Gavin, Milner second in GTLM despite late-race contact while leading

• Gavin, Milner retain GTLM points lead with two wins and runner-up in 2016

• Dekra Green Award for No. 4 Chevrolet Corvette C7.R

• First Corvette DP podium sweep since Sebring 2015

LONG BEACH, Calif. (April 16, 2016) – Wayne Taylor Racing won its second straight race at Long Beach to lead an overall sweep for the Corvette Daytona Prototype program, and Corvette Racing’s Oliver Gavin and Tommy Milner extended their GT Le Mans (GTLM) championship lead with a runner-up finish in their No. 4 Chevrolet Corvette C7.R at Saturday’s Bubba Burger Sports Car Grand Prix.

Jordan and Ricky Taylor won by 2.958 seconds in their No. 10 Konica Minolta Corvette DP with Action Express Racing’s Christian Fittipaldi and Joao Barbosa second in the No. 5 Mustang Sampling Corvette DP. Eric Curran and Dane Cameron finished third in Action Express’ No. 31 Whelen Engineering/Team Fox Corvette DP. It’s the first 1-2-3 finish for Corvette DPs since the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring in 2015.

The GTLM race was a Corvette 1-2 for most of the race’s second half. Milner and Gavin appeared headed for their third straight victory to open the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) season until Milner was hit from behind by Fred Makowiecki’s Porsche entering the final turn with two minutes left in the race. Despite the contact, Milner recovered to finish second.

Corvette Racing was going for the 100th victory in program history. Starting fourth in class, Gavin had to pit 30 minutes into the race with a suspected left-front tire puncture. It changed the strategy of the race with Milner having to go 70 minutes on a tank of E20. He took the lead with 53 minutes remaining. The race’s only full-course caution erased an 11-second lead over teammate Antonio Garcia in the No. 3 Chevrolet Corvette, which Jan Magnussen qualified and started from fifth.

The restart saw the two Corvettes nearly nose-to-tail for the better part of 20 minutes. Unfortunately Garcia’s Corvette spun at Turn 4 with nine minutes left. He made it back to pit lane but the car couldn’t be repaired. He and Magnussen finished ninth.

The race stayed green until the finish despite the incident in the final corner that knocked Milner from the lead. The No. 4 Corvette did win the Dekra Green Award, which goes to the GTLM car that best combines performance with efficiency.

In the Prototype race, Ricky Taylor made an opening-lap, Turn 1 pass stick as he and brother Jordan led all but three of the race’s 75 laps. What’s more, the Wayne Taylor Racing and No. 5 Action Express Corvette DPs ran 1-2 for 57 laps including the final 36. Fittipaldi had qualified on pole position.

Ryan Hunter-Reay and Marc Goossens placed sixth for Visit Florida Racing in the No. 90 VisitFlorida.com Corvette DP.

The Taylors have now been either first or second the last three years at Long Beach. Cameron set the fastest lap of the race in the Action Express No. 31 Corvette DP for the second straight year. Unofficially, the Mustang Sampling Corvette DP has moved into first place in the IMSA Prototype Championship while the Whelen Engineering Corvette DP moves into second.

The next race for Corvette Racing and Corvette DPs is the Continental Tire Monterey Grand Prix from Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca on Sunday, May 1.

CORVETTE RACING QUOTES

TOMMY MILNER, NO. 4 CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R – FINISHED SECOND IN GTLM: “It was fairly well under control until I had a wiggle apparently. But that wiggle was tiny. I just got wrecked basically. Two Porsches running nose to tail… it is pretty clear what happened there. It is pretty disappointing that this is the kind of racing we have here where we are better than that for sure. At the end of the day, it could have been worse for us for sure. Second place is obviously great points. Oliver was unlucky there with the puncture (tire) and it was looking pretty bleak for us for a little bit there. But with the yellow, and we were at the right spot there at the end. There were very difficult conditions there after the yellow flag I was locking fronts all over the place and then the tires came back and they were good. Then with three to go, just taken out. It’s disappointing but certainly could have been a lot worse. I don’t mind finishing second if it is clean and it happens the right way, but that wasn’t the right way. It hurts a little bit to be second in this case the way it happened, but again, end of the day second place is great points for us. We can hold our heads high that we raced as hard as we could today, the right way.”

OLIVER GAVIN, NO. 4 CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R – FINISHED SECOND IN GTLM: “When you look back on today at the end of the year, we would hope that this was one where we ended up getting a good result from it. Yes, we felt like we got robbed of the victory. But with the puncture we had early-on and the pit stop, Tommy having to save fuel, the tires only lasting for so long… for us to come away with second place is a very good result. If you had asked us after the pit stop or told us we were going to finish second, yes we would definitely taken that. It is a little hard to swallow right now. We felt like we were going to win and we were robbed of that.”

ANTONIO GARCIA, NO. 3 CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R – FINISHED NINTH IN GTLM: “It was not the outcome we expected. We played our strategy very smart. With the pace we had early, we showed that we had to do something. We didn’t have the fastest car but we were – up until the yellow – first and second. For sure the first yellow helped the 4 car stay in the lead. The Porsches were very fast. If I wanted to stay ahead of them, I needed to have the best drive of my career. There was a lot of pressure from them. Maybe there were some taps but nothing special. Then a mistake happened. I can’t say I felt contact. We probably need to view the replay but I was driving the whole race on the limit. That’s what happens on a street circuit sometimes. It can bite you at some point. I wasn’t going to be happy to finish second, so I was doing all I could to try to win the race.”

JAN MAGNUSSEN, NO. 3 CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R – FINISHED NINTH IN GTLM: “My stint itself was pretty uneventful. I wasn’t really in a position to attack anybody. We started getting messed up in traffic and lost a lot of ground to the guys in front. I tried to take care of things, but it was difficult. We did a bunch of laps in qualifying, so we were starting to lose a lot of performance in the tire. I was just taking care of things.”

CORVETTE DP QUOTES

RICKY TAYLOR, WAYNE TAYLOR RACING NO. 10 KONICA MINOLTA CORVETTE DP – PROTOTYPE RACE WINNER: “I don’t know, ever since Konica Minolta has been with us starting at this race three races ago, we always perform really well. The guys give us an awesome car. It was a Corvette DP 1-2-3, which is very special. We couldn’t be happier. Jordan did and awesome job. Everybody was fantastic.

“I was devastated after qualifying. It’s nice to start on pole at Long Beach because track position is so important. I was thinking about that all night and, a 4 o’clock race start gave me all day to think about it. I had every situation planned in my head except for that one where (Fittipaldi) accelerated right out of (Turn) 11 and was a bit early, I thought. We were a bit trimmed out, so I was able to stay close, and it’s actually easier sometimes to be second because you’re not the first one feeling the new grip, so I had a little bit of an advantage just being able to attack. He didn’t give me a whole lot of room, but that’s racing. It’s good stuff.”

JORDAN TAYLOR, WAYNE TAYLOR RACING NO. 10 KONICA MINOLTA CORVETTE DP – PROTOTYPE RACE WINNER: “The 5 was on me pretty much from the get-go when I got in the car and was putting a lot of pressure on. And then when the yellow came, I really didn’t know what to expect on cold tires. Once we got going, I saw the 31 was behind the 5 and that kind of helped take his focus off me a little bit and he was probably having to look both front and rear. I was able to pull a little bit of a gap thanks to the 31 and kind of maintain that until the end of the race. Thankfully, we didn’t catch too much traffic in the last 10 to 15 laps and we were basically able to hold our pace and get to the end.”

