DETROIT (Dec. 16, 2020) – Corvette Racing program manager Doug Fehan is stepping away from his position following the team’s IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season.
Fehan started with GM Racing in 1988 and worked on a number of the company’s motorsports programs including the Chevrolet Beretta Trans-Am, Chevrolet Intrepid GTP and Oldsmobile’s World Sports Car efforts.
He was named program manager of Corvette Racing in 1996. Fehan and the Chevrolet Motorsports team worked for two-plus years on the development of the Corvette C5-R racecar, which served to market the hugely popular Corvette C5 production car. The C5-R debuted in January 1999 at the Rolex 24 At Daytona and produced a podium finish in the GT2 class. Subsequently, Fehan worked with the team to develop and race three additional generations of racing Corvettes: the C6.R, C7.R and the mid-engine C8.R, which made its competition debut this year.
Each racecar served as development platforms for technology transfer to Corvette production cars, culminating with the C8.R and the 2020 Corvette Stingray.
In 22 seasons, Corvette Racing has won 14 Team championships, and 13 Manufacturers and Drivers titles to go along with 113 race victories. It also is the only team to achieve 100 wins in IMSA. In 238 races, the two Corvette Racing teams have finished first and second a remarkable 63 times.
“Doug’s contributions to Corvette Racing go far beyond the unparalleled successes on the race track,” said Jim Campbell, Chevrolet U.S. Vice President, Performance and Motorsports. “He developed strong relationships between Corvette Racing and the Corvette Engineering, Design, Powertrain and Marketing teams, and a variety of corporate sponsors, along with the various series and sanctioning bodies in which Corvette Racing competed.
“Doug’s passion and enthusiasm created an incredible connection with race fans around the world. Any fan who met Doug will never forget him.”
Perhaps fittingly, Fehan’s last race as program manager was the 2020 Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring presented by Advance Auto Parts at Sebring International Raceway. Corvette Racing has won 12 times at Sebring – more than at any other track.
Corvettes also have eight wins at Petit Le Mans and three wins at the Rolex 24 at Daytona – including an overall win in 2001 and a 1-2 class finish in 2016. On the world stage, Corvette Racing has eight class wins at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Fehan was recognized by the Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO) with the esteemed “Spirit of Le Mans Award” in 2014 for his contributions to the iconic endurance race.
Fehan also was inducted into the prestigious National Corvette Museum Hall of Fame earlier this year.
He leaves with Corvette Racing in great shape: Chevrolet clinched the GTLM Manufacturers Championship at the start of the 12 Hours of Sebring. Antonio Garcia and Jordan Taylor, who teamed to win five races, clinched the GT Le Mans (GTLM) Drivers Championship the prior race at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. The No. 3 Mobil 1/SiriusXM Corvette C8.R also earned the GTLM Team Championship.
A replacement will be named at a later date.
Source:
Corvette Racing
Related:
[PODCAST] Doug Fehan Talks Corvette Racing on the Corvette Today Podcast
[VIDEO] See All the Checkered Flags from Corvette Racing’s Amazing 2020 Season
[VIDEO] Mobil 1 The Grid: Meet Corvette Racing’s Team Manager Ben Johnson
-
Thanks for the great memories, Doug!
WOW, a lot of big names retired from Corvette Racing within 1year. But Doug hits hard. Yet he can hold his head up high for all of his contributions not only to the team, but speaking of only the good aspects from other teams that have come and gone making the GT1/GT2 class exciting to watch. He is and was the BEST ambassador for road racing.
Very good man. Sad to see him go.
I figured this was coming as a lot of others were stepping out this year. I figured GM was making a clean sweep and reducing their expenses of these valuable figures. I will truly miss Doug’s presentations as he could talk for an hour, not fully answer a single question but you sure felt like Corvette Racing had a solid Future and felt glad that we made the event! GoDug and I hope you enjoy retirement…. maybe consider running for a political office? Nah, I wouldn’t wish that on anyone today.
Hall-of-famer!
With everything happening in the last few months in IMSA’s GTLM, and also Pratt and Miller, I really fear this is the end of Corvette Racing. I really really hope I’m wrong.
BS He was pushed out.
It’s an open question. I heard just before the C8 Reveal that Doug would be retiring after the introduction of the car. Now I hear that he was pushed out. When I go to the Corvette Corral at Sebring in March I’ll see what the truth is. There are many people who attend every year who are good friends with him.
Comments are closed.