ajderzie

I thought you guys might be interested!
If you don't get picked for the Corvette Challenge and/or just want to upgrade to the faster Radical SR3 RS (Prototype, full downforce/aero Race Car) then come race with us in our series at Spring Mountain. My selfish promotion: I have 2 Radicals, a 2012 and 2015, and am willing to part with 1 of them to an enthusiastic home.

What is the Michelin Corvette Challenge?
Following several months of development by GM Engineering, Michelin Motorsports and Ron Fellows, over 1,000 miles of testing were successfully completed providing a series Corvette some 4 seconds a lap faster than the Z51 model Stingray!

This new series offers Corvette enthusiasts the opportunity to own and race a track-ready version of the 2016, C7 Stingray. Race events will operate in a controlled environment with racing orientation provided by Ron Fellows and his team of instructors. All MCC events will be hosted at the world-class Spring Mountain Motor Resort and Country Club. Your series entry includes awards and prizes at each event along with a season-ending points fund.

The series will have individual and team championship awards providing drivers the opportunity to run all the races as a single entry or share the car with another driver. Points will be awarded to the car number in the team championship category.

The MCC is spec-series racing made easy! Your Corvette will be stored, prepped and maintained at Spring Mountain for the duration of the series. All you need to do is arrive, and drive – it’s just that simple!

Qualifications:
No racing experience necessary and open to graduates of the Ron Fellows Performance Driving School level 1 or equivalent.

Race Format:
The series will consist of eight weekends and sixteen races to determine the championship. Each race weekend will include practice, qualifying sessions and two races, using multiple configurations of Spring Mountain's 6.1 miles of track.

Pricing Overview:
Overall cost for your series car is - $116,000 and includes the following:

· Ownership of a track-ready 2016, Z51 model Corvette Stingray (vehicle delivery date, Dec. 10, 2016)

· All Chevrolet Performance Parts Upgrades (approximate value $20,000)

· Safety equipment (roll bar, racing seat, racing harness, two-way radio)

· 1 set of Michelin Pilot Sport GT Competition tires (approximately $2400 per set)

· 2 sets of Forgeline racing wheels (approximately $4000 per set)

· 2-day mandatory pre-event MCC series accreditation school

· Custom Stand 21 racing suit

· Onsite insurance and storage for duration of 2016 Michelin Corvette Challenge (insurance does not include on-track activities)

· One year limited Spring Mountain Motor Resort & Country Club Membership* (value $15,000 includes 10 additional track days)


Estimated weekend cost for the Michelin Corvette Challenge - $7,900 and includes the following:

· 6, Michelin Pilot Sport GT Competition tires (maximum 6 tires permitted per race weekend)

· Driving coach/spotter for each race weekend

· Pre-event mechanical preparation (excluding crash damage)

· Race weekend basic mechanical maintenance support

· Fuel (estimated use, billing will be actual)

· Access to social and media exposure team


Entrants must commit to the full 16-race schedule. A deposit of $85,000 with completed series registration will be required upon entry acceptance. Final vehicle payment of $31,000 will be due on May 1, 2016.

Ten days prior to each race weekend, a deposit of $6,000 will be required. Failure to pay race weekend deposit will result in loss of entry and vehicle ownership.

*Club membership options:
Upgrade to Full Charter Membership available for MCC Participants ($35,000). The SMMR membership price is $50,000 ($45,000 + $5,000 annual dues).

Specifically for MCC competitors, if registered by January 1, 2016, you will receive a $15,000 discounted rate of $35,000 and will only be required to pay $5,000 in annual dues for 2017.

mallett435

Thanks for sharing! I guessed around $150-160k all in. It appears to be just under $200k with the logistics of traveling for the 8 weeks doing it solo. It sounds like you can share a car with someone, too.

They need an East coast option, but I know that doesn't make business sense for them. I read it as you have to commit to all 8 weekends, which means I need to be retired to even consider it. Most likely a Thursday/Friday to Sunday/Monday (including travel) commitment on race weekends.

Sounds like a fun event. Thanks to the people involved for pulling this series off!

Nowanker

$180k is somewhat less than I imagined... yet somewhat more than I will be spending!

