Chevrolet Corvette C6.R

Production period:	2005 to 2008
Class :	Race car
Body versions :	Coupe
Engine :	LS7-R engine

The Chevrolet Corvette C6.R is a GT1 racing car developed by Pratt & Miller and General Motors for sports car racing .

 The vehicle is the successor of the Chevrolet Corvette C5-R and uses the body design of the Corvette C6 and technical improvements. Since debuting in 2005, the Corvette C6.R has been building on the dominance of the Corvette C5-R in its motorsport class and has already won several championship victories in the American Le Mans Series and race wins in the Le Mans Series , the FIA GT Championship and the 24th -Hours of Le Mans,

History

Since the Corvette C5-R was already the victorious vehicle, the development of the Corvette C6.R was more of a development than a completely new race car, which normally requires a long test phase. Pratt & Miller's development was fueled by the fact that - in contrast to the Corvette C5-R, which debuted only two years after the appearance of the road version - the Corvette C6 and the Corvette C6.R were developed simultaneously. This meant that design elements that improved the performance of the race car could also be used for the road version. Thus, the Corvette C6.R could use unusual aerodynamic parts and yet met the requirements for homologation. Conversely, this also elements of the race car for the Corvette Z06, the top model of the road version could be used

Much of the frame structure of the Corvette C6 was adopted on the Corvette C6.R and parts made of lightweight aluminum used. Since the road car now had permanent integrated into the body headlights instead of folding headlights like the Corvette C5, the racing version could also benefit by improved airflow at the front of the vehicle, as the protruding from the body covers of the headlights of the Corvette C5-R have been replaced. The Corvette C6.R's large radiator vent, used in place of the Corvette C5-R's various small openings, not only cooled the brakes, but also improved aerodynamics as the air vented out the back of the bonnet.

Under the body, the Corvette C6.R retained much of the mechanics of the Corvette C5-R. The same 7-liter V8 engine from Katech was used, but was closer to the series LS7 engine of the Corvette Z06. This engine, known as the LS7.R, received the 2006 Motorsports Motor of the Year award for its performance and durability. Like the Corvette C5-R, the Corvette C6.R lacked a rear window due to the structure of the frame structure and the fuel tanks in the space behind the cockpit. Therefore, the Corvette C6.R was supplemented by a small video camera in the rear bumper and a monitor under the roof. The drivers got thereby a better overview to the rear and did not have to rely alone on the mirrors.

Another innovation was the air conditioning in the cockpit, which allows the drivers to endure the high temperatures in the cockpit better. This required both the addition of a large vent at the rear of the vehicle and intake air ports integrated in the exterior mirrors. The Corvette C6.R also had a variable cylinder deactivation. This system shuts down half of the cylinders to reduce fuel consumption while high performance is not needed. Although the system was tested during the season, his failure at the Le Mans 24 Hours in 2007 meant that it was removed from the vehicles until it could be developed further.

A total of eight Corvette C6.R were built by Pratt & Miller. A ninth vehicle, which was used for development work, was built on a chassis of the Corvette C5-R, but used the body of the Corvette C6.R. This vehicle was never used in races and was used only as an exhibition vehicle, which was presented to the public in addition to the Corvette C6 2005 at the North American International Auto Show .

After the withdrawal of the Corvette C5-R at the end of the 2004 season, the factory team Corvette Racing 2005 launched two brand new Corvette C6.R. Unlike its predecessor, who attended only selected events until it was fast and reliable, the Corvette C6.R contested a full season in the first year of the American Le Mans Series. Nevertheless, the season for Corvette Racing did not start as planned, as the likewise new Astron Martin DBR9 from Prodrive kicked off the season opener, the 12-hour race at Sebring, and Corvette Racing thus brought its first defeat since the end of the 2003 season. After the race Prodrive returned to Europe and Corvette Racing was thus able to win all the following races of the season. Even as Prodrive returned in the last two races of the season, the improved Corvette C6.R continued their winning streak, winning both races. The Corvette C6.R also ventured out into Europe for the Le Mans 24 Hours, where Corvette Racing beat the faster Aston Martin DBR9 with better reliability, beating a double in its class and finishing fifth in the overall standings and six took.

