Corvette Racing at Road America: Familiar Surroundings for the Cross Flags

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Corvette Racing at Road America: Familiar Surroundings for the Cross Flags
Photo by Richard Prince for Chevy Racing


Six class victories at Elkhart Lake since racing debut there in 2002

DETROIT (Aug. 5, 2015) – Corvette Racing returns to one of North America’s classic tracks this weekend: Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wis. The team’s two Chevrolet Corvette C7.Rs are part of the GT Le Mans (GTLM) class field for Sunday’s Continental Tire Road Race Showcase – the seventh round of the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship for Corvette Racing.

Road America is a familiar place to Corvette Racing. Its cars – three generations worth – and drivers routinely are fast around the 4.048-mile, 14-turn layout.

In addition to its racing activities in the American Le Mans Series and now the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship, the team has routinely used Road America for testing ahead of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. It’s long straights and hard braking zones present the types of challenges found that sports car racing typically presents.

Corvette Racing first competed at Road America during the 2002 ALMS season. The team has claimed six victories since that first visit including five straight from 2004-08 in the eras of the Corvette C5-R and Corvette C6.R. It also should come as no surprise that the roster of Corvette Racing drivers have fared well at Road America.

In particular, Oliver Gavin owns a record of four pole positions and five fastest race laps in 13 appearances. Gavin, who drives the No. 4 Corvette C7.R with Tommy Milner, has been part of three Corvette Racing victories at Road America. Jan Magnussen, teammate with Antonio Garcia in the No. 3 Corvette C7.R, has won twice at the track including in 2008 with Corvette Racing.

Garcia and Magnussen arrive in Wisconsin with the GTLM Driver’s championship lead, as does the No. 3 Corvette C7.R in the team standings.

Chevrolet stands third in GTLM Manufacturer points but only six points from first place. In 17 TUDOR Championship events, Corvette Racing has six wins in 17 series events – four in 2014 plus Daytona and Sebring to open 2015.

Corvette Racing also won the GTE Pro class at the 24 Hours of Le Mans this year for the eighth time. Gavin, Milner and Jordan Taylor drove the winning No. 64 Chevrolet Corvette C7.R.

Corvette Racing at Road America: Familiar Surroundings for the Cross Flags


Corvette, Chevrolet on Display at Road America

Chevrolet and Corvette will be featured heavily at Road America both on the race track and off. In addition to the weekend’s on-track activities, fans and guests at Road America can learn all they need to know about Chevrolet and Corvette by visiting the Corvette Racing Display from Friday to Sunday just inside the main track entrance near the Hawk Performance Tunnel. Among the Chevrolet attractions at the Display include:

  • Chevrolet production vehicles such as the 2016 Corvette Stingray Z51, Silverado 2500 Duramax Diesel, Malibu LTZ and Traverse LTZ.
  • Chevrolet specialty vehicles the Corvette Z06 C7.R edition, Corvette C7.R showcar, accessorized Chevrolet Colorado, Midnight Edition Impala and City Express Van.
  • Samples of Chevrolet engines, performance parts and accessories available to fans for purchase from their local Chevrolet dealer
  • Commemorative t-shirts for fans who sign up with Corvette Racing.

In addition, a Chevy Corvette Z51 Stingray will pace the field for the Continental Tire Road Race Showcase, and a Chevrolet Camaro Z/28.R will lead the Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge field to green Saturday afternoon.

The Corvette Racing display opens at 8 a.m., Friday through Sunday.

The Continental Tire Road Race Showcase is the seventh race of the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship for Corvette Racing. The event is set for 3:05 p.m. ET on Sunday, Aug. 9 from Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. Live TV coverage begins at 3 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1. Flag-to-flag radio coverage also will be available via IMSA Radio.

Corvette Racing at Road America: Familiar Surroundings for the Cross Flags


ANTONIO GARCIA, NO. 3 CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R:

“Road America is a very particular race track. It’s very long and that puts you in a lot of different scenarios during a race. The track varies a lot over the course of a two-minute lap. You just need to be fast everywhere. That’s always the question about Road America on aero – do you run full downforce or low downforce? It always seems to be a wash. You just need to decide what you want for racing. Even if the car is just as fast in both configurations, you need to choose whatever is easiest or can put you in the best situation to contend for a victory.”