CHRISTIAN FITTIPALDI, ACTION EXPRESS RACING NO. 5 MUSTANG SAMPLING CORVETTE DP – FINISHED SECOND IN PROTOTYPE: “We managed to get by the Mazda going into the hairpin. The No. 10 was about FOUR seconds ahead or something like that and we managed to close it down a little bit. It was a pretty solid race. Hats off the them (No. 10); they didn’t have any mistakes. They deserved to win today. We finished second. If you can’t win, finish second and collect the points. I’m pretty sure that these points are going to make a big difference at the end of the year and that is key. We will keep rocking and see what happens the next race.”

JOAO BARBOSA, ACTION EXPRESS RACING NO. 5 MUSTANG SAMPLING CORVETTE DP – FINISHED SECOND IN PROTOTYPE: “Once I got in the car, I could see the No. 10 car really close, but it is very hard on a tight street course. I was trying to judge the slower cars to see if I could get an advantage but sometimes it actually works against you. It’s racing. I think we did everything we could and it was good racing. The Mustang Sampling Corvette was good all race long. The Action Express guys did a great job and we got great points today.”

Article: Ryan Smith | Judy Kouba Dominick

Gavin, Milner, Fässler win again in No. 4 Chevrolet Corvette C7.R

• 10th class victory at Sebring for Corvette Racing

• Team claims fifth straight Triple Crown victory

• Action Express Racing Corvette DPs take two Prototype podium spots

SEBRING, Fla. (March 19, 2016) – Corvette Racing’s Triple Crown streak continued Saturday with a 10th class victory in the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring Fueled by Fresh from Florida. Oliver Gavin, Tommy Milner and Marcel Fässler in the No. 4 Chevrolet Corvette C7.R won their second straight race to open the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) season to go along with a victory in the Rolex 24 At Daytona.

It is the second straight victory at Sebring for Corvette Racing and the third in four years. Milner drove the final two hours and 50 minutes to win by 2.882 seconds. The team has won the last five of the world’s top endurance races – Daytona and Sebring in 2015 and 2016, plus the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2015.

“Great driving, teamwork and execution in the pits were keys to today’s GTLM class victory for the No. 4 Corvette C7.R team in the 12 Hours of Sebring,” said Jim Campbell, Chevrolet U.S. Vice President, Performance Vehicles and Motorsports. “To come from two laps down and win in a field as competitive as the IMSA GTLM class is a true reflection of the never-give-up attitude of the Corvette Racing team.

Campbell added, “This win is special because it Corvette Racing’s second consecutive win at Sebring and follows win at the Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona. The IMSA season is off to an exciting start.”

Milner drove the first two hours, 50 minutes in Corvette Racing’s No. 4 Chevrolet Corvette C7.R and was third at the time of a red flag for lightning and track conditions. Milner had led the GT Le Mans (GTLM) class midway through the opening quarter thanks to a strong first pit stop by the Corvette Racing crew and being able to take on wet tires 90 minutes into the race just before the pit entry closed due to a crash on track.

Fässler got in the No. 4 Corvette not long after the two-hour, 15-minute stoppage and drove in some of the most challenging conditions. He switched from slick to wet and back to slick Michelin tires during his stint as the track surface and weather changed throughout with his pace improving as his stint wore on. Gavin then took over on a dry track with less than five hours to go. He drove two-plus hours and got the Corvette back on the GTLM lead lap before Milner drove to the end.

The No. 3 Corvette C7.R of Antonio Garcia, Jan Magnussen and Mike Rockenfeller also was a contender for a repeat victory at Sebring before the car suffered heavy damage when another GTLM competitor hit Magnussen at the entry to Turn One, which sent both cars hard into the outside tire barrier. Magnussen, part of the GTLM-winning effort with Garcia a year ago, had just taken the lead in class with less than a little less than five hours remaining in the race.

Magnussen was evaluated and released from the Sebring infield care center, but the car suffered significant damage to the driver’s side and rear internal components. The No. 3 Corvette Racing crew worked feverishly to repair the car, and it returned to the race less than 45 minutes after it arrived in the team’s paddock.

Despite the setback, the No. 3 Corvette completed enough laps for ninth-place points.

Action Express Racing Nets Two Podium Finishes

A year after claiming Chevrolet’s first overall victory at Sebring in 50 years, Action Express Racing again climbed the overall podium with both of its Corvette Daytona Prototypes. The No. 31 Whelen Engineering/Team Fox Corvette DP of Dane Cameron, Eric Curran and Scott Pruett placed second overall. The trio finished just 2.926 behind the race-winning Prototype.

“I am proud of how the Corvette DP teams and drivers raced at Sebring,” Campbell said. “They raced hard all day long and secured two podium positions at this challenging track.”

Joao Barbosa and Christian Fittipaldi, last year’s winners in the Action Express No. 5 Mustang Sampling Corvette DP, teamed with Felipe Albuquerque to finish third overall Saturday. Their Corvette DP led the most laps.

Marc Goossens, Ryan Dalziel and Ryan Hunter-Reay finished fifth in Visit Florida Racing’s No. 90 VisitFlorida.com Corvette DP; Wayne Taylor Racing’s quartet of Jordan and Ricky Taylor, Max Angelelli and Rubens Barrichello placed 12th in class in their No. 10 Konica Minolta Corvette DP.

The next event for Corvette Racing and the Corvette DPs is the Grand Prix of Long Beach on Saturday, April 16 from the Long Beach (California) street circuit.

CORVETTE RACING QUOTES

OLIVER GAVIN, CORVETTE RACING NO. 4 CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R – GTLM RACE WINNER: “The race started with us not knowing how much pace we were going to have compared to our competition. Then Tommy and Antonio were both marching up the order. Tommy got us into the lead with some great pit stops and some good strategy. Then of course the rain came and we had that big stoppage. It is hard to get yourself focused after that. But you do, you manage, you use your experience and you get going again. Then it was a case of us battling away with a few things – some bits and pieces – the weather; the track; the tires – generally the conditions. I got the car back onto the lead lap and got us into the top-three. Then I handed it over to Tommy and he did a great, great job. I knew we were in great position toward the end of my double-stint because I knew the car was good because it was underneath me. It had a little bit too much understeer hear and there, but the car was really strong. We got back on the lead lap and into the right spot. Tommy could then get it and run to the end. He had been on fire all day. I had to do exactly what he did at Daytona which was sit on the pit box and watch and fret and pace and stress about is there going to be another yellow. Or is this going to happen, or is that going to happen? Is the last pit stop going to go okay. The guys did a brilliant job with that. Once again the team had their stresses and strain through the day. Jan’s accident was huge and it just shows the quality of the car and the ability of the team to bounce back from that and get that car back out. It was just an exceptional day again. This is 60 hours of racing that we’ve won with the No. 4 with Le Mans, Daytona 24 Hours and now Sebring 12 Hours. That is just amazing that we have been able to do that in the last 12 months. I am very, very happy with the performance of the whole team.”

TOMMY MILNER, CORVETTE RACING NO. 4 CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R – GTLM RACE WINNER: “What a race. We sort of had an up-and-down race. At the start of the race the car wasn’t super quick, but we weren’t bad by any means. We had a great pit stop there and got me to the lead. Then the rain came, and we weren’t super good in the wet for sure… third or fourth quick there for sure. But then when I got in at the end, I’ve NEVER had a race car that good. That Corvette was absolutely on rails and I could tell as soon as I left pit lane… I knew we had a fast race car. I just immediately knew – the car felt that good. We didn’t have the best car at the start; certainly not in the rain. But at the end we had THE best car – here we are P1. I’m super, super happy for these guys – for Oliver and Marcel. And for all the crew guys. They have worked super hard. Just fortunate to be in the car there at the end and get to have some fun like that.”

