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32767 view(s)  The brand-new Corvette C6-R race car will debut at the 12 Hours of Sebring in March 2005 after a full year of rigorous testing and development. The two-car, factory-backed Chevrolet sports car program will compete in the production-based GT1 class (formerly GTS) of American Le Mans Series as well as the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans in France, a race where the Corvette has won its class for three out of the past four years. The new race car is the most technically advanced sports car ever developed by General Motors, culling years of experience from the dominant Corvette C5-R as well as the advancements brought forth from the next-generation Corvette C6 and Z06 production models.
“The Corvette C6-R is the best sports car we’ve ever built and it has been our privilege to develop it alongside the new Corvette Z06,” said Harry Turner , GM’s group manager for road racing. “History will remember the C5-R as one of the best sports racing cars of all-time and we’ve set the bar high for the C6-R. With the new C6 chassis and body structure as our starting point, we’re already ahead. We left no stone unturned in the development of this new car and we are looking forward to racing it in front of the world in 2005.”
Like the C5-R before it, the Corvette C6-R starts from production roots: the same hydro formed frame rails that roll down the assembly line at the Corvette plant in Bowling Green , Kentucky are sourced for the structure of the race car. With the new C6 production model measuring shorter in overall length (but with a longer wheelbase), race car engineers faced a new set of numbers in which to achieve their goals to make the car faster on the 180-mph Mulsanne Straight at Le Mans and other high-speed circuits.
“At first glance, the shortened front and rear overhangs on the C6 would seem to present a challenge in developing a racecar with maximum aerodynamic downforce,” said Steve Wesoloski , program engineering manager for Corvette Racing. “However, the low drag features on the C6, such as the sleek body and flush headlamps, lend themselves to an easy task of converting the production design into a low-drag race car.”
Adding a rear wing and a front splitter enabled the team to develop a package that achieves a lift-to-drag ratio better than that of the C5-R. Through a combination of Computational Fluid Dynamic studies and on-track testing, the end result will be an aerodynamically balanced package, tunable to the low drag demands of Le Mans or the high downforce requirements of Mosport.
The same six drivers that piloted the C5-Rs to an historical undefeated season in 2004 will return to the track in 2005: Ron Fellows, Johnny O’Connell and Max Papis will drive the #3 Corvette C6-R and Oliver Gavin, Olivier Beretta and Jan Magnussen will drive the #4 Corvette C6-R.
The fifth generation factory C5R’s six successful racing seasons ended when C5 passenger car production ended with model year 2004. Corvette Racing immediately began work the new sixth generation Corvette racecar. After months of hard work, Pratt & Miller introduced the new C6R. Modeled after the Z06 production car, the new C6R won the 2005 ALMS championship in the US and the GT1 category at the 2005 Le Mans 24 Hour race. The two cars (chassis 001 & 002) were the only C6R’s campaigned by the factory during the 2005-racing season. Chassis 001 was originally built from C5R-012 and later used as the first official factory C6R showcar. Chassis 002 took most of 2005 wins, but the 001 car of Ron Fellows and Johnny O' Connell captured the C6R’s first win. This took place at the second round of the 2005 ALMS series in Atlanta.
At the end of the 2005 season, Pratt & Miller offered the cars for sale. GLPK Carsport Belgium purchased chassis 001 and PSI Experience in Belgium purchased chassis 002. Both teams contested the 2006 season in Europe, but in two different series. GLPK raced their C6R in the 2006 FIA GT championship. PSI Experience entered their C6R in the European Le Mans series. Both met for the first time together in private hands during the Proximus Spa 24 Hours in late July of 2006. GLPK finished 3 rd and PSI finished 5 th overall. Pratt & Miller sent their staff to Europe to support both teams technically during the race. This proved helpful at Spa when the GLPK C6R encountered a severe oiling problem and lost over 170 liters ( 45 gallons) of oil during the race. With excellent GLPK pit work and Pratt & Millers technical assistance, the GLPK C6R finished third overall. The PSI C6R finished a respectable 5th overall even after several on course collisions.
The next FIA GT race was at Circuit Paul Richard. PSI switched from Dunlop to Michelins tires. The PSI C6R took pole position and the GLPK C6R was third fastest. During the three-hour race the 001 and 002 C6R’s fought for the lead during the entire race. In the end, excellent pit work and smart team strategy ended up getting the GLPK C6R into the winner’s circle. The race wasn't too much of a loss for PSI, as the team took home a remarkable second place finish. Meanwhile in the United States two new C6R’s repeated their 2005 season by winning the 2006 American Le Mans Series Championship and finishing one-two at the 2006 24 hours of Le Mans.
After midway through the 2007 season, the C6R has notched up another great accomplishment...overall victory at the 2007 Total 24 Hours at Spa.
Corvette C6-R.Dimensions
Length 175.601 in | 4460.3 mm., Width 75.901 in | 1927.9 mm., Height 49.001 in | 1244.6 mm., Wheelbase 105.701 in | 2684.8 mm.
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Models for Corvette C6R
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| Manufacturer |
Model |
Scale |
Dimensions (LxWxH) |
Wheelbase |
Front spur |
Rear spur |
| Carrera |
Corvette C6 Compuserve |
1/24 |
99.9x81.5x45.0 |
99.9 |
81.5 |
82.4 |
| Revell - Monogram |
C6R |
1/24 |
99.9x42.0x0.0 |
99.9 |
80.0 |
81.0 |
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