Chevrolet Corvette C5-R

Chevrolet CorvetteC5-R
	A Chevrolet Corvette C5-R at the 2023 Rétromobile,Paris,France.
Category	GT (FIA GT); GTS/GT1(ALMS); GTO (Grand-Am)
Constructor	Chevrolet(Pratt Miller)
Designer(s)	John Cafaro
Production	Corvette C5
Successor	Chevrolet Corvette C6.R
Technical specifications
Chassis	Steel monocoque
Suspension (front)	Double wishbone, fabricated steel upper and lower control arms, coil over adjustable shock absorbers
Suspension (rear)	Double wishbone, fabricated steel upper and lower control arms, coil over adjustable shock absorbers
Length	182.8 in (4,643.1 mm)
Width	78.7 in (1,999.0 mm)
Height	45.8 in (1,163.3 mm)
Axle track	Front: 74.7 in (1,897.4 mm); Rear: 76.1 in (1,932.9 mm)
Wheelbase	104.7 in (2,659.4 mm)
Engine	KatechLS1.R5,997 cc (366.0 cu in)(1999); 6,980 cc (425.9 cu in)(2000-2004),V8,90°Naturally aspirated,front engined,longitudinally mounted
Transmission	5 speed manual (1999-2002); 6 speed manual (2002-2003); Xtrac 6 speed sequential (2004)
Power	610hp(455kW) @ 6200RPM; 570ft⋅lbf(770N⋅m) @ 5600 RPM
Weight	2,815 lb (1,276.9 kg)
Fuel	Elf Racing Fuel
Lubricants	Mobil 1
Brakes	AP RacingCarbon ceramic; Front: 15 in (381.0 mm); Rear: 14 in (355.6 mm)
Tires	Goodyear Racing Eagle; Front: 25x12-18; Rear: 28x14-18
Competition history
Notable entrants	Corvette Racing
Notable drivers	Chris Kneifel; John Paul Jr.; Ron Fellows; Justin Bell; Dale Earnhardt; Dale Earnhardt Jr.; Andy Pilgrim; Franck Fréon; Oliver Gavin; Johnny O'Connell; Max Papis; Olivier Beretta; Jan Magnussen
Debut	1999 Rolex 24 at Daytona
First win	2000 Grand Prix of Texas
Last win	2004 Monterey Sports Car Championships*
Last event	2004 Monterey Sports Car Championships; With factory support, privateers continued using the C5-R after the introduction of theC6.R
Teams' Championships	4
Constructors' Championships	4
Drivers' Championships	3

TheChevrolet Corvette C5-Ris a grand touringracing carbuilt byPratt MillerandChevroletfor competition inendurance racing.The car is based on theC5 generationof theChevrolet Corvettesports car, yet is designed purely for motorsports use. It became one of the most successful cars in GT categories, with wins at the24 Hours of Daytona,12 Hours of Sebring,and24 Hours of Le Mans,as well as championships in theAmerican Le Mans Series.The Corvette C5-Rs debuted in 1999 and continues to be raced to this day in vintage racing events, although the C5-R was effectively replaced by theCorvette C6.Rin 2005.

Development

The Corvette C5-R was part of a plan by General Motors and theirChevroletbrand to create a factory team to participate in grand touring races not only in North America, but also elsewhere in the world, most notably at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. GM had previously been against approving factory support for Corvette racing programs, although theIMSA GT Championship'sCorvette GTPshad seen some support until they ended competition in 1989. With the fifth generation Corvette however, GM chose to show the performance capabilities of the new car by using a more production-based racing car instead of the "in-name-only" Corvette GTP. Their intentions were to take onDodgeandPorsche,who were already running in the category at the time.

General Motors chose thePratt Millergroup of Michigan to build and develop the new racing cars, as well as to organize the racing team in preparation for a debut in 1999.Riley & Scottalso assisted in the project, running a second team for a year. Since regulations in place at the time limited the team to using elements of production Corvettes, Pratt Miller and GM used heavily modified road car mules to test out the engine and other equipment that the racing cars were to use.

Later, the actual race chassis were built, sharing only basic key structural elements with the road cars. A firewall was placed immediately behind the driver's seat in the cockpit, eliminating any rear visibility inside the car. A large diffuser and wing were added to the rear, while a splitter and vents on the hood were added to the front. The front headlights were also replaced with protruding permanent units in place of the pop-up headlights on the road car.