MARCEL FÄSSLER, CORVETTE RACING NO. 4 CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R – GTLM RACE WINNER: “It’s an amazing day. Two events with Corvette Racing and two wins. I’m really, really happy and proud to be a part of this winning team. Looking back at my race, it was quite tough after the red flag for me. I had never driven this track in the wet, especially not in a GT car. It was difficult to find the right racing line early but after that I felt OK. On my last stop, I think we went a little too early on slick tires, and it was really tricky for me to stay on track. Unfortunately I went off and hit one of the banners. We had to stop because the engine was getting warm. So yes it was a tricky situation. We lost some laps but we were able to catch up. Oliver and Tommy did a really good job out there. It was great to watch them, especially Tommy. I think he did half the race which was really impressive and an unbelievable job. The team made no mistakes and the car was a rocket.”

ANTONIO GARCIA, CORVETTE RACING NO. 3 CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R – FINISHED NINTH IN GTLM: “When the rain came, it was a bit of a disaster. It looked from the outside like it was hero time for everybody wanting to take a risk. I wasn’t that keen on doing that. I stayed safe but aggressive. I stayed in touch with the leaders. But it was very, very difficult with the conditions. I don’t know how the 25 BMW and I didn’t crash at the end of the straight. We were literally navigating for half a straight not controlling the car at all. I was able to come to a full stop before the tire barriers. Luckily some other GT cars avoided me spinning, and I had a couple of cars going by sideways and backward. I avoided the wall but unfortunately the pits were closed at that time so we had to go back around on slick tires.”

JAN MAGNUSSEN, CORVETTE RACING NO. 3 CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R – FINISHED NINTH IN GTLM: “It’s such a huge shame for everyone on the team really. The weather made it really difficult out there. The decision to go to slicks felt wrong, but we did it. After awhile I could see that times were coming down and I could build a little bit of temperature. I kept working at it. I don’t know how far back we were but we were a long way but caught everything up. We got into the lead there for a very short while and then it all went south. It’s a shame. (Kevin) Estre (911 driver) came and apologized. That’s nice enough but it doesn’t change the fact that we are in here building the car. I really, really feel bad for the crew because man we were fast.”

MIKE ROCKENFELLER, CORVETTE RACING NO. 3 CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R – FINISHED NINTH IN GTLM: “Congrats to the No. 4 team. They did a great job. Like Daytona, we had a chance to win the race but it didn’t work out. The result for me was quite frustrating, but overall it was great to be with this team and to be part of it. I tried to everything I could. Two races… unfortunately not the results I was hoping for. But in Sebring we had all the chances. We had a car that could win especially in the dry. That is a positive.”

DOUG FEHAN, CORVETTE RACING PROGRAM MANAGER: “Just when you think you’ve seen it all – with the tremendous wins at Le Mans and Daytona – Corvette Racing comes back from one of our cars being taken out and the other two laps down with six hours to go and standing here in Victory Lane… it’s a great team, great drivers, tremendous strategy and engineering, flawless execution on pit stops. It takes an effort like this to win in this race and in this series. We’re racing against the world’s best. And today we demonstrated why Corvette Racing is the world’s best GT racing team.”

CORVETTE DAYTONA PROTOTYPE QUOTES

SCOTT PRUETT, ACTION EXPRESS RACING NO. 31 WHELEN ENGINEERING/TEAM FOX CORVETTE DP: FINISHED SECOND IN PROTOTYPE: “It would have been awesome to win. We felt like we could win. We went to a knife fight with a gun. The guys did a great job! Dane did a really nice job there at the end. Realistically this is probably my last Prototype race so it would have been nice to be on the top of the podium, but I couldn’t be happier with second place and this great group of guys. Everybody at Action Express has been a real pleasure and welcomed me in as part of the family. I had so much fun today racing hard and taking the lead in my stints. It was a great day!”

ERIC CURRAN, ACTION EXPRESS RACING NO. 31 WHELEN ENGINEERING/TEAM FOX CORVETTE DP: FINISHED SECOND IN PROTOTYPE: “The day ended up great. The No. 31 was good and the Action Express guys kicked butt all day long. We ended up with a top-notch finish. It would have been nice to pull out a win there. He was pedaling hard to keep the thing out front, but he didn’t have anything for the Patron car. Dane did all the heavy lifting today to be honest. He drove almost half the race. Scott did a great job and I did my best to try and screw it up for everybody. We got back on track and Dane had a good car for the end. Hats off. It was a good day for us. I look forward to going to Long Beach here in a month or so.”

DANE CAMERON, ACTION EXPRESS RACING NO. 31 WHELEN ENGINEERING/TEAM FOX CORVETTE DP: FINISHED SECOND IN PROTOTYPE: “It was a long day. I drove a lot and I am going to sleep very well. I am really proud of the effort we put forth today in the Whelen Action Express Corvette today. I really think that was an excellent effort for today. I think we can be quite proud all around for the effort – all the drivers, all the guys in the pits, spotters. Everybody was really really great today. We just didn’t quite have enough in the last couple of laps which is obviously very disappointing to come so close. It was a strong endurance race for us so we can push on toward the championship.”

JOAO BARBOSA, ACTION EXPRESS RACING NO. 5 MUSTANG SAMPLING CORVETTE DP – FINISHED THIRD IN PROTOTYPE: “It was good to be back in race conditions. The team did a tremendous job today with our team being the only team fighting with the P2 cars to the end. We were definitely the class of the field as a team – no problems. The car ran flawlessly, no problems at all. The car ran great. We ran as fast as we could, as strong as we could without any mistakes but it wasn’t enough today. We definitely felt like we are in a gun fight with a knife, but we came up a little bit short. It is a little bit disappointing. A little bit frustrating. We did our best and still not up there even close enough to win. But we are looking ahead to the season and the championship. We have a strong team, even stronger than last year so the future looked really great.”

FELIPE ALBUQUERQUE, ACTION EXPRESS RACING NO. 5 MUSTANG SAMPLING CORVETTE DP – FINISHED THIRD IN PROTOTYPE: “It was a hell of a day. Crazy weather for everyone. We survived everything. We led a lot of the race. I think Joao and Christian and the team did a great job, but in the end it was just strategy and place. The P2 car was same story as Daytona. He went way too quick. I could expect him to brake so late into Turn Seven. I was at my limit. I couldn’t even brake later. It’s like that and it is so frustrating to see last seven laps with the win so close but at the same time so far because the guy was pulling so much. It is what it is. P3 was what we had.”

CHRISTIAN FITTIPALDI, ACTION EXPRESS RACING NO. 5 MUSTANG SAMPLING CORVETTE DP – FINISHED THIRD IN PROTOTYPE: “It was an awesome day for the whole team for Action Express to finish two and three. We definitely managed to get into the mix with the other cars. The P2s were definitely very, very strong in the race. I am very proud of everything we did this week. So close but no cigar. And unfortunately that’s the way it went today. I’m happy to collect the points we did today. Now we’ll turn the page and prepare for Long Beach.”

Gavin, Milner, Fässler take 0.034-second victory in No. 4 Chevrolet Corvette C7.R

• Closest finish in Rolex 24 race history

• Garcia, Magnussen, Rockenfeller second in No. 3 Corvette

• Second straight Rolex 24 win for Corvette Racing and third since 2001

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Jan. 31, 2016) – A 24-hour race came down to 0.034 seconds Sunday as Corvette Racing won the 54th Rolex 24 At Daytona when the team’s pair of Chevrolet Corvette C7.R race cars finished 1-2 in the GT Le Mans (GTLM) class.