In 2006, Prodrive focused on the American Le Mans Series, fiercely battling Corvette Racing throughout the season. Although Corvette Racing returned the defeat at the 12-hour race at Sebring the previous year, Prodrive won several races later in the season. Both teams were close to each other throughout the season in the points standings until Corvette Racing won the championship for the second time in a row with the Corvette C6.R after the last race by a margin of three points. At the Le Mans 24 Hours, the Aston Martin DBR9 once again had reliability issues after leading the race so that a Corvette C6.R finished fourth in the standings and again in the GT1 class ,

After the 2006 season, Prodrive returned to Europe to improve the Aston Martin DBR9 and prepare for Le Mans. This meant that Corvette Racing 2007 had no serious opponent in the American Le Mans Series and was the only participant in the GT1 class in nine of twelve races of the season. Thus, Corvette Racing could easily win the championship for the third time in a row with the Corvette C6.R. At the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the Corvette C6.R were unable to repeat their previous successes, as the Aston Martin were now more durable and could maintain their pace over the entire 24 hours. The Aston Martin DBR9 scored its first class win, pushing Corvette Racing into second place.

In honor of the Canadian racing driver Ron Fellows Corvette Racing sat in Mosport a third vehicle. This vehicle featured the white-and-red livery of the Corvette Z06 "Ron Fellows Edition", a limited edition version of the road car to honor Fellow's involvement in Corvette Racing's racing program since its inception. Ron Fellows drove the vehicle at his home race.

2008 saw a similar picture in the American Le Mans Series as in the previous season. Corvette Racing was the only competitor in the GT1 class in seven out of eleven races and won every race. The championship again won the team by a clear margin. The events continued at the 24 Hours of Le Mans as the Aston Martin DBR9 narrowly defeated Corvette Racing's Corvette C6.R for the second time in a row and clinched the class win.

Corvette Racing drove the Corvette C6.R into two races in the American Le Mans Series at the start of the 2009 season and retired after the 24 Hours of Le Mans to focus on the new GT2 racing program , In its final race at Le Mans, Corvette Racing once again demonstrated the potential of the Corvette C6.R when the car, regained by the absence of Prodrive, regained a class win.

Like the Corvette C5-R, Corvette C6.R, previously used by the factory team, eventually fell into the hands of private teams when replaced with newer chassis. Unlike the Corvette C5-R, which only sold the first vehicle after four years to another team, the Corvette C6.R were sold less than a year after their debut. Belgium-based Corvette Motorsport currently manages the private teams competing in Europe.

The Pratt & Miller Corvette C6RS is a conversion of the Corvette Z06, which resembles the Corvette C6.R and uses parts of it. The vehicle manufactured by Pratt & Miller has an 8.2-liter V8 engine from Katech Performance and has a maximum output of 551 kW (750 hp) and a maximum torque of 1112 Newton meters. The vehicle reaches a top speed of 203 mph. Its production began in April 2008 and by the end of the year 25 vehicles were sold.

On September 9, 2008, Steve Wesoloski, manager of the Corvette Racing GM Road Racing Group, and Doug Fehan, manager of the racing program of Corvette Racing, announced that they had the Corvette C6.R class GT1 2009 in just the first half of the season the American Le Mans Series. Following the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Corvette Racing is using a newly developed Corvette C6.R of the GT2 class to prepare them for the 2010 season, in which GT classes are being restructured.

The newly developed 6-liter V8 engine with 345 kW (470 hp) of the vehicle is based on the seven-liter LS7.R engine from the GT1 race car, which makes 434 kW (590 hp). There were plans to reduce the engine for the 2010 season to 5.5 liters. The vehicle has the body of the new trolley Corvette ZR1. In contrast to the GT1 race car with steel frame and ceramic brake discs, the GT2 race car has an aluminum frame, metallic brake discs, a smaller front splitter and a smaller rear wing.

The new GT2 race car made its race debut at the American Le Mans Series in Mid-Ohio in 2009. Although they entered a new class with a new vehicle, Jan Magnussen and Johnny O'Connell finished second in their first race and secured the race third race in Mosport after a long fight with the Ferrari F430 of Risi Competizione their first class victory.

Race History 

• 2005: For the fourth time in five years, Corvette scored a double victory in Le Mans in the GT1 class thanks to his new racer . Every race contested by the C6.R in 2005 was also won by her.
• 2006: The C6-R wins again the ALMS and for the 5th time the Le Mans GT1 series as well as again the team and constructors championship.
• 2006: The heart of the C6.R, the LS7-R engine, is crowned the Global Motorsport Engine of the Year . The title was presented to GM at the Professional Motorsport World Expo 2006 in Cologne, Germany, after the jury of 50 of the most famous racing engineers had made their decision.
• 2007: victory in the 24-hour race of Spa-Francorchamps the FIA-GT. Used by Carsport Holland + Phoenix Racing with the riders Jean-Denis Delétraz , Mike Hezemans, Marcel Fässler , Fabrizio Gollin