The C5-R initially used a 366 ci (6.0 liter)V8 enginebased on the road car'sLS1.This was replaced with a larger 427 ci (7.0 liter) engine several months later during the 1999 season, and became the standard engine for the C5-R for the rest of its career. Katech Engine Development constructed the C5-Rs engines, although they retained elements of the production LS1 units.

Eleven C5-R chassis were built by Pratt Miller between 1998 and 2004, with ten being used directly by Corvette Racing and one built purely for privateer use. A twelfth car C5-R frame was built, but served merely as a test mule for the C6.R.

Modifications

As the C5-Rs competed over the years, numerous modifications were carried out in an attempt to improve the C5-R's capabilities against stronger competitors. Among the modifications were changes to the bodywork's aerodynamics in an attempt to increase downforce. The hood design was changed during the 1999 season to replace the small slat vents with a large open gap allowing air to exit more freely from the front grill. The third and fourth chassis built during 2000 were actually different from the initial two, due to being built three inches wider to improve cornering grip.

Later modifications included some technology developed on the C6.R, including air conditioning systems for driver comfort and a rear view camera on the bumper and monitor in the cockpit to overcome the lack of a rear window.

Racing history

Corvette Racing

1999 Corvette Racing Pratt Miller C5-R that ran at the 2000 24 Hours of Le Mans

With two cars completed, Corvette Racing entered the 199924 Hours of Daytonafor theUnited States Road Racing Championship.The Corvette C5-R of CanadianRon Fellowsand AmericansChris KneifelandJohn Paul Jr.managed to finish the endurance event in 18th overall, 34 laps behind the class-winningPorsche.After failures at the12 Hours of Sebring,Riley & Scott ran a few more rounds of theAmerican Le Mans Seriesto finish off the year. A lone C5-R finished second in class behind a factoryDodge ViperatSears Point,and again atLaguna Seca.

Corvette Racing C5-R at the 2023 Rétromobile exhibition

In 2000, Pratt Miller took over as the sole Corvette team, once again starting the season at Daytona. The Corvette of Fellows and Kneifel, now joined by BritJustin Bell,greatly improved on their previous result by finishing in second place overall, a minute behind a factory Viper and easily outperforming variousprototypes.However the team was not able to match the performance of the Vipers at Sebring, nor at their debut atLe Mans.The team rebounded though, as they earned their first class victories upon returning to the ALMS. The Corvette team managed to upset the Viper squad atTexasas well as thePetit Le Mans.Even though the C5-Rs ran only a partial season, the team earned third place in the GTS class championship.

2001 once again saw improvement at the opening of the season at Daytona. The C5-Rs outlasted the prototypes in the field and earned themselves the overall race victory. The race also saw the first drives byDale EarnhardtandEarnhardt Jr.in both the 24 Hours and the Corvette C5-R, with their car finishing fourth overall. Feeling that the C5-R was a capable winner anywhere, Pratt Miller ran their first full season of the ALMS and earned six class victories, including their second at the Petit Le Mans. The C5-R also took its first victory at Le Mans, finishing eighth overall and 34 laps ahead of the closest competitor in their class.

Corvette Racing did not return to the 24 Hours of Daytona in 2002 due to rule changes in that event's championship, but they did continue their run in the American Le Mans Series. Corvette won nine out of the ten events, including their first class victory at the12 Hours of Sebring.Their only loss came to the newProdrive Ferrariteam. Corvette secured their second win at Le Mans in 2002 as well.

2003 saw the first challenge to Corvette Racing's two years of dominance in their class. Prodrive chose to enter their Ferrari 550 GTS' in the full ALMS season as well, and although they were not strong early in the season, they managed to win the last four events of the season, including Petit Le Mans. Corvette Racing was however able to secure their third championship by a mere four points over the Prodrive team. The Ferraris would strike another blow though as they managed to end Corvette Racing's Le Mans streak, an event in which Corvette Racing celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Corvette.

Prodrive did not return to the American Le Mans Series for 2004, allowing Corvette to sweep the entire season and earn their fourth straight championship. Although Prodrive did compete at Le Mans, Corvette Racing was able to avenge their loss and add their third class victory at the event. This season was the final one for the C5-R under the Corvette Racing banner. The development of theC6 generationCorvette for 2005 led to an all-new race car, termed theCorvette C6.R,which the factory team used at the beginning of the 2005 season.