Oliver Gavin, Tommy Milner and Marcel Fässler drove the winning No. 4 Corvette C7.R with Gavin holding off teammate Antonio Garcia in the No. 3 Corvette C7.R. The two finished side-by-side with Gavin taking the checkered flag by a matter of inches. Each of the Corvettes completed 722 laps for 2,570.32 miles. The margin of victory set a Rolex 24 record.

“We thought this was going to be a great weekend because we had a couple of additional competitors in the series this year,” said Mark Reuss, General Motors Executive Vice President, Global Product Development. “I’ll tell you, this is the second year in row we placed both Corvette C7.Rs on the podium. I couldn’t be prouder of the team because they all worked so hard. They know how to win because it is a great team, and it is a great car. Honestly, that is what it is all about. It was an outstanding weekend.

“This is Daytona Rising right here,” Reuss added. “I just couldn’t be prouder of everybody, our drivers and team members executed with perfection.”

It is the second time Corvette Racing finished 1-2 in class at the Rolex 24; the first came in 2001 when a pair of Corvette C5-Rs placed first and fourth overall. This was the first Rolex 24 victory for the Gavin-Milner-Fässler trio.

The No. 4 Corvette C7.R also took an early lead in the Tequila Patrón North American Endurance Cup’s GTLM standings. The competition is a four-race series of the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship’s four long-distance events with points for segment winners that go toward an end-of-season championship.

The No. 3 Corvette C7.R also won the DEKRA Green Award for best performance combined with fuel efficiency in the GTLM class.

Both Corvettes showed impressive reliability and performance throughout the race. The final three hours told the story, as the No. 4 Corvette rebounded from a pitlane penalty with a strategic plan that allowed Gavin to drive the final one hour, 45 minutes on one pit stop.

He made the winning pass with 35 minutes left and had to contend late with the hard-charging Garcia, whose No. 3 Corvette was on a slightly different fuel strategy. It stopped three times in the final two-and-a-half hours. Rockenfeller drove a three-hour, 20-minute triple stint before handing off to Garcia for the end of the race. He pitted for the final time with 37 minutes left – 12 minutes later than Gavin. With a tank of E20 and fresh Michelin tires, Garcia re-entered the race third but moved up to second with 26 minutes left.

He steadily reeled in Gavin, and the two Corvettes were nose-to-tail with 10 minutes left. Garcia moved ahead with a late-race pass into Turn 1 on Gavin, who battled back at the exit of the corner to retake the lead.

“Today was an exciting day as our Corvette Racing team won the iconic Rolex 24 Hours At Daytona for the third time in six attempts,” said Jim Campbell, Chevrolet U.S. Vice President, Performance Vehicles and Motorsports. “It was extra special with a 1-2 finish in front of all of our Corvette fans.

“Watching the No. 3 and No. 4 C7.R teams race to the end was thrilling for all of us and I’m sure for our fans as well,” Campbell added. “It was an exciting finish, and we’re so grateful there were so many Corvette owners here and watching from around the world cheering us on.

“The entire Corvette Racing team did an exceptional job of executing all day long, and our powertrains delivered the right combination of power, durability and efficiency,” Campbell said. “They got the job done. I am so proud of them.”

Both Corvette C7.Rs took turns leading in GTLM in the opening 12 hours. Milner drove two triple-stints into the night while Gavin and Magnussen battled in the opening hours. Even near the 20-hour mark, the top five in GTLM were within a minute.

The next event for Corvette Racing is the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring Fueled by Fresh from Florida on March 16-19 from Sebring International Raceway, were Corvette Racing also is the defending GTLM winner.

TOMMY MILNER, CORVETTE RACING NO. 4 CHEVROLET CORVETTE C.7R

TOMMY, WHAT WAS THE DIFFERENCE IN THE CORVETTE TODAY THAT MADE THE CORVETTE THE CLASS IN THE FIELD AND THE CAR TO BEAT?

“I think it was just our ability to drive the car at the limit every lap and do it comfortably and not sort of put ourselves in a position where we were fighting the car too much. I think we all had our gripes with the car in places, but the car was comfortable to drive the whole race. I mean, the guys worked super hard for us in the pits just making small tweaks however they could to make the car better.

“At the end of the day, I know Oliver before he got in the car he was kind of humming and ho ing a little bit about getting in. He was a little bit tired and things like that. I didn’t give him a pep talk so to speak, but I tried to cheer him up a little bit. And I know (Doug) Fehan gave him a little bit of a pep talk, basically, and here he is now. Beating our teammates for giving us all heart attacks.

I think my dad, and my sister and my family were texting me saying, ‘Thanks, Oliver, for just about killing me (laughing).’”

OLIVER GAVIN, CORVETTE RACING NO. 4 CHEVROLET CORVETTE C.7R

OLIVER, I MUST SAY, THAT WAS SOME OF THE MOST INTENSE RACING WE’VE EVER SEEN HERE IN THE ROLEX 24. IT HAD TO BE REALLY INTENSE FROM THE COCKPIT. WHAT WAS YOUR STRATEGY GOING INTO THE FINAL 10 MINUTES OF THAT RACE?

“Don’t let him by. It was going to always be intense because we’re teammates. The cars are very equal. I know Antonio really well. We run all the time together and we’re good friends, and I’ve raced with him for many, many years. I know how smart he is in the car, and I knew he was going to be looking for a weak spot and he would just try and pounce at the right point. Just that one lap coming down into turn one and coming off the tri oval, and he got really good tow by me and he was by me, and he left his brake just a tiny bit too late as he went into turn one. He was almost on the lock stop sideways and he just lost the rear of the car. I managed to sneak back the inside, and he was really close as we came off the corner.

“But we didn’t touch. All I could think about was my boss, Doug Fehan and what he would say if we did touch. But, no, it was all good and clean.

“Then on the last lap I was thinking I had just enough on him, but then he towed up behind me. It was like the line was just going away from me. I couldn’t get to the line fast enough. I’ve just seen a picture of it, actually, and it was pretty close.

“So, yeah, obviously thrilled, thrilled to get the victory. My first one here. Great to share it with these two guys; Tommy and Marcel drove brilliantly throughout the race. And it was an amazing effort by everybody at Corvette Racing, and I’m thrilled to be able to stand on the top step there and get an amazing victory here.”

THEY MADE A BIG DEAL ON TV THAT YOU GUYS WERE GIVEN CLEARANCE THE TWO CORVETTES WERE GIVEN CLEARANCE TO RACE EACH OTHER AT THE END. WHERE DOES THAT COME FROM? WHO SAYS GO AHEAD AND RACE EACH OTHER?

“It comes from Doug Fehan, our boss, the program manager. As soon as Antonio had passed the Porsche, I asked my engineer, I said how’s this going to work? And my engineer then said, okay, Doug Fehan has said that you will race and you’re clear to race clean and fair, but don’t touch one another and certainly don’t take one another out.

“We’ve raced like this many years now, and I’ve already said that to race against Antonio is a pleasure. He’s an amazing teammate. I knew I was going to have my work cut out to beat him, and I suppose that does make it a little bit sweeter for me that we’ve come away with the win.

“It was all full clearance, the race. So that’s always fun to see. And like Marcel says, it’s what the fans want to see is great racing.”

TALK ME THROUGH THAT BATTLE AT THE END.

