Chevrolet Corvette C5-R (Race car)

Production period:	1999 to 2006
Class :	Race car
Body versions :	Coupe
Engine :	7.0 liters

The Chevrolet Corvette C5-R is a GT1 racing car developed by Pratt & Miller and General Motors for sports car racing . 

History

The vehicle is based on the Corvette C5 , but is designed exclusively for use in motorsport. It became one of the most successful GT racing cars, scoring class victories in both the Daytona 24 Hours , the Sebring 12 Hoursand the Le Mans 24 Hours, as well as championship victories in the American Le Mans Series, The Corvette C5-R debuted in 1999 in motorsport and is still used today, although they are already largely by the Corvette C6.R was replaced.

The Corvette C5-R was part of the plan by General Motors and its Chevrolet brand to establish a factory team to compete in sports car racing around the world, especially at the Le Mans 24 Hours. General Motors had previously opposed the factory support of the Corvette racing program and was previously involved only in the motorsport with the Corvette GTP, which competed in the IMSA GT Championship until 1989 . However, the Corvette GTP was not a motorsport trailer of the production Corvette, but a completely new vehicle. With the appearance of the Corvette C5, General Motors decided to show the potential of the new vehicle and to develop a production-related racing car. The goal was to work with manufacturers Chryslerand Porsche , which were already represented in GT racing with the Chrysler Viper GTS-R and the Porsche 911 GT2 .

General Motors commissioned Michigan-based Pratt & Miller to develop and build the new racing car and also to organize the racing team in preparation for the 1999 motorsport debut. Even Riley & Scott supported the project by initiated a second team for a year. When the team was under pressure, Pratt & Miller and General Motors used heavily modified road cars to test the engine and other parts that were to be used in the later race car.

Later, the racing chassis was developed, which had only in the structure in common with the road car. A fire wall was placed directly behind the driver's seat in the cockpit, but prevented the view to the rear inside the vehicle. At the rear, a large diffuser and a rear wing were attached, while front mounted a splitter and openings were introduced into the hood. Furthermore, permanent headlights were installed, which replaced the folding headlights of the road vehicle.

In the Corvette C5-R worked at the beginning of the 1999 season, a six-liter V8 engine, which was based on the LS1 engine from the road car. A few months later, it was replaced by a seven-liter V8 engine, which remained the standard engine throughout the remainder of the Corvette C5-R's construction period. However, the engine designed by Katech Engine Development continued to use elements of the LS1 engine from the road car.

From 1999 to 2004, Pratt & Miller built a total of eleven chassis of the Corvette C5-R, ten of which were used directly by Corvette Racing, the motorsport team of Pratt & Miller, with only one intended for private teams from the start. Finally, a twelfth C5-R chassis was built, which was only used for testing the new Corvette C6.R.

When the Corvette C5-R competed in the following years, it was developed several times to remain competitive against stronger opponents. These revisions included changes in aerodynamics to increase downforce. The hood design was changed during the 1999 season, replacing the small openings with a large one, which allowed the air to flow better. The third and fourth chassis built in 2000 differed from the first two in that they were made 7.5 cm wider to increase grip.

Subsequent modifications included technology developed for the Corvette C6.R. Below was an air conditioning system for added comfort, as well as a rear-view camera on the bumper and a cockpit monitor to compensate for the lack of a rear window.

Corvette Racing 

With two completed vehicles, Corvette Racing competed in the 1999 Daytona 24 Hours. The Corvette C5-R of the Canadian Ron Fellows and the Americans Chris Kneifel and John Paul jr. finished the race in 18th place in the overall standings with 34 laps behind the class winner. After failures at the Sebring 12-hour race, Riley & Scott played several runs in the American Le Mans Series until the end of the season. The only used Corvette C5-R reached in each case second place in their class behind a factory Viper in Sears Point and Laguna Seca .

