In the last half decade, the Corvette has reclaimed much of the racing glory that the earliest C1 and C2 models claimed in the ’50’s and ’60’s. With the 2013 racing season officially upon us, what can we expect from the Corvette this year?
The First Race
The American Le Mans Series GT class season began on Saturday, March 16 at Sebring International Raceway and the winner was Tommy Milner, the driver of Corvette Racing’s customized Corvette C6.R. Despite a handful of issues, including an electrical problem and a couple of very big penalties throughout the race, Milner took the lead with just fifteen minutes left and held it until the end.
Milner’s Corvette was not the only one in the race, of course. Antonio Garcia, Jan Magnussen and Jordan Taylor drove the No. 3 GT Compuware Corvette, but it had to retire with three hours left in the race due to gearbox issues.
The Rest of the Year
Corvette Racing won the ALMS Manufacturer’s and Team Championships in 2012, landing the 78th total victory in a race and practically dominating the field with a car that has become increasingly synonymous with excellence in AMLS events. So how will they fare in the rest of 2013? It looks good right now, though it is still very early in the year.
As the last year of IMSA’s series in the United States, AMLS will merge with Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series next year, bringing in a range of new challenges for Corvette Racing. This year, however, the No. 3 Corvette will race in nine more events, including:
- AMLS at Long Beach – April 20
- AMLS Monterey – May 11
- AMLS Northeast Grand Prix – July 6
- Grand Prix of Mosport – July 21
- Road Race Showcase – August 11
- Grand Prix of Baltimore – August 31
- Austin Texas – September 21
- ALMS at VIR – October 5
- Petit Le Mans – October 19
At the end of it all, we’ll see how well Corvette Racing performs and whether they can go out on top in the final year of this long running series – a year in which the C7 will first see the light of day.
This year is looking like it will be another banner year for Corvette Racing, a team that has burst onto the scene as a global power, winning race after race. With the C7 on its way to retail markets later this year and the inevitable revamp of that machine for racing in the near future, this is a year to watch and see what the team can do with the last versions of the C6.
Featured images:
- License: Creative Commons image source
Bradley White writes on behalf of Volunteer Vette, a Tennessee-based online retailer or Corvette parts and accessories.
Related Blogs:
The World’s Most Inspirational Racing Drivers!
The Ferrari 250 Supersports Car Series
The Sports Archives Blog 
Corvette strikes with a bang and takes a quantum leap in the racing world.Much awaited season of racing has created a lot of fuss around and seems to create an unbelievable impact.
Carlos Kauffmann