“It was crazy. Antonio (Garcia) was coming so quickly. I think he had fresher tires. He has been so good in this car for the last couple of years and I knew I was going to have a battle on my hands. Then when he caught me and we got in a bit of a tow. He tried to pass me around the outside of Turn 1 and he was almost on the lock-stop sideways. I was still trying to get the spot back. It was as close as it possibly could get to us touching. He is a fantastic teammate and an amazing guy. I wouldn’t really want to race anybody else. I am just thrilled for everybody at Corvette Racing and our C7.R. Tommy (Milner), Marcel (Fässler), all the guys at Corvette Racing. Just a brilliantly, the whole day, it’s been tooth and nail the whole way with Ferrari, BMW, Ford, it’s been extraordinary.”

WHAT MAKES THIS WIN SO SPECIAL?

“It’s very special. I’ve had atrocious luck here in the past. My best result was last year, a third place. So for me to get a win here today is just amazing. I’m just so thrilled and happy for everyone – the whole team.”

OLIVER, WE SAW DURING THE LAST LAPS AND GTDs THAT A LOT OF CARS HAD FUEL CONSUMPTION PROBLEMS AND SLOWED DOWN. CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT YOUR FUEL CONSUMPTION? IT SEEMS YOU WERE PRESSING ALL THE TIME AND YOU HAD NO PROBLEMS AT ALL ON FUEL CONSUMPTION?

“I think we had stopped the last so we were good to go till the end. Didn’t have a problem. Just the way that the strategy worked out for us, it was good. I think that the 3 car did have a problem with fuel pick up, so they weren’t getting all the fuel out of their tank, and that’s why they had to stop again. So that was unlucky for them, but somewhat a lucky break.”

OLIVER, IT SEEMED THAT THE VIBE ON THE GRID PRE RACE WAS REALLY STRONG, AND I ASSUME SOME OF THAT MIGHT BE BECAUSE THERE WERE A LOT OF NEW CARS HERE. I’M CURIOUS, DID HAVING NEW CARS HERE INTEREST YOU AT ALL JUST FROM A CAR PERSPECTIVE OR IS IT JUST TOTALLY AS A RACER PERSPECTIVE WONDERING WHAT THEY’VE GOT?

“I think it’s fantastic for the series. I think it’s fantastic for all of us. We, as a team, Corvette Racing have embraced the Ford coming into the series. It’s a fantastic car. It’s a proper effort. Their car was very fast today when we got out there on track against it, you could see it’s still got great potential.

“I think the GTLM class is amazing. It’s a wonderful class to race in. All-pro drivers, all-pro teams, factory efforts. The cars look great. I think it’s great to see how they’ve been developed aero wise. They’re really sexy, and great for the fans to look at. They’re aggressive. They’re a lot of fun to drive now. They’re really, I think it’s a really great step forward. So, yeah, very happy.”

IT IS A GREAT CLASS. CONGRATULATIONS OLIVER AND TO THE OTHERS. OLLY, COULD YOU TALK FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE ABOUT THE BUMP AND RUN WITH THE PORSCHE DOWN IN THE WEST HORSESHOE TOWARDS THE END?

“Yeah, so, Earl (Bamber) and I were racing hard, and there had been a couple of spots and times where I’d got on the brakes and Earl was able stop his car quicker than I was, and I just managed to miss him. But the one time into Turn 5 I knew that we were quicker. Our car was better, and it was getting towards the end of the race. We know that it’s going to be the gloves are off.

“So I just left my braking a little bit too late. He opened the door just a tiny amount, so I just stuck my nose in. Yes, we had some contact and it nudged him wide. I was given a warning by the officials, and if he wanted to do the same back to me they wouldn’t necessarily do anything about it.

“I think it’s all part of racing. When it’s that close at the end of a 24-hour race, you’re racing for the Daytona 24 Hours. It’s not just a club race or whatever. It’s big international Sports Car Racing. There is an awful lot riding on it for everybody involved. Whether it’s the team, the drivers, the manufacturers. The drivers end up getting a very nice Rolex watch, so that was foremost in my mind.”

ANY SURPRISE THAT THE GTLM PODIUM IS FILLED WITH CARS THAT HAVE BEEN HERE BEFORE THAT AREN’T NECESSARILY NEW AND YOU WOULDN’T EXPECT TO HAVE TEETHING PROBLEMS?

“Yeah, I suppose so. It’s always nice to come with a somewhat proven package. I think that was a confidence for everybody at Corvette Racing coming into the season that, yes, we’ve got a great base, with got a great car in the C7R. It was strong last year at this race. It was strong at Le Mans last year. It was strong at Sebring.

“We know that with our updates, aero updates that we were going to be strong. But the rest fundamentally was very much the same. Whereas a number of manufacturers have come in with some very different and unique cars. And there are going to be some teething problems, and they, I’m sure, will be extremely strong at different points in the season, and they will be a serious thorn in our side.

“So, yeah, you can’t rest on your laurels. Yes, we’ve won, but the work now is straight on to Sebring. We’re testing there in about a week’s time, so there’s no sitting back and just resting on it. We’re flat out with the testing still.”

MARCEL FASSLER, CORVETTE RACING NO. 4 CHEVROLET CORVETTE C.7R

MARCEL, HOW NERVOUS WERE YOU DURING THOSE CLOSING LAPS?

“I think I lost two of my years in my life. No, it was just thrilling. I could not see anymore to the TV. If I checked the watch, it was always the same time on it. It felt like it never stops. Yeah, it was just amazing to watch actually this nice battle. It was really great motorsport what we could see, especially in between teammates. It was really great to see that.

“Luckily Oliver did a good job out there and he brought us the win. It was really, really exciting. But it’s not easy to watch as a teammate in the pit to see that it’s going that close.”

BRIAN HOYE, CREW CHIEF, NO. 4 CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R

HOW PROUD ARE YOU OF THIS TEAM?

“Oh my gosh. I just can’t believe that we were racing that hard to the end. Nobody was holding back. We had all the GM and Chevrolet leadership here; we had Mark Reuss, Jim Campbell and Mark Kent. We put on a great show. It’s is so hard to have everything sink in because nobody has really slept since yesterday morning when they got up. It takes a while to absorb it, but it just feels fantastic.”

MIKE ROCKENFELLER, CORVETTE RACING NO. 3 CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R

“To be honest, it was a great race for all of us – the fans and the team. For us drivers, it’s a bit bittersweet. To lose a race by that amount especially after we had led for quite some time and had the pace today to win. But we had some issues; we had to pit earlier that planned a few times, so we had to do an extra stop. As we know, it counts when the flag drops at the end and we were just a little bit behind. Congrats to the other three drivers and the whole Corvette Racing team. For me, the first experience of a race event with the team was great. A 1-2 finish at Daytona… you can’t ask for more. Well I could ask to have the watch! I don’t so that’s a little frustrating. But looking at the big picture, this was absolutely fantastic.”

JAN MAGNUSSEN, CORVETTE RACING NO. 3 CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R

“It was a fantastic race all day long. The team performed all year long. We managed to improve the car through the race through small changes and adjustments. It put us in a position to be fast at the end. We stayed out of trouble to make sure we had a good and fast Corvette at the end. A photo-finish like that… wow that’s unbelievable and crazy!”

ANTONIO GARCIA, CORVETTE RACING NO. 3 CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R

“The whole race was nearly perfect for us. We only had a couple ups-and-downs, like when I got turned around by another car. With 70 minutes to go, we got a fuel alarm that we thought was wrong. But later on we discovered that we weren’t using all our fuel in the fuel cell. It put us back on strategy, and that was why I had to push a lot late in the race. Before my last stop, I knew I had to build a big enough gap where I wouldn’t be too far behind the lead when I rejoined. I almost achieved that. The last stop was good and put me in a situation to gain back track position. I still had to get around the Porsche and catch Oliver. We had a really good setup and car. I was proud and happy to have the chance to battle for the win with Oliver. It was one of the best races I’ve ever had. Oliver is very experienced and didn’t make any mistakes, even though I was really pushing him very hard. We put on a mega show for all the Corvette fans. It is amazing that we have a Corvette 1-2. I feel very good about it. I’m happy for Oliver, Tommy and Marcel. We’ll be ready to fight back at Sebring.”

DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY CORVETTE DRIVER IN-RACE UPDATES

JAN. 30-31, 2016

MAX ANGELELLI, WAYNE TAYLOR RACING NO. 10 KONICA MINOLTA CORVETTE DP: “The car was very good but I fought all the time because the cars in front of me were slower than I was and I was trying to find a way to overtake them. So it was tough, but I am pleased with the team and pleased with the car. The car is really, really strong and I am looking forward to the race. When you have a car like this, you really enjoy driving it.”

TOMMY MILNER, NO. 4 CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R: “Pretty routine start of a 24-hour race. People are finding their way and causing some trouble but all-in-all it was pretty clean in the first triple-stint there. I’m pretty happy with how the Corvette is driving right now and we are quick in our class which is obviously nice, but there is still a long way to go. That is just part one of writing a good story so to speak. So yeah, I am really happy and now we get Marcel in for his laps and get him comfortable and settled in, and then we can kind of push on from there.”

IF YOU COULD NAME ONE THING THAT YOU COULD USE A LITTLE MORE OF WHEN YOU GET BACK IN, WHAT WOULD THAT BE? “There is still some work to be done on the setup of the car a little bit. The car is not perfect by any means, but where it is good is in all the right spots. It’s a bit of a handful in the high-speed stuff and we have set ourselves up to make some passes in a straight line. It seems like that is working well, but some of the stuff in the infield isn’t quite where I would want it to be but it’s still good enough for right now. So, it’s a long race and we can still make some adjustments as the race goes on and really try and dial in the car so that we have a chance to push hard at the end.”

ANTONIO GARCIA, CORVETTE RACING NO. 3 CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R: “Everything ran according to plan. When Jan came in, I could see that the car was very good. He did a really fast last stint before I got in, so I felt really confident. The Corvette behaved just as I wanted. Whenever we are able to lead the race right now, we will take it. But there is still a big risk factor out there. We want to be fast but more important is saving the car as much as possible.”

CHRISTIAN FITTIPALDI, ACTION EXPRESS RACING NO. 5 MUSTANG SAMPLING CORVETTE DP: “That was a pretty solid stint. The car is good. We have some understeer but we’re not losing time on that. We’re losing the majority of our time on power-down. Overall, I’m pretty happy. We’re in the hunt and we have a lot of racing ahead of us.”

MARCEL FÄSSLER, CORVETTE RACING NO. 4 CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R: “It’s really close and a ton of work, actually. But it’s also great fun because we had great battles in our class against BMW, the Porsches, the Ferraris and even the other Corvette. The restarts were quite tricky because we were not on old tires all of the time. In the middle of the field and going into the first corner, you didn’t know where to brake, what was going to happen in traffic and which hole to dive in going to the corner. It was quite tricky in the beginning but then everything sorted out quite well. There is also a lot of respect from the slower cars and the faster prototypes. We try to give each other plenty of space. I enjoyed these first couple of stints very much. Everything looks good for Corvette Racing so far. There’s still a long time to go though.”

CONTACTS: Ryan Smith | Judy Kouba Dominick

Photo credit: Richard Prince

CORVETTE RACING AT DAYTONA: Going For a Rolex Repeat

•First race for 2016-spec Chevrolet Corvette C7.R

•Defending GTLM winners Garcia, Magnussen to team with Rockenfeller

•2015 pole-winner Gavin set to drive with Milner, Fässler

DETROIT (Jan. 25, 2016) – One year ago, Corvette Racing started its run to endurance racing’s Triple Crown with a victory in the Rolex 24 At Daytona. Fast-forward to today, and the team again is preparing for what it hopes is another race into the record books.

The 54th Rolex 24 At Daytona marks the beginning of Corvette Racing’s 2016 sports car season with a pair of 2016-spec Chevrolet Corvette C7.Rs. During the next 10 months, the team will race 12 times across three countries and two continents. The goals: win the biggest events in sports car racing including the 24 Hours of Le Mans for the ninth time and capture the GT Le Mans (GTLM) class championship of the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.

It all starts at Daytona International Speedway, where Corvette Racing is a two-time winner (2001 overall and 2015 in GTLM). A year ago, Antonio Garcia and Jan Magnussen were part of the victorious trio in the No. 3 Corvette C7.R. The winning Chevrolet-powered racecar completed 725 laps (it led 389 laps) for 2,581 miles and spent seven less minutes in the pits than the second-place finisher.

Garcia and Magnussen team this year with Mike Rockenfeller, who also is a former Rolex 24 race winner. In the No. 4 Corvette C7.R, Oliver Gavin – last year’s GTLM pole-winner – will partner with full-season teammate Tommy Milner and Marcel Fässler, who will make his first Rolex 24 start. Gavin and Milner were part of the GTE Pro-winning trio in 2015 at the 24 Hours of Le Mans; they also were third in class at the Rolex 24 last season.

All six drivers saw plenty of seat-time earlier this month during the three-day Roar Before the 24 test. Gavin was the second-fastest driver in GTLM with a best lap of 1:45.106 (121.934 mph); Garcia was fourth in class at 1:45.124 (121.913 mph).

Long-distance racing is the strength of Corvette Racing. In addition to its two victories at Daytona and eight at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the team has won the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring 10 times and the 1,000-mile/10-hour Petit Le Mans seven times.

The 2016-spec Corvette C7.R is an updated racecar due to changes in Automobile Club de l’Ouest regulations for top-level GT cars that compete in the IMSA GTLM class. There are a number of aerodynamic changes including a larger splitter at the front and diffuser at the rear of the Corvette. Side skirts and a repositioned wing also are among the most notable changes, along with updated safety features that are now mandated on all GTLM cars.

The powertrain on the Corvette C7.R is unchanged from 2015 with a 5.5-liter V-8 Chevrolet small block powering the race car. The Corvette C7.R will use E20 fuel during the IMSA season and the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

The Rolex 24 was the site of Corvette Racing’s debut on Jan. 31, 1999. Since that first race, the team has competed in more than 170 events around the globe with 97 victories worldwide – including three wins in 2015 – along with 10 team and manufacturer championships in the American Le Mans Series and eight victories at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

The 54th Rolex 24 At Daytona is the start of the 2016 IMSA season and is set for 2:10 p.m. ET on Saturday, Jan. 30. It will air on FOX Sports 1, FOX Sports 2 and FOX Sports Go. Live audio coverage from IMSA Radio is available on IMSA.com.

ANTONIO GARCIA, NO. 3 CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R: “The end of last year’s race was very tense and very difficult. Having two cars so close together after 24 hours shows how tough it is in GTLM. The Corvette Racing team executed perfectly on every stop and made all the right strategy calls. That is what it takes to win these long races. No one does it better than Corvette Racing, as we have shown over the years. We are all ready for a repeat performance.”

JAN MAGNUSSEN, NO. 3 CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R: “Winning the Rolex 24 last year was very special. The only thing I would change is to have been in the car at the end instead of watching! But it was a great feeling to see Antonio take the checker first in our class. Going into this race we know the challenge will be even more difficult. There are new cars throughout GTLM, and we know everyone will be watching our race. You have to stay focused and not let up at any point because the competition is so strong. Whoever wins this race will have earned it. I hope it is one of our Corvettes.”

