Category: Corvette Racers

C4 Corvettes / Corvette Racers

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Dan Barr’s 1989 Factory-Built Corvette Challenge Race Car

Before the ZR-1 headlines and LT1 performance gains, Chevrolet proved the C4 Corvette’s capability on the track with the Corvette Challenge Series. Dan Binks’ 1989 factory-built race car is a perfect example of how close these machines were to showroom stock—and how dominant they became in SCCA competition. With minimal modifications and factory backing, these Corvettes blurred the line between street car and race car, giving enthusiasts a rare look at what a competition-ready C4 really looked like.

C2 Corvettes / Corvette Models / Corvette News & Opinions / Corvette Racers

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Red Penske 427 L88 Corvette Racer in 1:24th Scale

I’d like to introduce you to two “gasoline in the veins” kinds of guys. George Haddad from Fort Lauderdale, Florida has been a hot rod builder for over 45-years. Doug Whyte learned his modeling craft though his work for The Danberry Mint. The die-cast, articulated cars and trucks that Danberry Mint is well known for is extraordinary.

C3 Corvettes / Corvette News & Opinions / Corvette Racers

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Bench Racing with John Greenwood, Free PDF Booklet & Video

John Greenwood is a legend in the world of Corvettes. Through the ’70s, while production Corvettes struggled to maintain as much performance as possible, John and his brother Burt built a series of stunning C3 Corvette race cars. Arguably, the most famous of the Greenwood Brothers Corvettes was their famous “Batmobile” very wide-body Corvette that was more aerodynamic, and produced lots of down-force on the car’s huge racing slicks. Greenwood needed as much traction as he could get to better work his ZL-1 427 engines, rumored to be making upwards of 700-hp, perhaps more!

C1 Corvettes / Chevrolet Timeline Tales / Corvette History / Corvette Racers / Corvette Racing

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3-24-56: Chevrolet Scores 1st Major Road Racing Win – VIDEOS

Unlike today’s Corvette Racing Team’s massive year-around, non-stop R&D program, the Sebring cars were prepared in just a few weeks and were being worked on around the clock. But all things considered, it was a valiant effort that paid off. Here’s a list of the modifications made to the Corvettes. This is why I say, these were no ordinary Corvettes and by 1956 standards, these cars were very advanced.

C2 Corvettes / Corvette History / Corvette News & Opinions / Corvette Prototypes / Corvette Racers

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Mid-Engine Corvettes, 1964 CERV-II, All-Aluminum 377 & AWD

Zora Arkus-Duntov was greatly influenced by the Auto Union and Mercedes race cars of the pre and post WW II era of racing. AWD was often part of the advanced engineering of the world’s best racecars, so it was no surprise that Duntov wanted AWD in his Corvette prototype to race at Le Mans. “Getting there” in a company that makes consumer cars would be a challenge, so Zora was limited to the parts bin. Duntov built his AWD racer using a 2-speed Powerglide automatic transmission with a modified 11-inch torque converter for the rear wheels, and a Corvair Powerglide transmission with a modified 10-inch torque converter just ahead of the front wheel centerline. There are many ways of driving four wheels in an automobile, but this was so unique that on November 19, 1968 Duntov was awarded U.S. Patient #3,411,601 for the design.

Corvette Timeline Tales: Corvette Racecars ROMP Daytona 200 GTO Class!

C3 Corvettes / Corvette News & Opinions / Corvette Racers / Corvette Timeline Tales

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Corvette Timeline Tales: Corvette Racecars ROMP Daytona 200 GTO Class!

We’re not sure how often this has happened, but “not often” is a safe bet. This was the inaugural season of IMSA’s GT Championship racing series. The cars were Grand Tour-style racecars that ran in the GTU and GTO classes. “GTU” class was for cars with engines under 2.5-liters and “GTO” class was for cars with engines over 2.5-liters. At the end of the 200-mile race, Don Yenko and Dave Heinz came in 1st overall and 1st in the GTO class, followed by SEVEN other Corvettes!