JAN MAGNUSSEN, NO. 3 CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R:

“Road America is one of these places where there is a lot to be gained if you are brave enough and get the car to work like you want it to. It’s super fast. If you ask everyone in this paddock, 90 percent will say it’s their favorite track. I’ll always pick that type of circuit over the modern ones. For me, the next couple of tracks – Road America and VIR – are such fantastic experiences to drive at. You really feel like you must be so precise and you have to push. You know if you mess it up, it will be a big mistake.”

OLIVER GAVIN, NO. 4 CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R:

“It’s a number of things that I enjoy about Road America – the layout of the track and nature of the surface. It encourages close racing. The fact that it has a number of long straights means that cars that are following can get a decent tow – particularly at Turn Three and Turn Five. They are slowish corners and there are pretty decent brake zones. If you can get a tow up behind someone and use that big brake zone to pass them, you can gain significant advantages. The cars that have good horsepower are going to be strong. The introduction of a new Michelin tire will play quite a big factor in the weekend. We’re going to have to really work hard to figure that tire out as quickly as we can.”

TOMMY MILNER, NO. 4 CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R:

“I’m really enjoying this run of tracks – Le Mans, Watkins Glen, Canadian Tire Motorsport Park and now Road America. It’s a track that we at Corvette Racing know very well. Everyone talks about how fast it is but in my mind, braking is just as important. It’s how you set up and complete your passes on a track as long as Road America. One aspect of the Corvette C7.R we’ve seen over the last two years is its capabilities under the brakes. As close as it is in our class, any small advantage you may have over your competitors is huge.”

DOUG FEHAN, CORVETTE RACING PROGRAM MANAGER:

“It’s difficult to find a fan, driver or crew member who doesn’t look forward to racing at Road America. The scenic and rolling four miles of tarmac produces amazingly close racing at the some of the highest speeds we see anywhere in North America. Not to mention, this place is responsible for the creation of original Corvette Corral and the best brats, sweet corn and ice cream anywhere we go. In the end, I think this event will definitely be pivotal in our quest for another Corvette Racing championship, and the fans are going to enjoy every minute of it. So will we!”

TUDOR Championship – GTLM Standings

Driver Standings

  1. Antonio Garcia/Jan Magnussen – 188
  2. Bill Auberlen/Dirk Werner – 186
  3. John Edwards/Lucas Luhr – 178
  4. Patrick Pilet – 176
  5. Giancarlo Fisischella/Pierre Kaffer – 171

Team Standings

  1. No. 3 Corvette Racing – 188
  2. No. 25 BMW Team RLL – 186
  3. No. 24 BMW Team RLL – 178
  4. No. 911 Porsche N. America – 176
  5. No. 62 Risi Competizione – 171

Manufacturer Standings

  1. BMW – 194
  2. Porsche – 190
  3. Chevrolet – 188
  4. Ferrari – 178

Continental Tire Road Race Showcase – GT Le Mans (all times CT unless noted)

  • TUDOR Practice 1: Noon, Friday, Aug. 7
  • TUDOR Practice 2: 4:15 p.m., Friday, Aug. 7
  • TUDOR Practice 3: 9:15 a.m., Saturday, Aug. 8
  • TUDOR GTLM Qualifying: 4 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 8 (IMSA.com)
  • TUDOR Warmup: 9 a.m., Sunday, Aug. 9
  • Race: 2:05 p.m., Sunday, Aug. 9 (3 p.m. ET, FOX Sports 1)


Source:
Corvette Racing

Related:
[PICS] Corvette Racing’s Oliver Gavin Takes Delivery of a Corvette Stingray
[PICS] The ‘Big Nasty’ Corvette Z06 Meets Royalty
Corvette Racing in Canada: Garcia, Magnussen Reclaim GTLM Points Lead with P3 Finish

 



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1 COMMENT

  1. There has been a Corvette Corral at R/A since 1962, yes thats 53 years. Please come join us and become a “Turn 3 junkie”. Chevy put on a great event at the corral on Sat.&Sun. for the Continental Tire Road Race Showcase and the price on admission to the corral is a race ticket, you and your Corvette. The guys from The Kettle Moraine Corvette Club will be happy to see you. Check the R/A website for more info. Greg T. – Fond de Vettes Corvette Club

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