Texas since the Indy track event took place.

"I loved the structure of this event," enthused Ross at day's end. "You got to run, and then go, and go, and go! The track was high-quality, and you can't get any better than that.

"My Corvette didn't do exactly what I thought it would. But when I asked Phil to do the work, I told him my top priorities were reliability and durability-and that's exactly what he delivered."

Bill Aksamit
Fort Wayne, IN
'04 Coupe
Best Time: 12.139 at 121.19 mph

Bill Aksamit isn't interested in bling-just going fast. To that end, he has fortified his '04 coupe with some of the most powerful performance parts on the market. Although it came ready to rumble with a Z51 suspension, the car was quickly lowered an inch to give it better handling in the curves.

Under the hood you'll find an engine that displaces a whopping 427 ci and spins the rear wheels to the tune of 492 hp and 465 lb-ft of torque. How did he achieve such a powerful package? A FAST intake brings in the air, while a DTE custom cam, Crane top-end pieces, AFR heads, a Callies crank, and Lunati 11:1 pistons keep the torque tube turning a 3.73 DTE-built rear.

Aksamit had this to say regarding his Corvette's performance: "I was pleased with it," he said. "I didn't do any special tuning. It's basically in the same configuration as when I drive it on the street. I'm pretty happy with how Jenny and Phil went out of their way to put on this event for everyone. I only wish it had lasted longer!"

Bob Ueber
Fort Wayne, IN
'02 Convertible
Best Time: 12.261 at 118.21 mph

As a dentist, Bob Ueber has an uncanny knowledge of how to take care of your smile and the teeth behind it. As the owner of this '02 Corvette convertible, he also has an uncanny ability to make your smile go from ear to ear when you hear the deep bass rumble from his Vette's 427ci engine. Ueber was a little sketchy on the details of what makes his Corvette run as well as it does, but one look under the hood revealed a FAST intake, AFR heads, Dynatech SuperMaxx headers, and a Vortech supercharger.

What did Bob have to say about his 15 minutes of fame? "Well, my Vette had some trouble. It was sucking oil from the PCV, so it was bogging down a lot. I only got a few runs before I retired for the day. Otherwise, it was a pretty fun event. I enjoyed watching it and the other cars."

Jerry Locke
Bargersville, IN
'99 Convertible
Best Time: 11.759 at 116.28 mph

Jerry Locke's philosophy is a simple one. "All Corvettes are fast," he told us, "I just wanted mine to be faster." With that in mind, Locke and his wife, Kathy, commissioned the construction of a 395ci stroker engine for their '99 convertible. With a rousing 420 rwhp and with 418 rwtq on tap, the car is ready to prove its point at a moment's notice.

Inside the heart of the beast, you'll find a Lunati crank and pistons with a compression rating of 10.5:1. MTI Stage 2 heads hold Crane springs, lifters, and pushrods that are bumped by a Lunati cam. A FAST intake fitted with an LS2 throttle body makes sure the C5 can gulp as much air as it needs to pound some sense into would-be challengers. Once ingested, all that air flows out through Stainless Works headers, SLP pipes, and Corsa mufflers. Like so many of its cohorts at Indy, the car employs a DTE-built, 3.73-geared rear.

"I thought my car performed really well considering how hot the day was," Locke told us. "I also really enjoyed the event. I only wish there had been more cars. But it was a good deal, and I appreciate being invited."

Dave Sachman
Indianapolis, IN
'02 Coupe
Best Time: 12.431 at 111.66 mph

Truck driver Dave Sachman and his wife, Colleen, took the cost-conscious approach to upgrading their Vette, netting impressive results along the way. The part-time cruiser, part-time drag car started its non-stock life with the addition of a Z06 manifold, ported heads, and a Cam Dynamics shaft. Throw in a set of LG Pro headers and a Z06 air cleaner and oiling system, and you've got a killer ride that won't break the bank. Dyno'd prior to the track meet, the car's output checked in at an impressive 392.89 rwhp and 375.60 rwtq.

"I thought performed well, but the tires gave it a lot of slippage," said Sachman. "The track, though, was fabulous. I had a great time."

Since the event, Dave has upgraded his C5 with a Halltech Warhead intake and AFR heads, bumping rear-wheel output to 415.73 hp and 401.30 lb-ft.

Steve Dager
Indianapolis, IN
'99 FRC
Best Time: 13.401 at 108.56 mph

As a retired sales engineer for International Truck, Steve Dager knows a good deal when he sees one. He and his wife, Pam, started with one of the best deals on the market-a '99 fixed-roof coupe. Stripping off the original manifold and replacing it with the Z06 version was the first order of business. Further enhancing the air flow are a Donaldson Blackwing air cleaner, Dynatech headers, and a Corsa Indy exhaust. Additional mods include Z06 front and rear suspension bits, brakes, and body upgrades. Judging by the results-344 rwhp and 342 rwtq-we'd say that Dager achieved his goal of, as he put it, "maximizing the car's potential."

"I was really pleased with the car, but a little disappointed in the wheelhop," said Dager of his track experience. "I'm working on getting a head-and-cam package next, as well as some Bilstein shocks. That should get me almost where I want to be.

"The track was super-wonderful, even. I can't say enough about the condition. It had some of the best traction I've seen in a long time."

Paul Gomez
Bloomington, IN
'03 Coupe
Best Time: 13.221 at 112.49 mph

Program manager Paul Gomez's '03 coupe serves mostly weekend duty, seeing semi-regular action at local track days. Not happy with the output of the stock motor, Gomez had DTE bump up the power with a custom cam and supporting valvetrain hardware. After all was said and done, the 25,000-mile engine cranked out 368 hp and 368 lb-ft of torque at the rear wheels-pretty peppy for a weekend warrior.

"My car did great-though it wasn't me behind the wheel," Gomez told us. "I had Phil drive it so I could videotape its performance. I liked what I saw. It had a real easy take-off, and that impressed me the most. Overall, I had a great time, and I'm amazed by how well this was run. It's great to have a firm that involves you in the buildup as much as ."

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The final round of the '07 American Le Mans Series found the teams heading to Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca to enjoy a little California hospitality. The 2.2-mile circuit had been repaved before the event in an effort to get the surface as smooth and race-friendly as possible. Track officials did add one tweak in the form of a square, 4-inch-high chunk of solid concrete inside the apex of each turn as a disincentive to cutting corners too deeply. Since no ramp-up was built into these obstacles, hitting one would surely ruin a car's suspension-not to mention the driver's day.