The 2000 season began Pratt & Miller again as the only Corvette team at the 24 Hours of Daytona. The Corvette by Fellows, Kneifel and newly-added British Justin Bellimproved significantly year-on-year, finishing the race in second place just one minute behind the victorious factory Viper. The various prototypes were beaten significantly. Despite this, the team was unable to keep up with the Viper at the 12-hour race at Sebring or the debut of the Corvette C5-R at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The team came back when it claimed its first class win in the American Le Mans Series. It was possible the Viper team both in Texas and inPetit Le Mans beat. Although the Corvette C5-R contested only part of the season, Corvette Racing reached the third place in the championship of the GTS class.

In 2001 Corvette Racing improved again at the 24 Hours of Daytona. The Corvette C5-R beat the prototypes and even drove the overall victory. Dale Earnhardt and Dale Earnhardt Jr. first took part in the race .who also contested their first race on the Corvette C5-R, finishing in fourth place. With the Corvette C5-R now able to win, Pratt & Miller played its first full season in the American Le Mans Series, scoring six class wins, including the class win for the Petit Le Mans for the second time. The Corvette C5-R also scored its first class win at the Le Mans 24 Hours, finishing 34ths ahead of their fellow rider in their class and eighth in the standings.

Corvette Racing did not return to the Daytona 24 Hours in 2002 due to changes in regulations, but continued to compete in the American Le Mans Series. The Corvette C5-R won nine out of ten races and for the first time also achieved the class victory in the 12-hour race of Sebring. Only against the new Ferrari 550-GTS Maranellofrom Prodrive Corvette Racing suffered a defeat. In addition, Corvette Racing secured its second class victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

After two years of dominance in its class Corvette Racing 2003 received a serious challenger for the first time. Prodrive decided to race its Ferraris for a full season in the American Le Mans Series. Although she was not competitive at the start of the season with the Corvette C5-R, she won the last four races of the season, including the Petit Le Mans. Nevertheless, Corvette Racing was able to secure the championship with a lead of four points on Prodrive. The Ferraris hit again as they finished the winning streak of Corvette Racing in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, just on the 50th anniversary of the Corvette.

Prodrive did not return to the American Le Mans Series in 2004, so Corvette Racing cleared the season and won the championship for the fourth consecutive year. Although Prodrive competed in the Le Mans 24 Hours, Corvette Racing managed to retaliate for last year's defeat and clinch third class victory at the event. The season was the last in which Corvette Racing used the Corvette C5-R. The development work on the new Corvette C6 led to a new race car, called the Corvette C6.R, which started the factory team from the 2005 season.

Overall, Corvette Racing scored 31 class victories on the Corvette C5-R in the American Le Mans Series, three class victories in the 24 Hours of Le Mans and a total victory in the 24 Hours of Daytona.

Race History 

• 1999: 24H Daytona Continental: 3rd place in class GT2
• 1999: Peak International Raceway: 2nd place
• 1999: Laguna Seca: SCCA World Challenge winner / 2. in the GTS class
• 1999: Sears Point Raceway: 2nd in the class GTS
• 2001: The C5-R wins the season with 8 out of 10 driven races in the GTS class, including Daytona 24-hour races and a one-two at the 24 Hours of Le Mans
• 2002: A new transmission concept is installed. From now on, transmission and differential form one unit. The C5-R wins again the title in the GTS class and repeats their double victory in Le Mans .
• 2003: several class victories in the American Le Mans Series , including the Sebring 12 Hours
• 2004: The C5-R is in pole position in all ten races, wins every ten races in the GTS class and breaks all lap records. Another double victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans .
• 2005: The C5-R participates in the FIA ​​GT racing series, wins in Italy, Zhuhai and China and takes podium finishes several times. In the ALMS she also achieves podium places behind her successor to the C6-R.
• 2006: The C5-R returns to Le Mans (private racing stable) and finishes the race in 3rd position behind second-placed Aston Martin DBR9 and first-placed C6-R.