THE LINE

August 5, 2009

(Richard Prince/GM Racing)
Corvette Racing returns to the American Le Mans Series this weekend at Mid-Ohio with an all-new C6.R configured for the GT2 classification. With a new, single GT class coming to international racing in 2010, Corvette Racing will get a jump on the new regulations by testing and developing the latest Corvette C6.R while competing in GT2. The new C6.R racing machines are directly based on the Corvette ZR1 supercar. As a matter of fact the link between the new machine and the production ZR1 is even more direct, with the GT2 rules requiring the use of many production-based components. The updated Corvette C6.R utilizes the ZR1's body design, aerodynamic package, aluminum frame and chassis structure, steering system, windshield, and other components. Pratt & Miller Engineering is once again responsible for preparing the Corvette Racing entries. Details of the new cars include: In place of the GT1 Corvette's steel frame, the GT2 version utilizes the production ZR1's hydroformed aluminum frame as the foundation for a fully integrated tubular steel safety cage. The GT1 version's wide, louvered fenders are replaced by production-based ZR1 fenders with wheel flares. In accordance with the aerodynamic regulations, the rear wing is reduced 25 percent in width, the diffuser is a flat panel without fences or strakes, and the splitter extends only as far as its production ZR1 counterpart. Steel brake rotors have replaced the carbon discs used previously, and the wheels are aluminum instead of magnesium. The adjustable steering column and steering rack are sourced from the street Corvette. The new Corvette C6.Rs are powered by 6.0-liter GM small-block V8 based on the 7.0-liter LS7.R that powered the GT1 version. This reduction in displacement was achieved by shortening the crankshaft stroke from 3.875-inch to 3.32-inch. The diameter of the series-mandated intake air restrictors was decreased from 30.6 mm to 28.6 mm, with a corresponding reduction in engine output from 590 to 470 horsepower. An all-new 5.5-liter production-based GM small-block V8 is currently under development and will be introduced at the start of the 2010 season. The Corvette Racing team is also continuing its commitment to green racing with the use of E85R ethanol racing fuel. Johnny O'Connell and Jan Magnussen will share the No. 3 Compuware Corvette C6.R, and Oliver Gavin and Olivier Beretta will drive the No. 4 Compuware Corvette C6. R. They will be joined by Antonio Garcia and Marcel Fassler at Petit Le Mans. Corvette Racing also has the continued support of its longtime sponsors and technical partners. Compuware is the team's primary sponsor, with Mobil 1 supplying low-friction lubricants and Michelin providing its world-class racing tires. Corvette Racing's sponsors also include XM Satellite Radio, UAW-GM, Genuine Corvette Accessories, Bose, Motorola, PRS Guitars and BBS. The GT2 version of the Corvette C6.R will make its debut in the Acura Sports Car Challenge at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio. The two-hour, 45-minute race is scheduled to start at 3 p.m. EDT on Saturday, August 8. ABC will televise the race tape-delayed at 2:30 p.m. EDT on Sunday, August 9.

(Richard Prince/GM Racing)

(Ron McQueeney/IRL)
Sarah Fisher says hello to Sarah the Cheetah during driver introductions before the Meijer 300 at Kentucky Speedway last Saturday night. As for the race itself, Ryan Briscoe (No. 6 Team Penske Dallara/Honda/Firestone) held off a hard-charging Ed Carpenter (No. 20 Menards/Vision Racing D/H/F) to win by just .0162 of a second, the 11th-closest finish in series history. Briscoe's average speed of 200.893 mph was also the second-fastest race in series history. With the new IRL aero modifications in place on the cars the racing was better, and Briscoe and Carpenter ran side-by-side for the final 7 laps, with the gaps being 0.0018 on Lap 193, 0.0080 on Lap 195, and 0.0123 on Lap 199 . Through the final pit stops, Carpenter led Briscoe by 0.3657 of a second on Lap 180. That gap narrowed to 0.0880 of a second on Lap 185, and Briscoe went back into the lead on Lap 192 (leading by 0.0117 of a second at the line). It was the second win of the season for Briscoe, giving him the points lead by eight over Scott Dixon (No. 9 Target Chip Ganassi Racing D/H/F), who finished seventh, and by 11 over Dario Franchitti (No. 10 Target Chip Ganassi Racing D/H/F), who finished in sixth place. Carpenter - who started 14th - delivered his best finish in seven IndyCar Series seasons and the best oval performance in the five-year history of Vision Racing. Tony Kanaan (No. 11 Andretti Green Racing Team 7-Eleven D/H/F) rebounded from his pit lane fire in Edmonton to finish third, Helio Castroneves (No. 3 Team Penske Dallara/Honda/Firestone) finished fourth, and Graham Rahal (No. 02 Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing McDonald's D/H/F) came home fifth. Next up is the natural-terrain road racing circuit at Mid-Ohio for the Honda Indy 200 presented by Westfield Insurance on Sunday, Aug. 9. The race will be telecast live in High Definition at 1 p.m. (EDT) by VERSUS. A one-hour qualifying show will be telecast by VERSUS at 6 p.m. on Aug. 8. The race will air live on the IMS Radio Network, XM channel 145 and Sirius channel 211. The radio broadcast also will be carried on www.indycar.com.

(Chris Jones/IRL)
Wade Cunningham (No. 11 Lucas Oil/Sam Schmidt Motorsports) passed Sebastian Saavedra (No. 27 AFS Racing/Andretti Green Racing Automatic Fire Sprinklers Inc.) for the lead exiting Turn 2 of Lap 55 and went on to win the 100th Firestone Indy Lights race. Cunningham won under caution as James Hinchcliffe (No. 7 Hinchtown/Sam Schmidt Motorsports) spun on Lap 64 and the Lap 66 restart was waived off. It was Saavedra's third consecutive top five. Ana Beatriz posted her fifth top five in the No. 20 Healthy Choice/Sam Schmidt Motorsports machine by finishing third, and James Davison was fourth in the No. 21 People*s Liberation entry for Vision Racing. J.R. Hildebrand, from Sausalito, Calif., is pictured above in his No. 26 ARPRO/Andretti Green/AFS Racing machine. He was unable to complete a lap due to a mechanical problem.

Mark Kent. GM Racing's Manager was asked an interesting question at today's Corvette racing teleconference about racing the Camaro in the Nationwide Series, like Ford is doing with its Mustang (or at least with a front clip hung on the CoT that kinda-sorta resembles a Mustang if you squint real hard). Here's a transcript: Q: With an opportunity to change things over in the ALMS and NASCAR Nationwide Series, why aren't you running the Camaro except in the Koni Challenge? Mark Kent: "We've looked at racing the Camaro, and one thing that we do not want to do is to force a car where it shouldn't be. As we looked at NASCAR, for example, we took a very hard look at running the Camaro in the Nationwide Series. That was a request made of us by NASCAR. We've had a tremendous partnership with NASCAR, so we took a very hard look at it. At the end of the day, because of the quest for very close competition and the need to have templated bodies in that series, we just felt that by forcing the Camaro into the Nationwide templates, we were compromising the lines of an iconic car. At the end of the day, we could not get the Camaro in the Nationwide Series to satisfy our requirements." And that's our AE Quote of the Week. Too bad Ford didn't exercise the same restraint with their "iconic" Mustang.

See another live episode of "Autoline After Hours" hosted by Autoline Detroit's John McElroy, with Peter De Lorenzo and friends this Thursday evening, August 6, at 7:00PM EDT at www.autolinedetroit.tv.

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