MIKE ROCKENFELLER, NO. 3 CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R: “This is a bit of a different Rolex 24 for me now that I am with Corvette Racing. Although we may not be in the fastest class, I am sure that GTLM will be the toughest and most competitive. We had a very good test at the Roar, and I feel more comfortable in the Corvette C7.R with each lap I do. Racing in an event like Daytona is a tough task but also one that as drivers we all look forward to and enjoy. Antonio, Jan and I are hopeful to deliver another Daytona win for Corvette Racing.”

OLIVER GAVIN, NO. 4 CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R: “By and large the test at Daytona was a great success. It definitely makes things easier in the lead up to the Rolex 24. We should be able to arrive with an established baseline and can work on fine-tuning the little things that add up to give us the greatest chance for success in this race. Although it’s a 24-hour race like Le Mans, Daytona is very different in terms of lighting, how safety car periods work and other nuances. Still it’s a grueling test and one that Tommy, Marcel and myself would love to win.”

TOMMY MILNER, NO. 4 CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R: “It’s the start of a new season for Corvette Racing at Daytona. Considering how well the Roar went for us overall in the No. 4 Corvette, we’re pretty confident that we can have a race car that can challenge for a victory. Oliver and I were able to try a lot of different settings and configurations during the test, and Marcel has gotten up to speed very quickly. We have the drivers, crew and engineers to be successful at this race. It’s up to us all to execute how I know we can.”

MARCEL FÄSSLER, NO. 4 CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R: “I am ready for my first Rolex 24 At Daytona, and I couldn’t pick a better group to be with than Corvette Racing. It was a pleasure to drive the Corvette C7.R at the Roar and get a feel for the track and traffic conditions ahead of this race. Long-distance races are nothing new to any of us on the team. There are a lot of endurance victories in the Corvette Racing camp between the team and the drivers, so everyone has the proper mindset for what it takes to win this race. For myself, I need to continue to gain confidence and comfort in the car and not make mistakes. If that happens, I know we will have a shot at victory.”

DOUG FEHAN, CORVETTE RACING PROGRAM MANAGER: “It doesn’t get any better than to start the season with the Rolex 24. It’s the biggest race of the IMSA season and as we saw in 2015, it can set the tone for the balance of the year. As the records show, Corvette Racing has a very strong history of success in long-distance endurance races. We consider these type of events to be our specialty based on the makeup of our drivers, crew and engineers. Still, there are a number of variables that can factor into the outcome of the race. As always, you can be certain that we’ll make that ‘full-throttle’ effort for our fans in the Corvette Corral, around the track and around the world!”

Photo credit: Richard Prince

Article content: Judy Kouba Dominick and Ryan Smith

Post race inspection sends O’Connell back a position, Cooper’s impressive run cut short

LONG BEACH, Calif. -Cadillac Racing driver Johnny O’Connell was relegated to second place in post-race inspection after crossing the finish line first in today’s running of the Pirelli World Challenge Long Beach Grand Prix presented by Cadillac. Teammate Cooper had an amazing run through the field that was thwarted by fluid on the track.

O’Connell (Flowery Branch, Ga.) took the start to the 50-minute sprint race from the front row in second. Pole sitter Alvaro Parente drove his McLaren deep into Turn 1 allowing two other cars to get ahead of O’Connell. Just at the completion of lap one a full course yellow flew. On the ensuing restart O’Connell was able to pass the Porsche of Patrick Long and the McLaren of Colin Thompson to move back into second. A second full course yellow flew on lap 10. On the restart, O’Connell was once again able to put the power down in his Cadillac ATS-V.R Coupe to take the lead and the win. The victory is his second of the year and second for Cadillac at Long Beach. During post-race inspection the No. 3 Cadillac ATS-V.R Coupe was found to have two traction control induced turbo boost spikes during the race that were out of specification. The SCCA Officials thus relegated O’Connell to second handing the win to Parente.

“Of all the laps that I did today that first run into Turn 1 was the toughest,” said O’Connell. “I arrived at my braking point later than Parente and timed everything perfect while allowing him racing room. He went in deep and couldn’t get his car to turn and we had contact with the tires that allowed two cars to get by. There was not a lot of grip out there today. On the restarts I had a strong car and with my experience here I was able to get into the lead. Once there it was a matter of focus and hitting my marks. It is great to be able to showcase the athleticism of the AST-V around the streets of Long Beach. In post-race tech they found we had a few boost spikes that were not to their liking. From what I understand these were when we were in traction control situations, so not a speed advantage at all. But rules are rules. A second place finish does not take away from the accomplishment of Cadillac Racing today. I am proud of the team.”

Teammate Cooper (Syosset, N.Y.) who had a car issue in qualifying that forced him to start from the rear of field was having a career run. Using the restarts to his full advantage by lap 15 he had the No. 8 Cadillac ATS-V.R Coupe in the top ten and by lap 22 he was in fourth with his sights set on a podium finish. With eight minutes to go he rolled through fluid on the track, brushed the wall which forced him to pit and park it. He was classified in 15th and posted the fastest lap of the race.

“The Cadillac ATS-V.R Coupe proved today that we have a very strong team and very well prepared cars with my run and Johnny’s win,” Cooper said. “The Cadillac Racing team did a great job to get my car sorted out from what happened yesterday. I had a really strong run going. It was fun being able to make moves on 18 cars coming through the field. I appreciate that everyone raced me clean. The first and second restarts is where I was really able to make-up ground. Once I got into fourth and was chasing Patrick Long I got into some fluid on the track and brushed the wall. I had to pit and that was it.”

The Pirelli World Challenge series will travel directly to Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Alabama for rounds six and seven to run next weekend, April 22-24.

-Kyle Chura

Cooper on podium in first Cadillac start

AUSTIN, TEXAS -Cadillac Racing driversMichael Cooper and Johnny O’Connell finished round one of the 2016 Pirelli World Challenge GT Series Championship season opener third and fifth respectively this afternoon at the Circuit of the Americas (COTA).

Cooper (Syosset, Ny) started on the front row, but was passed by a competitor going into the first turn with teammate O’Connell (Flowery Branch, Ga) slotting into the sixth position. The race went immediately yellow dispatching the Cadillac ATS-V.R Coupe Pace Car in front of the 34 car field. On lap four the race was restarted. Cooper was relegated to fourth when he had contact going into the first turn and more rubbing in the next two turns. For the next 19 laps the duo of Cooper and O’Connell circulated the 3.4-mile, 20 turn COTA circuit in fourth and fifth. On the last lap heading into the last turn Cooper was able to get on the inside of the Nissan GTR of JD Davison and take the final step on the podium to finish third with O’Connell coming to the

checkered flag in fifth.

“The start was pretty smooth, Pat Long (No. 31 Porsche and eventual winner) braked pretty early,” said Cooper. “I might have been a little too conservative heading into Turn 1 and Davison came flying around the side of us. On the restart after the yellow I got tagged and then he hit me again. It affected the car a little, the handling was a little funny the rest of the race. On the last lap Davison was a little too aggressive going into the final turn and I was able get inside him and put the power down in my Cadillac ATS-V.R Coupe and beat him to the checkered flag. A good start to the year for Cadillac Racing.”

O’Connell likes the start to the season.

“I didn’t have the best start at the green,” O’Connell said. “We are usually pretty good at those starts. I got freight trained around the outside by a few very ambitious guys. You always like to win, but when you have a race where you get passed and fall back and then have to battle back to the front, its fun. We worked hard, the Cadillac Racing guys did a great job. Michael put a Cadillac on the podium, so a good points day for both cars. We have a warm-up tomorrow to make a few adjustments and then we race again.”