In total, Corvette Racing's C5-Rs would earn 31 class victories in the American Le Mans Series, three class wins at Le Mans, and one overall victory at Daytona.

Privateer teams

Initially, Corvette C5-Rs were built exclusively for the factory Corvette Racing team. It was not until 2001 that Pratt Miller would enter discussions with teams looking to purchase their own C5-Rs. The British Atomic Kitten Racing squad initially planned to purchase two brand new cars in 2001, but were unable to come to a deal. It was not until 2003 that the first C5-R was sold to an outside team.

Selleslagh Racing Team

The first C5-R customer was Belgian Patrick Selleslagh, who ran the Selleslagh Racing Team (SRT) in theBelcarchampionship. The car earned a season's best finish of second place at one of the series' events atSpa.The team also entered theSpa 24 Hourslater that year as part of theFIA GT Championship,and managed to finish in 18th place overall.

2004 saw a similar result, with a best finish of second once again at a Spa round, as well as a couple of thirds. 2005 however would see the car take control of the Belcar series, as SRT won the opening round atZolder.SRT went on to win four more events that season, including the24 Hours of Zolder,and won the overall BelCar championship. An eighth place was also earned at theSpa 24 Hours.

At the end of 2005, SRT bought a former factory C5-R to complement their existing car. Both entered in the FrenchFFSA GT Championshipthe next season. SRT managed a season best of second atNogaro.2007 saw only one C5-R entered in FFSA GT, earning five third-place finishes. The team's second C5-R would run in theFIA GT Championship's Citation Cup for amateur drivers, winning three races for that category, as well as finishing tenth overall at theSpa 24 Hours.

Pacific Coast Motorsports

American Tom Figge purchased the second customer C5-R in 2004, although this chassis was not a new car but instead a former factory car. Plans were made to use the car in the2005 American Le Mans Series seasonfor hisPacific Coast Motorsportssquad. Although they were not expected to compete with the factory Corvette Racing team, they struggled against other privateers like ACEMCO Motorsports'Saleen S7-R. The team finished on their class podium only once in seven races before eventually deciding to abandon the series.

GLPK-Carsport

For the Corvette C5-R's first full entry in theFIA GT Championship,the Belgian-Dutch GLPK-Carsport team purchased another former factory chassis. The team earned two victories in their debut season, atImolaandZhuhai,as well as a fourth-place finish at theSpa 24 Hours,although this result was later taken away due to disqualification. The two victories aided the team in finishing the season fourth in the teams championship, the highest placed team running only a one car entry.

For 2006, the team chose to move to theBelcarseries while their brand new C6.R concentrated on FIA GT. The team won on their debut to the series. In 2007, the Dutch Carsport Holland half of the team separated, leaving PK-Carsport to continue on their own with the C5-R, choosing to return to FIA GT. The team had one of their best finish of the season at theSpa 24 Hours,once again finishing in third place but only three laps behind the winners.

PSI Experience

Following the departure of Pacific Coast Motorsports from the American Le Mans Series, their car was offered for sale. The Belgian PSI Experience team purchased this car as well as a C6.R for use in 2006, entering both in theFFSA GT Championship.The team's C5-R earned a victory atLédenon,with French singerDavid Hallydaypart of the driving squad. PSI also entered theSpa 24 Hours,finishing in eleventh overall.

PSI remained in FFSA GT for 2007, once again earning a race victory, this time atNogaro.The C5-R was also entered in a few rounds of the FIA GT Championship as part of the Citation Cup.

Luc Alphand Aventures

One of the last C5-Rs sold, an ex-factory chassis was bought by FrenchOlympian Luc Alphandfor use in theLe Mans Seriesin 2006. The car earned two second-place finishes and a third in the five race season, enough to finish third in the championship standings. The team also entered the24 Hours of Le Mans,finishing third in class behind a factory Corvette C6.R andAston Martin DBR9.

2007 brought a new C6.R to the team, and both cars were campaigned in the Le Mans Series, but added theFFSA GT Championshipto their season. Three second-place finishes were earned in FFSA GT, while the Le Mans Series entries earned only two third-place finishes. The car was entered atLe Mans,finishing 24th.

References

^"John Cafaro".National Corvette Museum.2002-09-01.Retrieved2023-09-29.

External links

[1] "John Cafaro".National Corvette Museum.2002-09-01.Retrieved2023-09-29.

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