Chevrolet Corvette

Chevrolet Corvette C6.R is a grand tourer racing car built by Pratt & Miller and General Motors for competition in endurance racing. It is a replacement for the Corvette C5-R racing car, applying the body style of the new C6 generation Chevrolet Corvette as well as improvements to increase the speed and reliability on the track. Since its debut in 2005, it has continued on from the previous dominance of the C5-R in its racing class with multiple American Le Mans Series championships and race wins in the Le Mans Series, FIA GT Championship, and 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Development

Having already established the C5-R as a winning car, the development of the C6.R was more of an evolution of a design rather than an all new car which required long periods of testing and design. Pratt & Miller's process was aided by the fact that, unlike the C5-R which debuted several years after the C5 generation Corvette was on the streets, the C6.R and C6 generation Corvettes would be developed at the same time. This meant that design elements which would help the race car could be adapted to the road car, allowing the C6.R to use more exotic design features but still meet homologation requirements. In turn, this meant racing elements could be adapted to the Corvette Z06 performance car, which the C6.R shares it exterior styling with.

Corvette Racing

Following the retirement of the C5-R at the end of 2004, the factory Corvette Racing squad started 2005 with two brand new C6.Rs. Unlike the previous car, which ran only select events until it could be proven quick and reliable, the C6.Rs would compete in the full American Le Mans Series season in their first year. The season did not begin as Corvette Racing had planned however, as the equally new Prodrive Aston Martin DBR9 managed to win the initial event at Sebring, earning Corvette Racing their first loss since the end of 2003. Prodrive returned to Europe after Sebring, and Corvette Racing was able to earn wins in each of the succeeding races that season. Even when Prodrive returned for the final two rounds, the improved Corvettes continued their streak and won both races. The C6.Rs also ventured to Europe for the 24 Hours of Le Mans, where the team were able to outlast the quicker DBR9s to earn a 1-2 victory in the GT1 class and finish fifth and sixth overall.