0Anthony @ LGMotorsports

Would have figured they might have done something like Jaguar did in the '90's with the XJ115 cars....if you win the series you got the car for free....and those were $1.1 million cars.

NVR2L8

Maybe in 2017 they could do an event at the new NCM Motorsports Park in Bowling Green. It would be hard for me to resist a midwest series.

fatbillybob

Need to go to multiple tracks IMO...

dvandentop

hopefully will see the cars in person when i am there last week of december will post up some pics

ajderzie

I'll be there next week but the car that was there last month did not have the harness bar installed or belts. The interior was stock. The car did have Forgeline wheels and Michelin slicks (not DOT R-compound). It had the upgraded brakes, splitter, side skirts, and rear spoiler. I don't think it had the Z06 Fenders though.

It did look nice but with the livery job, etc. If there is a completed car I'll take some pics as well.

RDnomorecobra

There's a related thread on here waiting for info on exactly what kind of series this is if there's no cage.

ajderzie

I can pretty much guarantee that it will be the kind of series where the driver that crosses the finish line first wins and everyone has a lot of fun! No point byes needed and no speed limit. You will also pay for your own damage if you hit someone and possibly the other car's. Its an entry level series but I'm sure everyone will take it very seriously. Luckily its out in the desert and there is nothing to hit if you go off. You will have to wear a fire suit, helmet, harness and HANS device. You also have your own professional coach spotting for you. I've seen a lot scarier things at HPDE events. Spring Mountain is picking the drivers to have a successful series. I'm looking forward to watching the races and I feel confident that everyone will race clean and safe (or they may find themselves at stewards and then the door).

If you are up for more serious competition, come race the Radicals with us. If you've been to Spring Mountain, I'm sure you've seen them. Open cockpit, 2.5 g turns, downforce, crazy fast and body comes off with a bunch of clips. We run the same race weekends as the Corvettes.

four0nefive

Anyone know how they'll have media coverage or something similar? I'm pretty interested in keeping up with the series.

Captain Buddha

Not to be too sarcastic, but what I get out of your post: it's a "cross your fingers and hope no one does anything stupid" kind of race???

All it takes is for someone to screw up and plow into another car....it's racing....anything can and WILL happen....hence the need for FULL safety gear. But like, I said earlier...what do I know? I'm just a club racer...

ajderzie

Good point. I'm just a club racer as well (looking to do a Paul Newman ) What happens on the street if someone plows into you? Certainly its a lot more expensive to repair and not as safe as a full cage. I've seen scarier things at HPDE than I expect to see in the Corvette Challenge. There are plenty of pro drivers there as coaches and stewards. I'm sure whatever the end result is, they will put on a great and safe series.

Captain Buddha

Difference is, on the street - you typically don't have folks going full throttle, braking at the last minute, trailing in, slip angle, full throttle, competing....oh wait...depends, Dallas traffic gets a little hairy....LOL....I truly hope it all works out but not having a cage, fire suppression, etc = bad juju in my eyes.

ajderzie

Try NY!!!

Poor-sha

I find it interesting they went with a roll bar.

From what I've read the rollover hoop on the C7 is the last thing you have to worry about in a crash. Windshield A-frame and door bars not to mention something that could keep a roll bar from folding over in a violent flip seem to be the bigger concerns.

I wonder if they couldn't find a harness bar that they were comfortable with and this was a way to address that?

Either that or the roll bar is just there for appearances. I wonder if it'll be a bolt-in?

rikhek

I'm guessing the roll bar is just a harness bar?

heavychevy

They keep your car if you dont send them 6k prior to each weekend.

Operations

Any news? Have the 20 drivers been chosen?

ajderzie

I don't know the exact story but something to do with chevy dealers trying to get involved, I think? The series has been completely reorganized. The Corvette Challenge is now part of a racing school. I think the winners of each school will be invited back for a shootout. Spring Mountain will keep the cars so the costs should be less. That's all I know at the moment.

I found out about the cage. Please don't shoot the messenger or flame me, just passing along the info from one of the top pro drivers there who works with Ron Fellows. My understanding was that GM and Ron Fellows worked together on the Challenge car and GM felt that the side impact protection on the new Stingray was more than adequate according to their testing. They did not feel that the rollover protection was sufficient so that's why there is an addition of a roll bar (not a harness bar).