XtremeVette

Just watched the end of Lemans and Team Corvette Winning their GT-1 class yet again. I was a little shocked when I heard the announcer say it was a bitter sweet fairwell to Corvette as they are no longer a factory team. HUH!!!!!?????? So is it official that GM has released something that they are no longer financing the racing program for Corvette?

I didn't hear anything before about this...I looked it up online and apparently it is true. Just sounded so bad the way the announcer put it.

Congrats and sad day for Team Corvette.

0Randy@DRM

You should really change the title of your post. Many tape and watch later, or they are out of town. The Factory team is going to race GT2 from now on.

Randy

LS3 Mike

One of those articles claimed that the GT2 car may be sold as a customer car just like the Porsche 911 GT3 RSRs. It would be a good way to make some money for the racing program. Might be kind of hard to sell cars to private teams if they know that they are going to be competing against a factory team. I guess we'll find out...

AU N EGL

did I hear something about F1 technology in the GT2 vette ? ie KERS

c4cruiser

A Mod will have to change the title for him or add "Spoiler" tags.

In any event, with GM downsizing, I would have though that Chevrolet would have to cut sponsorship money to teams. The technological support would be available and probably at a price.

Factory sponsorship is as much advertising as it is a platform for tech improvements for street cars so maybe there will be some level of continued support.

AU N EGL

Win on Sunday Sell on Monday.

Money spent on NASACAR and Corvette Racing budgets, Advertising and Brand awareness are the must successful adverting that Chevy has.

XtremeVette

Yeh I have been looking all over the web this morning to confirm what I heard and can't find a straight answer anywhere. The latest thing I could find was off badboyvettes website saying that yes they are moving to GT2 as the GT1 is being eliminated for 2010. The only thing that bothers me, is that the car has not even been built yet and there are still discussions going on as to how much money is going to be given to keep the corvette racing team going. Nascar has already felt the pinch and now that Obama technically owns GM who knows what is going to happen. Guess we will just all have to wait, hope and pray. In any event, this "new GM" owned by the government could pull the plug if they feel it is not cost worthy for a company in bankruptcy and restructuring...Crossing my fingers as Iam sure the guys at badboyvettes are doing.

XtremeVette

I completely agree man! Now if only we can convince the government that! Since they own our butts now!

joemoia

Under the new 2010 SRO/FIA GT regs factory teams must make customer cars available for purchase by privateers (its unclear whether the ACO/ALMS will have the same requirement). Fehan stated at the LBGP that customer cars would be available to privateer ALMS competitors and that P&M planned to have 5 GT2 cars built by 2010.


The new GT2 car has already been built and tested

http://jalopnik.com/5210980/new-zr1+...otted-on-track

shifter77

Iam happy about the outcome, was a bit shocked when the team decided to clean the car with 20 min to go, but to each is own. NOW with the GT2 program, corvette needs to work a bit harder to make us proud. Competition is a good thing.

0Robert@SPEEDSOUTH

Maybe a Saturn Corvette, or a Penske ZO6?



Seriously though the only thing I'm concerned about WHEN Corvette is sold off is how much these cars will cost once they need to be redesigned. Currently they are "cheap" in the super car market because of the parts and supplier sharing. It would be great if Corvette and the trucks/SUVs could stay together though, talk about a best case scenario.

As far as the future of GM, who knows with the gov't calling the shots. The gov't doesn't have to run a company to make a profit.

acrace

LeMans '09 as the last race in GT1 and the subsequent move to GT2 was announced last September.

LS3 Mike

Normally I would agree but this year....someone would have to be delusional to have any thought that there wasn't going to be a Corvette victory this year.

AU N EGL

Tested at Mid-Ohio and Road America this past few months too

MySR71

Another change is that Katech will not be building the engines for the new car. I'm not sure if they have to use stock engines off the production line.

joemoia

Initially (remainder of the 2009 ALMS seaon) the GT2 car will use a de-stroked 6.0L LS7R. Next year will be a new architecture 5.5L engine

OzzyTom

Yes it is sad, but then again,
who were thay racing against in GT1 class?

The sheer cost of competing in this category has seen all other manufacters bow out.

I think the move to GT2 is a good one.

GT2 class is for production cars available for us mere mortals (albeit well funded mortals).
It is a true test of endurance of the type of cars that can be bought from a dealership.

There is a lot more competition in LMGT2 though.

2K3Z06

Corvette vs. F430 vs. 911 should be great.

LS3 Mike

Any speculation or knowledge as to how the 5.5L engine will be built? A LS series block with even a shorter stroke than the LS3?

joemoia

No, I'm just quoting what Fehan said at the LBGP back in April. I haven't read/heard anything about the new GT2 engine since then.