The first mid-engine Chevrolet Corvette racer has entered the scene with a bang! The Corvette Racing C8.R made its debut in the IMSA GT Le Mans Series this year and managed to exceed all expectations by pulling a triple win: it reached the top of the podium for manufacturers, teams and drivers, all in one.
Chevrolet has made an interesting move with their Corvette model by deciding to change the layout of the car, from FR (front engine, rear-wheel drive) to MR (mid engine, rear-wheel drive), and the result does look impressive to say the least. Also interesting to note is GM hasn't built an MR car since the 1984 Pontiac Fiero!
The C8 coupe launched in July of 2019, with the convertible and the race-spec C8.R presented in October of the same year. The C8.R would come to replace the C7.R, which had served Chevrolet well in between 2014 and 2019, winning two Constructors' Championships and two Drivers' Championships.
The C8.R first hit the track in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship at Daytona, finishing in 4th place overall after 785 laps and 2,794.6 miles - the greatest distance for any Corvette entry in Rolex 24 history!
The car was built by Pratt & Miller Engineering and Fabrication in New Hudson, Michigan, and its 2020 drivers include Antonio Garcia and Jordan Taylor in the No. 3 car, and Oliver Gavin and Tommy Milner in the no.4 car.
Out of a total of 12 races this year, which were held at Daytona International Speedway, Sebring International Speedway, Road America, Virginia International Raceway, Road Atlanta, Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Charlotte Motor Speedway, and Laguna Seca, the C8.R was 1st on the podium a total of 6 times.
"The first season for the Corvette C8.R has shattered all of our expectations" said Mark Reuss, GM President, as the company insists on the strong link between the road going car and the race car, seeing that they were both developed simultaneously, sharing more technology and parts than any previous-generation Corvette. Don't believe us? The official video below makes it pretty clear.
The things Dragos enjoys the most in life are, in no particular order: cars, motorcycles, diecast cars, and drifting. He's seen (and driven) many vehicles since he started his writing career back in 2009, but his garage currently houses a 1991 Mazda RX-7 FC3S Turbo II and a 1999 Suzuki SV650-S. Full profile
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