Corvette Racing, meanwhile, had its own issues to contend with. The No. 3 car had been heavily damaged two weeks earlier in an on-track accident at the Petit Le Mans race. Lacking sufficient time to get the car back into racing condition, the team was forced to use a relatively new C6.R in its place. While crew members did a good job of preparing this spare car for Laguna, it was sure to suffer from a comparative lack of on-track chassis and interior tuning. Jan Magnussen, for one, found the seating position in the replacement car to be less than ideal.

Visually, the biggest change for the GM entries was the one-off livery they sported for this season-ending race. Both yellow cars wore huge skull patterns styled after Corvette Racing's unofficial mascot, "Jake the Skull." (We'll have the full story on Jake in an upcoming issue.) The No. 4 Corvette showed off a yellow skull on a black background, while the No. 3 car used a color-reversed version of the same pattern. There was nothing else like either car to be found in the paddock.

The weather cooperated beautifully over the four-day event, with partly cloudy skies and temperatures in the 70s. All four race categories posted record qualifying times, a testament to the quality of the new track surface, while Magnussen aced Olivier Beretta for pole-position bragging rights in GT1.

The only other match-up of real concern to Corvette Racing came in the last round of the Klein Tools Pit Stop Competition, which took place at Laguna. The semi-finals pitted the two C6.Rs against the two Porsches from Dyson Racing. Both Pratt & Miller crews had drilled all year for this showdown, and they quickly eliminated the Dyson contingent from the competition.

In the final face-off, Oliver Gavin dived too deeply into the pits, requiring the crew to push the No. 4 car back into the correct spot before performing a tire change. In doing so, they violated a competition rule that forbids touching the car while refueling is underway. While the No. 4 crew breezed through the rest of the stop and blazed out of the pit ahead of their mates, the resulting time penalty handed the championship to the No. 3 team. The Klein Tools competition proved a real boon to the Corvette team this year, as they collected the lion's share of the $100,000 prize money handed out over the course of the season.

Saturday's four-hour race was scheduled for a 2:45 p.m. start, virtually guaranteeing a checkered flag by nightfall. GT1 pole sitter Magnussen took the green flag and quickly scooted ahead to take the class lead. This placement held until the first pit stop, when the No. 4 car team was able to outpace its Corvette Racing counterpart and take the GT1 lead.

While the lack of GT1 competition once again guaranteed a Corvette class victory, there were significant battles going on throughout the rest of the ALMS grid. The P1 and P2 cars were duking it out for overall bragging rights, and the top honors in GT2 were up for grabs as well. This meant that everyone, save for the Corvettes, was pushing to the limit and beyond in an attempt to get ahead. On-track contacts were the none-too-surprising result.

Early in the race, the Penske Porsche, driven by an aggressive Sascha Maassen, clipped Magnussen, damaging the body of the No. 3 Corvette. Then, with about an hour-and-a-half to go, Gavin was hit in the rear by the Kron Racing Ferrari, allowing No. 3 to slide past for the class lead. Later on, the No. 4 C6.R was able to reestablish first position by pipping its teammate in the pits.

In the end, the No. 4 team found its groove at Laguna, both on the track and in the pits, and motored away to take the GT1 category. Gavin and Beretta recorded their ninth class victory of the year and their third drivers championship together behind the wheel of a C6.R. The race win marked Beretta's 37th ALMS victory and Gavin's 28th.

Despite the lack of class competition, Corvette Racing did a yeoman job of keeping the Chevy faithful engaged throughout the '07 ALMS season. The two Velocity Yellow C6.Rs pushed each other to another GT1 manufacturers championship, extending their winning streak to seven years in a row. Is it any wonder the other marques continue to cower in the shadows?

Just Deserts
The season-ending awards banquet was held at Laguna Seca the day after the race. Taking home top honors for Corvette were:

* GM/Chevrolet, GT1 Manufacturers Championship
* Olivier Beretta and Oliver Gavin, GT1 Drivers Championship
* Ray Gongla, GT1 Crew Chief of the Year
* Ron Fellows, Most Popular Driver of the Year

In addition to Fellows' Most Popular Driver Award, Don Panoz presented Ron and his wife, Lynda, with a specially commissioned Corvette painting in recognition of the couple's efforts at this year's Le Petit Elegance charity fundraiser.

ZR-1 Breaks Cover at Laguna
A prototype version of the much-anticipated Corvette ZR-1 sneaked out into the open for a few moments of public exposure at Laguna Seca. The unannounced appearance gave Corvette fans their first look at the upcoming supercar.

Just before the final practice on Friday afternoon, the ZR-1 was rolled out of the Corvette Racing transporter enveloped in a full-car cover. The plan was to take the car on a one-lap tour of the track and then spirit it back into hiding. As the cover was removed, Corvette Racing driver Johnny O'Connell slipped behind the wheel, accompanied by a GM official sporting a video camera. The ZR-1 was driven to the pre-grid area and then out onto the track to sit in Turn 11, just before the front straight. Tipped off that this was the plan, we waited for Corvette's best-kept secret to make its debut.

The pictures you see here were taken as O'Connell was awaiting approval for his one-lap strike mission. Note the full-width rear spoiler and side vents, all covered in black tape. The hood, meanwhile, was covered with a black mat that was affixed with Velcro strips on either side. Removing the hood cover revealed a mass of tape that hid a see-through window exhibiting the supercharger. The wheels were obviously a one-off ZR-1 design, and the brake calipers were painted blue. Everything else on the car's body looked to be standard-issue Z06, albeit with more bulge to the wheel wells and slightly sculpted front and rear valances.

The ZR-1 eventually made its lap of the race course, a telltale whine giving evidence of its supercharged LS9 engine. O'Connell was obviously giving the car all it could take: At the end of his drive, he headed into the pits with both front brakes on fire. The C6.R ace jumped out of the car as the race team scrambled to respond to the overcooked binders. Soon after, the GM handler climbed into the ZR-1's driver seat and sped away, never to be seen again.

To celebrate the important role the Corvette plays in today's performance aftermarket, we've decided to feature 12 of the finest and fastest Vettes from this year's Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show. These voluptuous, high-horsepower road rockets represent the best of the industry's speed-parts offerings and showcase the incredible talents of the enthusiasts who built them.

It's been said that if you spent eight seconds at every booth at the SEMA show, it would take you the event's entire four-day duration to walk the floor. Thankfully for VETTE readers, Editor Jay Heath has mastered the methods of precision stopwatch timekeeping and, like a professional reader breezing through a speed-reading course, he was able to find the latest Corvette products you should consider indispensable for 2008.

But first, some background. The Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) showcelebrated its 41st birthday last fall. The event started in 1967 under the grandstand bleachers at Dodger Stadium, moved to Anaheim in 1974, and finally settled in Las Vegas-where it currently resides-in 1977. Once a year-traditionally during the first days of November-some 2,200 vendors, 2,000 show vehicles, and 130,000-plus industry professionals from over 100 countries scour the show to find the latest and greatest in aftermarket parts and accessories.

