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1965 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Racer Takes Monza by Storm, Sounds Vicious

Introduced in 1953 with a rather mundane six-cylinder engine, the Chevrolet Corvette received a V8 in 1955. It was an important shift for the nameplate, one that turned into America's most iconic sports car. In addition, the Corvette also became a successful race car.
1965 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray race car 8 photos
Photo: 19Bozzy92/YouTube
1965 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray race car1965 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray race car1965 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray race car1965 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray race car1965 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray race car1965 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray race car1965 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray race car
The first-generation 'Vette scored more than 500 wins, including a class victory at the 1960 24 Hours of Le Mans. The C2 wasn't quite as successful - mostly because it was also short-lived - but it had notable results in the SCCA series. On top of that, it raced at Daytona and Sebring.

Things would have been different if Chevrolet hadn't put an early end to Duntov's Grand Sport program in the early 1960s, but even so, race-spec C2s are as hot as they get. And this 1965 version that was caught lapping the Monza track is proof that the Stingray looks awesome in racing livery and sounds downright vicious.

Shot earlier in 2022 during a track day event opened to both modern and historic race cars, this Corvette proudly wears a blue, white, and red livery. If it looks familiar, it's because it's identical to the color scheme used by Dana Chevrolet's entry in the 1967 24 Hours of Le Mans.

While this 1965 version features a 327-cubic-inch (5.4-liter) small-block V8 instead of the more iconic L-88 mill of the Le Mans racer, it still sounds downright menacing while speeding up on the Italian course. The exhaust note reminds me not only of the super-rare Grand Sport but also of the Shelby Cobra Daytona.

But is this 'Vette a historically significant C2? Well, I can't do research in the absence of a chassis number, but YouTube's "19Bozzy92" says it won the German historic championship back in the early 1990s twice. It was also driven by Jochen Mass at the 1999 Goodwood Revival. As for its early racing days, it's probably one of the cars that were entered in the SCCA Regional series.

But none of that matters because you're probably here to hear this American legend rev its V8 engine on Italy's iconic Monza track. And you can do just that by hitting the play button below.

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About the author: Ciprian Florea
Ciprian Florea profile photo

Ask Ciprian about cars and he'll reveal an obsession with classics and an annoyance with modern design cues. Read his articles and you'll understand why his ideal SUV is the 1969 Chevrolet K5 Blazer.
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