The actual retirement of the Chevrolet Corvette C6-R will be after the 24 Hours of Le Mans classic in June this year but the final time it will compete at the historic Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring is this coming Saturday. Corvette Racing's LMGT1 Corvettes have set many standards in not only the American Le Mans Series but also on the Circuit de la Sarthe in France.
The final ALMS race for the champion team will be on the Streets of Long Beach in April. It is not the end of the team or the manufacturer's involvement. The debut of the new LMGT2 Corvette will be at the Mid-Ohio ALMS event in August.
"It shows really that in motorsports, there are changes," said team driver Johnny O'Connell. "My first car here at Sebring was a Nissan back in the early 90s, so we do evolve. ALMS is forward looking and open to the manufacturers. They try to be a true green series -- using alternative fuels -- and with us we use cellulosic E85, it is a mark on how new applications are being used and how GM is a leader in technology for the future."
For now Corvette Racing's primary focus is this week at the Sebring International Raceway in Florida. Viewing Sebring stats, one will note that Chevy's sportscar, the Corvette has notched 16 class wins. Six of those victories have come at the hands of the Corvette Racing team in the ALMS. In the ten years of the series, they have scored eight team, manufacturer and drivers' titles. An impressive record.
Le Mans is the goal as they aim to take their sixth victory at the French venue. Corvette Racing has even placed their Corvettes in the top 10 overall including two 3rd place finishes due in one part to being known for their reliability.
source: motorsport
