Before Corvette earned its first Le Mans class victory, Briggs Swift Cunningham spent decades chasing a dream. Discover the remarkable life of the racer, sailor, patriot, and entrepreneur whose quest for victory took him from America’s Cup yachts to the world’s greatest endurance race.
In 1972, the Rebel Corvette L88 driven by Dave Heinz and Bob Johnson delivered one of Corvette racing’s finest endurance victories, winning the GT class at the Daytona 6 Hours.
The 1971 24 Hours of Daytona marked Corvette’s finest endurance-racing hour. Behind the win was the legendary Owens-Corning Fiberglas L88 program—and the end of Chevrolet’s quiet factory support.
On January 14, 1966, a prototype Corvette L88 destined for Penske Racing left the St. Louis assembly plant — the first true Team Penske race car. Prepared for endurance competition under Roger Penske’s direction and featuring the experimental 427 L88 and factory performance bits, it went on to win its GT class at the 24 Hours of Daytona and deliver an early milestone in Corvette performance history.
Once a Racer, Always a Racer! This story first appeared in the September 2023 issue of Vette Vues Magazine. Being a World Champion in any sport...
Before the Corvette Grand Sport racers shocked the sports-car world in 1963, Dave MacDonald drove a strange and lightweight Corvette-based race car known as the MacDonald-Simpson 1961 Corvette Special. With a dramatically shortened wheelbase and purpose-built racing body, the car blurred the line between production Corvette and prototype racer—making it one of the most intriguing early Corvette competition machines.
Before Corvette Racing became a global endurance-racing powerhouse, one determined American sportsman dared to challenge Europe’s best at Le Mans. In 1960, Briggs Cunningham brought three Corvettes to France and helped create the foundation of Corvette’s legendary racing legacy.
And Why Are We Talking About His 1960 Corvette Race Car? This story first appeared in the August 2024 issue of Vette Vues Magazine. Lloyd...