Following SEMA, in the second week of December, is the Performance Racing Industry (PRI) trade show, held in Orlando, Florida. The automotive aftermarket's second yearly get-together is a smaller and more narrowly focused event, one where hard-core performance parts take center stage. Come along with us as we take a hot-lap tour of SEMA and PRI '07. Our exclusive pass will let you in on all of the industry action.

Want LS7-beating performance from your '08 C6 Vette? ProCharger's (www.procharger.com) new LS3 supercharger may be just for you. It features an intercooled centrifugal design that produces a 40 to 45 percent power gain at only 6 psi and comes with all the components needed for a quick and complete installation. The price of the system is $7,195. Look for a full write-up on the ProCharger LS3 unit in an upcoming issue of VETTE.

A cold-air intake is a great way to add quick, easy, and inexpensive horsepower to your Corvette. New from Airaid Filter Company (www.airaid.com) is a CAI designed to fit '05-'07 Vettes equipped with the 6.0L LS2 engine. It features a roto-molded intake tube, Airaid premium filter, stainless-steel hardware, and a lifetime warranty. The price is $341.

Comp Cams (www.compcams.com) now offers a pair of head/cam packages designed to boost the performance of the ever-popular GMPP ZZ4 crate engine. The Stage Four kit features Racing Head Service (RHS) 180cc as-cast heads with 2.02/1.60 valves, Comp 918 springs, 1.5-ratio Pro Magnum roller rockers, and a Comp camshaft with 283/303-degree duration and 0.513/0.498-inch lift. It produces an 83hp gain over the stock ZZ4. The Stage 5 kit uses an even hotter cam with 291/311-degree duration and 0.522/0.509-inch lift; it produces a 92hp gain over stock. Prices are $1,873 for iron heads and $2,189 for aluminum heads.

Have you thought about a head swap to increase the output of your LS2 or LS7? Trick Flow's (www.trickflow.com) new 235cc offerings are designed exclusively for Gen IV engines with a minimum bore size of 4.125 inches. They come with 2.08/1.60 valves, dual springs, and 70cc chambers, and are capable of supporting up to 700 hp in naturally aspirated form (1,500-1,800 hp with a power adder). The price is $2,449.

If dyno-straining power numbers are your thing, Air Power Systems/APS (www.airpowersystems.com) knows how to make your day. The company's new LS7 twin-turbo system is capable of more than doubling the power to your Z06's wheels when combined with internal-engine upgrades. For those with more modest expectations, the system is said to be worth over 620 rwhp when used on an internally stock LS7. The price is $14,995.

More air means more power. That's the idea behind the new 92mm LSX "Big Mouth" throttle body and intake manifold from FAST (www.fuelairspark.com). These pieces bolt directly onto your LS2/LS3/LS7 engine and significantly increase power in both naturally aspirated and boosted applications. The throttle body uses an increased-thickness blade and shaft to improve strength and ensure correct air flow. The intake, meanwhile, is a better-flowing design of the original FAST 90mm unit. Prices are $399 for the throttle body and $999 for the intake.

Think SEMA and PRI only offer products for newer-model Corvettes? Think again. From Chassis Tech (www.airbagit.com) comes this complete, bolt-on air suspension for '84-'96 Vettes. This package offers full adjustability at all four corners, making it possible to personalize ride quality and performance. The assembly is finished in durable powdercoating and is manufactured in the USA. It retails for $2,795.

No matter how far engine technology advances, high-performance headers never go out of style. Providing further evidence of this truism, Dynatech (www.afabcorp.com) has introduced a Supermaxx header system for the C6 Z06. Designed as a direct bolt-on fit, it includes 1 7/8-inch primaries, dual Power Cats, and a 3-inch, NASCAR-style cross-pipe. According to the Dynatech, the system will tack an extra 45 hp onto your Z06's output. The price is $1,795.

If you like easy-to-install exhaust products, you'll love SLP's (www.slponline.com) new 4-2-1 Long-Tube Header System for '06 and '07 Z06 Corvettes. It's engineered with equal-length, 1 3/4-inch main primaries; two 2 1/4-inch secondary primaries; and one 3-inch, high-flow collector. The headers use mandrel-bent, 409-stainless-steel construction and are "ceramic coated to keep heat in, exhaust velocity up, and underhood temperatures down," according to SLP. Even better, the headers install without the removal of any dry-sump oil lines or the starter. The price is $1,899.

World Products (www.worldcastings.com) has taken LS-engine technology to the races with an assortment of partial engines built for speed and durability. Choose from 427, 454, and 481ci combos stuffed with an Eagles or Callies crank, Eagle rods, Manley pistons, Total Seal rings, Clevite bearings, and World Products' own LS1X 15-degree or LS7X 12-degree cylinder heads. Each partial engine weighs 335 pounds in race-ready form and is fully dyno tested before delivery. Prices start at $14,595.

PML, Inc. (www.yourcovers.com) now offers classic-style replacement valve covers for your '86-'96 Corvette. These covers feature a sand-cast aluminum design, Corvette script lettering and fins, two-bolt mounting, and cast-in baffling on the intake-manifold side. They're available in cast (shown), orange or black powdercoating, and polished versions. Prices start at $215.

Take advantage of the D-shaped exhaust ports on your LS7 with a header/exhaust system from American Racing Headers (www.americanracingheaders.com). American's D-port header package-the first in the country, according to the company-features 304 stainless-steel, 1 7/8-inch primaries; 3/8-inch-thick flanges; merge collectors with scavenger spikes; and hand-ported, TIG-welded tubes.

The cross-pipe is engineered to fit directly inline with the collectors, increasing low- and mid-range torque with no negative effect on the top end. The full system is said to add 40 hp to a Z06 when combined with proper tuning. It goes for $1,795.

Always on the go? Maybe it's time to think about upgrading the looks of your braking system. Classic Performance Products' (www.classicperform.com) new Corvette-style master cylinder features show-quality chrome plating, lightweight aluminum construction, and a large reservoir. It is offered in two bore sizes-1 inch or 1 1/8-inch (for manual or power-assisted brakes)-and can be fitted to '53-'82 Corvettes. Prices start at $75.

If it's good enough for Jay Leno, it should be good enough for your Corvette, too. That's what Katech Engineering (www.katechengines.com) says about its new Street Attack 500. The engine features an all-aluminum Dart LS block, displaces 8.2 liters (500 cid), and cranks out 600 horsepower when fitted with LS7 induction, heads, and valvetrain. At an expected retail of $33,600, the Street Attack 500 furnishes the accelerative potential of the Pratt & Miller-built C6RS ber-Vette at a $150,000 discount.

