DETROIT (Jan. 19, 2021) – Chevrolet has named Laura Wontrop Klauser as its newly created Sports Car Racing Program Manager as the manufacturer continues its shift toward an engineering-based approach throughout its motorsports programs.
Klauser, who resides in Detroit, moves into the role which includes engineering and technical oversight of Corvette Racing on behalf of Chevrolet. Already she manages the Cadillac DPi-V.R and Camaro GT4.R programs in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. The goal is to expand the level of engineering and technical direction for Corvette Racing as it sets a course for its future with the mid-engine Chevrolet Corvette C8.R, along with all the Chevrolet road-racing programs.
“It’s a huge honor to move into this role with Corvette Racing,” said Klauser, who has been part of General Motors’ racing activities for the last five years. “It unquestionably is one of the premier programs in all of sports car endurance racing. The rich history of Corvette’s successes in IMSA is something of which everyone at Chevrolet can be proud. At the same time, this motorsports management restructure is a great opportunity to rethink how Chevrolet operates on IMSA weekends. My goal is to promote more synergy between our racing programs and funnel our technical learnings back to GM so we continue to make and sell better cars to our fans and customers around the world.”
Klauser earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering and a Master’s in Engineering. She began at General Motors in 2008 and spent eight years on the production side of the business including advanced design work on the Corvette C7. Motorsports competition came calling in 2016 after stints on the Cadillac CT6 and Chevrolet Cruze and Spark production teams. She was named Program Manager for the Cadillac ATS-V.R effort in Pirelli World Challenge.
A year later, Klauser helped launch the Cadillac DPi-V.R program, which to date has claimed two Manufacturers Championships, four Michelin Endurance Cup Championships and 18 race wins including four consecutive victories in the Rolex 24 At Daytona.
Corvette Racing has spent the last 22 years building its championship pedigree with 14 Team titles along with 13 Manufacturers and Drivers championships. Antonio Garcia and Jordan Taylor are coming off a GT Le Mans title-winning season in which they won five times and drove the C8.R to its first victory in July at Daytona.
Klauser also is heavily involved with SAE. A past participant the student level, she remains an active member and volunteer for the FSAE program as Dynamic Events Coordinator for the Michigan Competition. She has served on the SAE Detroit Section Board since 2011 holding the Chair position for 2018.
She also is a familiar face to the Corvette customer and enthusiast community. Klauser has participated as a Corvette Team representative at the National Corvette Museum Birthday Bash’s Ladies Garage and Corvettes at Carlisle events annually. She also participates in track days driving her 2013 Corvette Grand Sport.
“We are pleased to have someone as enthusiastic and experienced as Laura as our Sports Car Racing Program Manager,” said Mark Stielow, Chevrolet Director of Motorsports Competition Engineering. “Corvette Racing and GM’s road-racing efforts will benefit from her engineering experience with both the Corvette and Cadillac production cars, and her relationship with a large number of our fans and Corvette owners.”
The IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship will open its 2021 season with the Roar Before the 24 from Jan. 22-24 and the Rolex 24 At Daytona on Jan. 30-31, which will air beginning at 3:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, January 30 across NBC, NBCSN, TrackPass and the NBC Sports App. A 100-minute qualifying race from the Roar will air on TrackPass at 2 p.m. ET on Sunday, Jan. 24 and again same-day at 4:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN. IMSA Radio will air full qualifying and race coverage at IMSA.com.
Source:
CorvetteRacing.com
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I’m sure Laura Wontrop Klauser is a very nice person, very talented engineer, albeit, the way GM/Chev ousted Doug, UNCEREMONIOUSLY, would suggest Corvette Racing Nation boycott all Corvette Corrals!
So……….. how about the truth as to why you fired Fehan ???
So essentially, she replaces Dougie Fehan. Well, good luck with that.
It appears that Ms. Klauser has the education, training and experience and the enthusiasm to handle the job. I wish her the best of luck and much success. AF
Now it all makes sense why Doug lost, or more likely had his job taken away from him.
Sexism strikes again! Double standard much? So empowering women through the destruction of men? Or one man in this case. That seems fair and ethical and not at all hypocritical. Can you imagine the outcry if a man took a job or a position away from a woman? Welcome to the new world, where reverse sexism is labeled as progress. And spare me about her qualifications, you know that wasn’t the main factor to why she ultimately got the job.
She owns a C6 GS, cool.
I agree with all the above commentators. Firing Doug Fehan was despicable, and of course Mary Barra had a hand in it. It is very nice that Ms. Klauser has the engineering knowledge and enthusiasm, yet how does that qualify her to run a professional race team? Does she know pit strategy? Fuel management. When the car is loose or pushing? Does her track days (driver education) qualify her? Racing is not about gender (witness NHRA) but gender should never be a qualification for racing. A sad day for Corvette Racing!
Kenneth Gutwein, well said! And have you ever seen anybody with as much experience and success as Doug get fired after the season Corvette racing had in 2020? It’s unconscionable what happend to Mr. Fehan. And Mary Barra has turned GM into a joke!
Mike, many fans of Corvette racing will no longer support the team after the firing of Doug Fehan. I hope Mary Barra and GM are happy with what they have done!
@Mike 8TY4SPD_MNL13GS
I would still support Corvette Racing for the pit crews and the drivers, but I am now casting a cynical and skeptical eye towards Klauser. Her fancy degrees haven’t earn her any stripes on the track.
Jay, Andrew, et al,
It reads she is a talented engineer, and credit given where credit due for the
higher edu she worked so hard to attain.
And, I’m sure she is a very nice person, owning a C6 GS aside.
Albeit, given Doug’s close, very close, relationship with Corvette Racing Nation, both individually on a first name basis with a lot of us, and as a significant group, the way GM/Chev UNCEREMONIOUSLY ousted Doug, rather than a departure with the distinction
and class-send-off that he most assuredly deserved, and should have been rewarded with, Corvette Racing Nation should boycott every Corvette Corral.
Doug Fehan is a Class Guy, and he will not throw GM/Chev under the bus, but surely we all agree how GM/Chev went about this departure is all wrong.
GM/Chev should have taken 2021 as a transition year; have Klauser beside him as events, allowing Doug to introduce her, and make this a smooth transition, and giving Doug a GREAT send-off!
I am really, Really, REALLY pissed at GM/Chev….. can you tell. 🙁
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