Weiand's (www.weiand.com) new Warrior composite intake manifold for LS engines utilizes an optimized runner design and Formula One inlet-trumpet technology to improve airflow from 2,000-6,200 rpm. The result? Brutal low-end torque and killer horsepower in the upper rpm ranges. According to Weiand, the Warrior makes 30 additional hp as compared with a factory LS6 intake. The price is $764.

The 12-race '07 SPEED GT season was an up-and-down ride for Corvette. The schedule started out with a bang when newcomer Eric Curran put the field in his mirrors and brought Chevy's sports car a win at Sebring. Curran repeated this feat at the next event in Long Beach and left with a commanding lead in the championship-points race.

The next four races turned Curran's winning streak upside down, as mechanical problems and crashes kept the No. 30 Whelen Motorsports Corvette out of victory circle. But after rebounding with a pair of wins at Mid-Ohio and Mosport, Curran and his Whelen teammates were optimistic they could close out the year with victories in the season's last two races at Road Atlanta and Laguna Seca.

The tricky, 12-turn Road Atlanta track is always a favorite for the SPEED GT Corvette drivers. In spite of his "reward weight" for winning the last two races, Curran qualified fourth fastest. The always-competitive Lou Gigliotti, in his No. 28 LG Pro Long Tube Headers C6, was sixth-fastest. But after a post-qualifying inspection found that both Curran's and Gigliotti's Corvettes were too low, the cars were moved to the back of the grid.

The race started under sunny skies, with 26 cars taking the standing-start green flag. The leaders had not even entered Turn One when the yellow flag started waving. Brian Kubinski, driving the No. 12 Diamond Construction/Blackdog Racing Corvette, had stalled at the start. Gigliotti's Corvette and Dane Moxlow's No. 20 GTO hit the back of Kubinski's Corvette, sending out a shower of debris and stranding all three cars on the main straightway.

No one was hurt, but the resulting full-course yellow sent several cars to pit lane for accident-related repairs. The blockage of the front straight required the field to follow the pace car through the pits to avoid the clean-up efforts.

The race resumed on Lap 9, by which time Curran had moved up to fifth position. Suddenly, a light rain began to fall on the back half of the track. The sprinkle quickly became a downpour encompassing the entire 2.54-mile course. Although the competitors were running slick tires, all but Ron Fellows-driving the No. 16 Cadillac CTS-V-elected to press on without a tire change.

By Lap 11, a series of large puddles had developed in Turns Three, Four, and Five. Each of the top five cars slid sideways through Three but were caught short of disaster and managed to press on. The rest of the field was not as lucky. The Nos. 30 and 31 Whelen Motorsports Corvettes of Curran and Sonny Whelen came together, collecting the No. 3 Viper of Scotty B. White. Several other cars had to take evasive action to avoid the crashed cars, and the full-course yellow came out for the second time.

As the rain continued to flood the course, and the cleanup continued in Turn Three, officials waved the red flag and brought the field into pit lane. The cars were given five minutes to make whatever changes their crews deemed necessary, including tires, then lined up in their previous order and sent out behind the pace car. The entire field, now on rain tires, took the green flag for a final 10-minute sprint on Lap 17.

Randy Pobst led at the wheel of a Porsche, while Fellows picked up four spots in the Vette-powered Caddy. This moved Fellows into second, trailing by nearly four seconds. Three laps later, the gap was down to 0.361 seconds. On Lap 21, Fellows went to the inside of Pobst in Turn One and took the lead, earning the B&M Oil Coolers Coolest Move of the Race Award. "He was a little bit better coming off the slow corners," Fellows said. "I was better than him in Twelve...I took one shot at him and then got him the next time. There was a fair amount of grip to the inside, and we were able to make it stick."

As Fellows motored away, CTS-V driver Lawson Aschenbach passed Pobst and settled in behind his Cadillac teammate. With Aschenbach in a tight points battle for the SPEED GT Drivers Championship, the team made the call for Fellows to let the younger driver around on the back straight, giving the defending champion his first win of the season by 1.164 seconds. Rob Foster finished Twelfth in the No. 17 LTI Contracting Corvette; his was the only Vette to finish the race.

Perhaps the most significant Corvette-related news of the event had nothing to do with the race itself: Lou Gigliotti announced that he would be leaving SPEED GT to drive a Riley-built C6 in the ALMS GT2 category in '08. As one of the series' most talented and colorful drivers, Gigliotti will be sorely missed.

In October, race impresario Don Panoz and the American Le Mans Series cele-brated their 10th year running the Petit Le Mans enduro. The race is designed to test the strength and speed of Le Mans-spec cars over a 10-hour span or 1,000 miles, whichever comes first. Road Atlanta is the home track for the ALMS, and organization officials are rightfully proud of the way this event has flourished over the last decade. There has been a continued effort to improve the track itself as well as the support facilities for fans and competitors alike. Coupling this with a knockdown, drag-out fight between world-class racing cars brings the fans in droves.

The Corvette C6.Rs had already taken a step toward on-track comfort by attending a tire-testing session held at Road Atlanta two weeks earlier. Not only did that give them a good feeling for the new track surface, it also seasoned the roadway by laying down a significant coat of fresh rubber. Consequently, the Corvettes looked pretty good on the Thursday practice day, which included a two-hour night session.

The rain was hitting off and on all day, and it struck again during the evening practice. The Corvette team elected to dodge most of the wet conditions and call it a day, taking the cars into the garage as soon as each of the drivers ran the three laps required to be certified for driving duties during Saturday's race. The only hiccup experienced was a faulty alternator suffered by the No. 4 car. That situation was quickly remedied, and the car was prepared for qualifying the next day.

Friday's schedule included a morning practice and a qualifying session in the afternoon. Track conditions had changed, as a thorough washing the previous evening had stripped away all the fresh rubber laid down over the last few weeks. The teams had to start from scratch on their racing setups.

Qualifying also proved interesting, as competition in the form of a Maserati MC12 turned up to challenge the Corvettes in GT1. The Doran Racing Maser ran strong from the outset and even bested the Vettes to take pole position for the class. Was it possible the Corvette boys had finally found some legitimate class competition?

Corvette Racing protocol for endurance races (Sebring, Le Mans, and Petit) is to change the engines and gearboxes after qualifying, a process that pretty well occupies the crew until the morning of race day. Morning practice usually involves a 30-minute lapping session to be sure the newly replaced powertrain parts are functioning as expected.

In an uncharacteristic pit-stop miscue, Olivier Beretta put the No. 4 car into Reverse and applied power as the Vette was dropped down off the air jacks. Everything but Beretta's ego seemed to escape undamaged, but the team was forced to pull the newly installed transaxle, disassemble it, and inspect the internals to be certain.

Highlights of the prerace ceremonies included a special performance of the national anthem by C6.R driver Johnny O'Connell's 10-year-old daughter, Kelly. Proving that the ability to perform under pressure is an inherited trait, she reeled off a flawless rendition of the song in front of the more than 100,000 spectators.

The Petit race starts at 11:15 a.m. and is scheduled to conclude by 9:15 p.m. With the recent improvements to the track surface and the increasingly pitched battle between the prototype Audi R10s and the Porsche Spyders, the event was not expected to run the full 10 hours. In fact, there were prerace predictions by Road Atlanta's staff that the race would end before 8:00 p.m. Rain proved not to be a factor, but the intensity of the on-track action eventually took its toll.

When the green flag dropped, the Corvettes quickly picked off the Maserati, putting their only GT1 competitor in seven months well behind them. The No. 3 car, with Jan Magnussen driving, was running first in class with Oliver Gavin following in the No. 4 Vette. This is a long race, and it behooves everyone to settle into a groove for the duration. However, the P2 class is full of anxious young men hoping to establish a presence on the racing scene.

Magnussen got caught up in the fray as he crested the hill above Road Atlanta's famous esse complex and picked up speed entering the quick, right-left-right-left sequence. There is hardly room for one car here, let alone two, but Bryan Herta, in the No. 26 Team Andretti Green P2 Acura, pushed the issue and tried to pass Magnussen anyway. Contact was certain, sending the Corvette off course. It hit the wall on the left, was tossed into the air sideways, and came down hard against the safety barriers. It was a major hit, crushing in the left-front corner of the C6.R and tearing off the front bodywork. Magnussen was able to climb out and walk away without injury, but the car was done for the race.

Herta was black-flagged and assessed a 30-second penalty in the pit lane for avoidable contact, but this was of little consolation to the dejected No. 3 car crew. The premature exit was particularly tough on O'Connell, whose streak of 58 consecutive starts came to an end in Atlanta.

The next two hours saw a succession of yellow flags. As soon as the course marshals could clear the track and restart the race, another full-course yellow was thrown in response to yet another accident. (The race ultimately experienced a total of eight full-course cautions.) This levied a toll on equipment and ended speculation that the event would finish in record time. The No. 4 C6.R continued to pace GT1, with the Maserati struggling to stay seven to nine laps behind the Vette.

At about one hour from the end, the Maser, with Andrea Bertolini driving, veered off the track and slid helplessly along the concrete front-straight wall, ending its day. (With over 70 percent of the race completed, the team held on to an official Second Place finish.) The No. 4 Vette cruised home under an 8:35 p.m. checkered flag, taking a very lonely First in the GT1 class. The win secured the series class championship for the No. 4 driving duo of Oliver Gavin and Olivier Beretta.

In contrast, the R10 Audi of Dindo Capello and the Porsche Spyder of Roman Dumas staged a down-to-the-wire duel reminiscent of their clash at Detroit just three weeks earlier. Traffic posed a greater problem for the Porsche driver this time, and he was never able to overtake his Teutonic rival. The Audi team prevailed, and the two cars finished First and Second overall.

The Story Behind The LS7.R
By the late '90s, Herb Fishel and the rest of the GM Racing crew were ready to raise the Corvette banner at the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans. But because GT-class rules required strict adherence to the specifications of the street-going model, structural modifications to the car would be severely limited.

Fortunately, there were other areas in which performance and durability improvements could be made. One of those areas was engine development. Corvette Racing partner Pratt & Miller went to Katech Engineering to help achieve their goals for the nascent race car's powerplant.

Katech had a long history of working with GM on other projects, so the new endeavor was a natural collaboration. According to John Rice, a GM engineer at the time, it all began with a "what if" scenario regarding the viability of entering a Corvette race car in Le Mans. That started the wheels turning, and by 1999, Corvette Racing had a C5 racer sporting a race-bred 6.0L LS6.

Katech massaged the powerplant as best it could to optimize performance and durability over the race's 24-hour duration. Still, Corvette Racing's debut at Le Mans that year was less than auspicious. At that time, the reigning force in the GT1 class was the Dodge Viper. With 8 liters of displacement and a couple of years experience competing at Le Mans, the Vipers were simply too strong for their crosstown rivals. For the following year, everyone at GM and Katech went back to the drawing board and concluded that a 7.0L configuration could give the Dodges a run for their money.

Despite their identical displacements, the racing and street versions of the LS7 have very little in common. After all, the production engine has to start consistently in subzero temperatures, keep its cool in stop-and-go traffic, and exhibit flawless driveability throughout its long service life. By contrast, the race motor is never started until fluid temperatures have reached 100 degrees (F), is hammered relentlessly at all times, and is designed to last for a finite time period-be it 24 hours at Le Mans or 2 1/2 hours on a street circuit like Detroit.

When the bare-block casting is received at Katech, technicians immediately cut off the bottom portion just beneath the crankshaft center line. This has the benefit of significantly lightening the engine-a fully dressed LS7.R weighs in at about 300 pounds-while also lowering the overall center of gravity of the race car.

The bottom sump cover, which is bolted to the crankcase, is then fitted with the lower halves of the crankshaft-bearing shells. Therefore, when the cover is bolted on the case, the bearings that the crankshaft rides on are also bolted in place. This makes checking bearing tolerances a little more difficult, but Katech personnel have mastered the art of reaching in through either end of the case to do the job.

To get as much power out of the race engine as possible, the engineers at Katech and GM have developed fuel/air mapping sequences that optimize each cylinder independently. Additionally, engineers can monitor in real time exactly what is going on in the engine while the car is on track. When the car comes in for a pit stop, the crew can plug into the car's computer-management system and change the mapping sequence if necessary. John Rice, now retired from GM and working for Katech, says the crew usually has three different mapping sequences to choose from at any given time.

Since taking on the sports-car racing scene with the C5-R/C6.R, Corvette Racing has established ALMS records for the most GT1-class race wins (C5-R: 31, C6.R: 24) and the most wins in any class (55). Astonishingly, the team has lofted the GT1 winner's trophy at Le Mans five times in the last seven years. With a track record like this, it's no wonder the LS7.R was named Global Motorsports Engine of the Year in 2006.

Late in August, the sports cars of the American Le Mans Series rolled onto Belle Isle in Detroit for the 10th round of the '07 schedule. The event marked the first time motorsports competition had alighted on the Isle since the open-wheel CART series last ran there eight years earlier.

With its reputation for bumpy, uneven pavement and precious little passing room, the circuit had fallen from favor with race-sanctioning officials by the late '90s. If racing, and the fans, were to ever return to the Detroit venue, significant changes would have to be made.

Enter racing legend Roger Penske, who led the charge to bring Belle Isle back to racing prominence. Penske, who was instrumental in luring the 2006 Super Bowl to Detroit, felt that returning the Isle to its former motorsports glory would help further revitalize the city's downtown area.

With Penske's backing, major corporate sponsorship-from companies such as GM, Ford, Chrysler, Honda, Acura, Firestone, and Bosch-quickly followed. Before any ignition keys were turned, race organizers had sold 50 corporate hospitality chalets at a price of $50,000 apiece.

With the usual Penske panache, the 983 acres of Belle Isle were transformed into a first-rate racing venue. More than 600,000 square feet of concrete were poured to form the racing paddock, to smooth and widen the racing surface, and to enlarge the parking area. Some of the 14 turns around the 2.07-mile circuit were also expanded, including the critical Turn 1.

Penske's Belle Isle makeover extended beyond the racing circuit itself. For this year's ALMS race, the island was staffed by seemingly thousands of golden-shirted volunteers dispensing directions and other information. At Penske's direction, all of these workers previously had attended "Ambassador School" to receive training in "ultimate customer service." Friendly smiles were everywhere, and questions never elicited the typical blank stare and nebulous reply. By going the extra mile, Penske furnished a first-class experience for the ALMS fans.

When it came to the race, the heated competition in the LMP2 and GT2 ranks only served to highlight the cakewalks unfolding in the other two categories. By the time of the Detroit event, the Audi R10s and the C6.R Corvettes had all but sewn up LMP1 and GT1, respectively. Indeed, outside of a lone Aston fighting the Vettes at Sebring, and a Maserati showing up for Mosport, the two GM-backed entries had faced no class competition at all. Such was the case again on Belle Isle.

Oliver Gavin, driving the No. 4 car, got a little nudge from one of the prototypes during Friday's morning practice session and was forced back to the pits for fresh rear bodywork. With that done, Gavin was back out on course to complete the session and qualify in the afternoon.

While the two Corvette Racing teams epitomize the "all for one and one for all" mentality, when the green flag falls for qualifying, it is truly every man for himself. Jan Magnussen in No. 3 had the better of the No. 4 car this time around and took the GT1 pole. Bragging rights were especially important at this race, since it was held right in the backyard of the major corporate players, and many industry luminaries were on hand to watch.

Saturday's 2-hour, 45-minute race started at 3:00 p.m. and ran under clear skies and relatively moderate temperatures. Even though the Belle Isle course has been improved, it is still very tight, and passing is not easy. As a result, yellow flags were common. These interruptions repeatedly restacked the lineup and provided for tight competition.

The GT1 race between the two Corvettes was well run, even if the result-a C6.R victory-was a foregone conclusion. Both sets of pit crews and drivers performed faultlessly, and the No. 3 car, with Jan Magnussen and Johnny O'Connell sharing the driving duties, took First in class.

The war developing in GT2 boiled over into the predictable collisions, with the Flying Lizard team's hopes for a driving championship literally going up in smoke as Johannes van Overbeek watched his Porsche 911 burn to the ground following an on-course altercation. The Ferrari 430 of Jaime Melo and Mika Salo went on to take First in class.

The race's true battle was between the LMP1-dominating Audis and Roger Penske's factory-backed LMP2 Porsches. The Audis, with their superior torque, had the straight-line power advantage, but the Porsche spyders were lighter and quicker in the corners-a prescription for success on a tight road course like Belle Isle.

With the race drawing to a close, the Audi of Emanuele Pirro seemed to have victory in hand. Then, with just a few minutes left, Porsche driver Romain Dumas outbraked Pirro into the corner and nudged past the silver LMP1 entry. The Audi's superior torque got the best of the Porsche down the following straight, however, and Pirro retook the lead.

Dumas then took a wider, faster entry line into the next right-hand corner, repassing Pirro who was trying to defend his first-place position with a shallow corner entry and a wider, slower exit. The Porsche driver never looked back and finished the inaugural Detroit Grand Prix in First Place overall, handing the "Captain" a victory in a storybook ending.

Next up on the ALMS schedule is Road Atlanta and the 10th anniversary of the 10-hour Petit Le Mans. Class placement in this race brings an automatic invitation to the 24-hour Le Mans spectacular in France next June. Rumor has it that some legitimate competition will finally show up to challenge the flashing yellow streaks from GM. It's about time.

Corvette Racing Shines in Pit Crew Challenge
To back up their exemplary on-track performance, Corvette Racing also shined in the semi-final round of the Klein Tool Pit Crew Challenge. Held on Friday before the Saturday race, this round was supposed to include eight teams battling for one of the final four spots.

Both of the Corvette Racing crews made the cut and stood ready to take on all comers. Unfortunately, the two Porsche teams from Tafel Racing and the two Audi LMP1 entries elected to skip the competition and concentrate on prepping for the qualifying session just three hours in the future.

The narrowed field saw the Corvette crews taking on a pair of LMP1 entries from Dyson Racing. The No. 4 team won the day with a time of 44.12 seconds, while the No. 3 crew managed a 44.29-second effort to beat out the No. 20 Dyson squad for Second. The Corvette teams took home prize money totaling $15,000 for the day's effort. The Challenge's final round will be held in Monterey and promises to be a close one.

Funfest...is a "must attend" for all enthusiasts. The camaraderie between the Corvette people and the folks at Mid America Motorworks is impressive to see. The show is very well organized; the Mid America team clicks like a well-oiled machine. The event is called Funfest for a reason: It's a perfect, fun-filled, festive occasion of friends, hobbyists, and cars, cars, cars! Put it on your calendar-you won't regret it.

-Wil Cooksey, Corvette Plant Manager

Each year, Mid America Motorworks effectively doubles the population of tiny Effingham, Illinois, by throwing its Corvette-themed Funfest celebration. Vettes from all over the United States-more than 15,000 of them in total-descend upon this Midwest micropolis for three days of shared enthusiasm, renewed friendship, technical tutelage, and vehicle showcases, all focusing on America's favorite sports car.

This year's event was held September 21-23 at the Mid America Motorworks Campus, a sprawling, 150-acre facility that easily accommodated the 50,000-plus Corvette lovers in attendance. The theme this year was "Celebrating a Corvette Summer."

"This is the 14th year we have held our customer-appreciation party," said Mike Yager, the company's founder and "Chief Cheerleader." "Every year we have seen significant increases in participation. The camaraderie among this enthusiastic group of Corvette lovers is really gratifying to witness."

Hollywood car-customization legend and guest of honor George Barris agreed. "My feelings about the Funfest cannot be put into words, but I'll try. How about 'outstanding, fantastic, terrific, unbelievable'? It was amazing to have such a great car show in between cornfields and cow pastures. a super family, and they have the most organized and friendly staff. I had a great time meeting and greeting all."

Show highlights included the Mike Yager Garage Museum Under the Big Top, a personal appearance by "King of the Kustomizers" Barris, and special guests Dave McLellan (Former Corvette Chief Engineer), Tom Wallace (GM Vehicle Line Executive, Performance Cars), Wil Cooksey, Billy Boat (Former Indy Car racer and owner of B&B Exhaust), Gordon Killebrew (C4 guru and former Corvette Assembly Plant Engineer), and Ken Herring (Technical Advisor, Speed Channel's PINKS).

Corvette authors Richard Newton, John Gunnell, Mike Antonick, Dave Emanuel, Tom Benford, and Phil Berg were on hand to autograph their books. There were technical and lifestyle seminars, ladies' events, celebrity-choice awards, manufacturers' displays, and even an installation alley for light modifications such as exhaust systems and cold-air kits. To top off the festivities, there was a full-length concert performance by '70s pop legend Three Dog Night.

"Attendance grew over 20 percent from last year," said Mid America Motorworks PR chief Cheryl Habing. "A thousand more Corvettes participated this year over last year."

Although it is now widely considered the largest single Corvette gathering in the United States, Funfest's beginnings were humble: In 1994, 350 cars and their owners convened in Effingham for a "family style" get-together celebrating Mid America's 20th Anniversary.

Got your popcorn ready? Join us as we take a whirlwind tour of Funfest '07.

Want to help Mid America break the 20,000-car mark at next year's Funfest? Registrations are available by visiting www.mamotorworks.com/funfest or calling (800) 500-1500. Funfest '08 is scheduled for September 19-21.

The original Cannonball Run is a fond memory to those of us who recall the no-holds-barred road rally of the '70s. The brainchild of then-Car and Driver editor Brock Yates, the Run involved high-speed cars and Interstate shenanigans played out from New York to Los Angeles, with participants vying for cash prizes and doing their best to avoid speeding tickets along the way.

Then came the 55-mph speed limit, a police crackdown, and a spate of negative publicity, all of which spelled the end of America's most famous race held on public roads. After an 11-year hiatus, the Cannonball concept was off to Europe where, in 2000, entrepreneur Tim Porter began conducting annual competitions under the name "Cannonball Run Europe."

After running seven of these events abroad, Porter decided it was time to bring the spirit of the original Cannonball home to the U.S. The first of these races-promoted under the name "The Great American Run"-took place from July 29th to August 4th, with participants undertaking a time-to-distance run from four cities-Atlanta, Miami, New York, and Washington D.C.-to Los Angeles.

VETTE magazine was invited to follow along with Netherlands native Des and Finlander Hece (they asked that we use only their first names) of the European auto enthusiast group Team Tangospeed (www.tangospeed.com), as they tackled the inaugural Run in an '07 C6 convertible. Their only goal? To make it across the country in six days while maintaining an average speed of exactly 61 mph.

This wasn't the team's first road rally, but it was their first American cross-country event, as well as their first time behind the wheel of a Vette. "We chose a Corvette because it's a real American icon. Add to that the concept of an all-American, six-day, coast-to-coast driving adventure, and you have a perfect match," Des tells us.

But what prompted this Euro duo to traverse the Atlantic, commandeer a drop-top Vette, and rally all the way from the tip of Florida to the California coastline? "Doing a coast-to-coast rally in the United States was one of my dreams for a long time," Des recalls. "As a writer for on-line rally magazine GTspirit (www.gtspirit.com), I stumbled upon the Great American Run back in November and couldn't wait to do it myself. Until three weeks before the start of the race, it didn't look like I would be able to fulfill my dream. But then Hece became very interested, and we started talking. He managed to source the Corvette C6 at the very last minute, and we were good to go!"

Given the "anything goes" nature of the original Cannonball, we were curious as to how the rules of the Great American Run were set up to discourage scofflaws. "The objective was not to get there first, but to complete the total distance at an average speed of 61 mph," Des explains. "Based on every day's start and arrival times and the distances , it was possible to calculate our current average speed and the average speed required to the overall average."

Cannonball Events founder Porter agrees, adding, "It is a safe and sensible rally that matches exotics against muscle cars. Anybody can be the winner."

Six fun-filled days in the C6 left the two Europeans with a lasting impression of the great American sports car. "We were certainly surprised by the fuel economy and the comfort inside," Des tells us. "We didn't drive with the roof down much, as the temperature was between 90 and 105 degrees (F) most of the time.

"The handling of the car was good fun, although the gearbox and the stability and traction controls are far from smooth...the TC kicks in like a huge axe at some points. At higher speeds, the soft suspension did not instill a lot of confidence, but up to 100 mph, it provided a very smooth ride.

"With the gearbox in sports mode and all electronic aids switched off, it's a great car to burn some rubber with. Everywhere you go, people turn their heads and ask you to rev it."

In the end, Des and Hece clocked an average speed of 61.016 mph over the 3,061-mile course. The speed was good enough to earn them a Second Place finish-a mere 0.008 second behind the Grand Prize winner.

Des says he'll be back next year for the Great American Run '08, once again behind the wheel of a Corvette. "I won't do it again in a convertible, simply because we drove with the roof up all the time. But I wouldn't mind taking a Z06 out for another coast-to-coast adventure," he says.

For 2008, event organizers are promising a $250,000 grand prize and a total purse that could go as high as four times that amount. For more information, visit www.thegreatamericanrun.com.

Earlier this year, Corvette enthusiasts from all over Australia travelled to the Gold Coast in Queensland to take part in the 19th Australian National Corvette Convention. The world's only island continent is roughly the size of the continental U.S. in geographical terms, but it has a population similar to that of the greater Los Angeles area. Consequently, Australia's Corvette clubs tend to be quite isolated from each other, and making it to the convention usually requires a trip of several hundred miles or more.

The convention is hosted on a rotating basis by six clubs from different states, and this year's event was put on by the Queensland Corvette Club. More than 150 cars and 290 people participated, with 19 enthusiasts travelling an astonishing 2,700 miles from the West Coast city of Perth to attend.

While a field of this size might be considered small by American standards, it must be noted that in addition to the long-distance drives required of most attendees, the total number of Corvettes in Australia is comparatively small. GM has never sold the car in Australia, and the company provides no after-sale support. All Corvettes arrive as personal imports, and all parts must be imported-usually at an exorbitant price.

Additionally, Australian regulations require that all cars fewer than 30 years old must be converted to right-hand drive. By the time a buyer has imported his Corvette, paid all the requisite fees and charges, and navigated his way through the lengthy and complex RHD-conversion process, the car will have cost him some three times its original sale price. He then owns a car local mechanics know nothing about and local parts retailers do not support. Because of these obstacles, Aussie Corvette clubbers tend to be hardcore enthusiasts who are extremely knowledgeable about their cars.

This year represented the 19th running of the Australian National Convention. The first was held in Melbourne in 1980 and drew approximately 65 cars. Some 200 members of the public were given rides in Corvettes for $2.50 each. The largest convention to date was held in Melbourne in 2004 and drew approximately 250 entrants. This event's popularity was due largely to its incorporation of a hot-lapping session at Holden's Lang Lang test track, a nearly two-mile-long, four-lane-wide banked oval used by the GM subsidiary for high-speed testing. The speed limit was nominally 110 mph, but some enthusiastic convention-goers recorded speeds of nearly 170 mph.

The 2007 convention also marked the first year of participation by the fledgling Australian chapter of the NCRS. A number of judges even flew in from the U.S. to train their Australian counterparts and assist in judging the NCRS cars.

The event kicked off Friday with a Hawaiian Pool Party that doubled as an informal meet-and-greet session. As noted previously, Australian Corvette Clubs tend to be divided by great distances-for example, 620 miles separate the Queensland Corvette Club in Brisbane and its closest neighbor club, NSW Corvettes Unlimited in Sydney-so many attendees only see each other at the show each year. Friday night provided a social event for these enthusiasts to get reacquainted, as well as an opportunity to make new friends.

Saturday saw a Show 'n' Shine held at Kurrawa Park, right next to the beach at Surfers Paradise. Unlike the NCRS judging held earlier in the week, the Show 'n' Shine cars were rated purely on presentation and appearance.

Australians have long been keen on modifying their Corvettes, particularly after having performed an RHD conversion that renders moot any arguments over originality. In fact, until the recent formation of the Australian NCRS Chapter, there has been relatively little interest in maintaining the cars in their factory-fresh configuration.

The Show 'n' Shine Vettes are separated into classes: cars with 0-3 modifications are classified as Standard, those with 4-8 modifications as Personalized, and those with 9 or more as Modified. The cars are then further divided into categories covering each generation of Corvette. The overall quality of the cars was of quite a high standard, with Barbara Kelly's gold '62 (VETTE, March '07) being named Vette of the Show.

After a Saturday night dinner held at the Sea World theme park, Sunday offered entrants a choice between a navigation run through the scenic Gold Coast Hinterland and a driving session (including drag racing and an autocross) at Willowbank Raceway. The nav run was won by Geoff and Sue Eaton, of New South Wales, in their red '78; the autocross by Tim Allard, from West Australia, in his yellow '89; and the drags by Paul Boschert, from the Australian Capital Territory, in his red '85.

Sunday night brought the meet's final event-a formal evening held at the Radisson Resort. Major trophies were presented, some short speeches were given, and a rock band played into the wee hours. With the '07 Australian National Corvette Convention in the books, Aussie Vette-o-philes were soon looking forward to next year's event, set to take place on Easter weekend in the southern port city of Adelaide.

Special thanks to principal event organizers Brad and Sandy Stumer, of the Queensland Corvette Club.

The '06 American Le Mans season was characterized by drama, politics, and a pitched battle in the GT1 class between the Corvette Racing C6.Rs and the Prodrive Aston Martins. After the Vettes established a healthy early points lead, Aston threatened to leave the series if organizers didn't level the playing field. Officials dutifully added weight and inlet restrictors to the Chevys, slowing them down and creating unusual mechanical breakdowns. The Astons went on to win enough races to force a championship-deciding end-of-season showdown at Laguna.

While the overweight C6.Rs would finish Second and Third in GT1 at Laguna to clinch another manufacturer's title, Corvette Racing officials remained bitter about the midseason rule changes. Over the winter, they even considered pulling out of ALMS altogether and competing in Europe.

In an ironic twist, Corvette Racing did return to ALMS for '07, but Aston Martin did not. The Brits' departure has left a huge void in GT1 and all but handed the champ-ionship to the Vettes. With interest in the class at an understandably low ebb on the domestic front, the question Corvette Racing officials must ask themselves is this: Might a move to a European series have been a good idea after all?

Europeans are serious about their motorsports, and the tremendous number and variety of sanctioned sports-car races held across the continent reflect this fact. The two main race series are the European Le Mans (ELMS) and the FIA GT championship. This year, ELMS will hold seven events in seven countries, plus the annual 24-hour race at Le Mans. The FIA GT, meanwhile, is running 10 events, starting in China and ending in Belgium. In addition to these races, Europe is home to the Dutch Supercar Championship, the French FFSA, and many other smaller GT series.

Two race categories of particular significance are the FIA GT3 and the Belgian Belcar series. Unlike the ELMS and FIA GT events, these races feature Corvettes not previously campaigned by Pratt & Miller. Perhaps the most noteworthy of these cars are the Callaway/Carsport Z06.Rs, whose construction and subsequent race appearances we covered in a series of articles last year.

To refresh your memory, all Z06.Rs begin life as regular-production street cars and are converted to FIA GT3 specifications by Callaway Competition in Germany. The process has been an expensive one, since most of the original, Z06-spec com-ponents failed during initial testing and had to be replaced with stronger, non-factory parts. Incredibly, Callaway Competition does not receive any financial or material support from GM.

To date, eight cars have been built. Six compete in GT3, one runs in Belcar, and another appears in the Dutch Supercar Series. After a shaky start last season, the teams seem to have sorted the cars out for '07. The Pirri/von Gartzen Martini Z06.R finished an impressive Second overall in the opening round of the season. Anthony Kumpen and Burt Longin, meanwhile, drove their Z06.R to an opening-round Belcar win in Zolder, Belgium, and finished Second at Donington Park, in England.

As the Corvette Racing C6.Rs somnambulate their way to another GT1 crown in ALMS, it's comforting to know that, in one part of the world, production-based competition still reigns supreme.

Think you've got the baddest street Vette in the land? Now's your chanceto prove it. Thanks to the combined efforts of VETTE magazine and partsgiant Year One, an elite group of Corvette owners will battle it out forstrip supremacy during the '08 Year One Experience on May 16-18. Theaction will take place in and around nearby Atlanta Dragway, and theresults will be documented in excruciating detail in a subsequent issueof VETTE. Sound like fun? Read on.

The rules are simple: Your ride must be insured,