The Pirelli World Challenge Championship will open the season at the Circuit of the America’s with a double race weekend March 3-6, 2016. The race will be broadcast on the CBS Sports Network, Sunday March 13 at 10:30 a.m. ET. Live steaming can be viewed at world-challenge.com/streamvideo, live timing and Scoring atworldchallenge.growsites.net.

O’Connell wins, Cooper second

AUSTIN, TEXAS -Cadillac Racing driver Johnny O’Connell won round two of the Pirelli World Challenge GT Series Championship race today at the Circuit of the Americas (COTA). Teammate Michael Cooper drove to his second podium finish of the weekend finishing in the runner-up position.

O’Connell (Flowery Branch, Ga) started his No. 3 Velocity Red Cadillac ATS-V.R Coupe from the third position on the grid based upon his fast lap from race one yesterday. The field took the green flag and there was contact sending yesterday’s race winner Patrick Long’s Porsche into the wall and bringing out a full course caution. On the restart O’Connell was third with teammate Cooper (Syosset, Ny) behind in fourth. On Lap 5 the leading Nissan of JD Davison was called to pit lane for avoidable contact on the first lap putting O’Connell into the second position. On lap 13 he was able to get by the leading Nissan of Bryan Heitkotter into turns 13 and 14 and take the lead. In the next five laps Cooper was engaged in a three way battle with the McLaren of Alvaro Parente and the Bentley of Andrew Palmer. Both drivers received drive thru penalties for contact putting Cooper into second behind O’Connell for a Cadillac one – two finish. The last time that Cadillac Racing went one – two was at Long Beach in 2014.

“I started the race in third and was able to stay there exiting Turn 1,” said O’Connell. “I was focused on driving my Cadillac smart and taking care of my tires. I was waiting for the opportunity to get by Heitkotter. I set him up for a couple of laps and made the pass. When you get the lead you just focus on hitting your marks and being smooth. I was able to do that and Michael was in quite a battle behind me so that allowed me a little space to take care of my car. When I saw that Patrick Long was out of the race, I thought this is a championship opportunity. You don’t want to wish ill will on a competitor, but when something like that happens to a driver as fast as Pat you have to capitalize on the points and we did that today. A great one – two finish to start the year for Cadillac Racing.”

Cooper completed a double podium finish weekend.

“It is was a great one – two finish for Cadillac Racing,” said Cooper. “A lot of guys making some big mistakes out there today and we were able to collect a lot of points on some good cars. We were able to keep our heads cool and take a great finish on the weekend. It got real hairy there in the middle of the race. After Johnny went into the lead Hietkotter backed up to me and he was slowing. Then the McLaren and the Bentley got really aggressive and got into me. They served their penalties and we finished second.”

Cadillac Racing will have little time to celebrate as they travel directly to St. Petersburg, Florida for rounds three and four next weekend, March 11-13.

O’Connell going for five, Cooper ready for debut

NEW YORK – Cadillac Racing drivers Johnny O’Connell and Michael Cooper are ready to kick-off of the 2016 Pirelli World Challenge GT Series Championship with a double race weekend at the Circuit of the Americas (COTA) in Austin, Texas this weekend, March 3-6.

O’Connell (Flowery Branch, Ga) enters the 2016 World Challenge season, for a fourth year in a row, as the reigning GT driver champion. He will be making the race debut of the newly colored No. 3 Velocity Red Cadillac ATS-V.R Coupe at the 3.4-mile, 20-turn circuit located southeast of Austin.

Cooper (Syosset, Ny) will be making a debut of his own, his first racing start at the wheel of the No. 8 Cadillac ATS-V.R Coupe. The New Yorker had an impressive run last year in the rain at COTA to win the GTS race and is looking for a strong run in his first outing in the top World Challenge class.

“For some reason or another this has seemed like a long off season,” O’Connell said. “I’ve made a few appearances for Cadillac, including going to the Barrett Jackson auction where I gave hot lap rides in an ATS-V. That was pretty cool as it really allowed me to show consumers the mind blowing performance that is now Cadillac.”

Cadillac Racing tested at the COTA three weeks ago. “I think the test went well,” he continued. “We logged a ton of laps and gained a fair amount of data. It was definitely good that we went there as the circuit is no longer billiard table smooth like it used to be, so I’m sure we found some things that will help us for this weekend.”

O’Connell is going for a fifth straight World Challenge GT championship. “There are always challenges that you need to overcome throughout the season. Last year it was the development of the new Cadillac ATS-V.R race car and coming back after the fire at Barber and the wreck at Long Beach. The field has gotten more competitive with the addition of a couple of McLaren’s driven by fast drivers and two new Mercedes coming, again with top drivers. Perhaps our biggest challenge, besides the other 18 drivers, will be the unknown. However, with the Cadillac Racing team behind me we have been able to handle those unforeseen factors, overcome them and put ourselves in a position to win it all at the end of the season. I see no reason why that should change for 2016. The team, myself and everyone at Cadillac is focused on going for a fifth consecutive championship.”

Cooper is looking forward to returning to COTA, this time in GT and a Cadillac ATS-V.R Coupe.

“Last year’s season opener was my first time racing at COTA and my first time racing the Camaro Z/28,” Cooper said. “While we struggled for pace in the dry, we were lucky enough to get some rain for one of the races, which leveled the playing field. I was able to win my first GTS race by passing nine or ten cars in the first two laps. It was nice to get back there and run some laps in the Cadillac ATS-V.R. The test went very well, I was able to spend a lot of time in the ATS-V.R and gain some confidence heading into the season. We ran through countless changes and gathered a lot of data. I’m sure the guys have been spending a lot of time analyzing the data, which should aid our performance for the upcoming race weekend. “

Cooper has set high goals for his first season in GT. “I’m used to having consistent strong finishes and fighting for race wins over the course of the season. I expect no less from myself now that I am in the GT class. I am anxious to prove myself as a driver capable of competing among the best at this level of GT racing and of course helping Cadillac Racing win another manufactures championship.”

The Pirelli World Challenge Championship will open the season at the Circuit of the America’s with a double race weekend March 3-6, 2016. The race will be broadcast on the CBS Sports Network, Sunday March 13 at 10:30 a.m. ET. Live steaming can be viewed at World-ChallengeTV.com, live timing and Scoring at WorldChallenge.growsites.net.

Gavin second-quickest in GTLM during the weekend ahead of Rolex 24

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Jan. 10, 2016) – Corvette Racing ran through a three-day testing program as part of the Roar Before the 24 – the final opportunity for track time ahead of the 54th Rolex 24 At Daytona. The two Chevrolet Corvette C7.Rs completed a total of 449 laps between them on a weekend focused on development and preparation for the start of the 2016 season.

Oliver Gavin in the No. 4 Corvette C7.R set the second-fastest GT Le Mans (GTLM) time of the weekend and quickest Sunday during the morning session – a 1:45.106 (121.934 mph) lap in the car he will share with Tommy Milner and Marcel Fässler at The Rolex 24.

Gavin and Milner will drive together in the full WeatherTech SportsCar Championship with Fässler joining for Daytona and the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring.

Antonio Garcia was the fastest of the drivers in the No. 3 Corvette C7.R that he shares with Jan Magnussen and Mike Rockenfeller. Like Gavin, Garcia’s best effort came Sunday morning and was a 1:45.124 (121.913 mph) lap around the 3.56-mile circuit. It was good enough for fourth on the weekend.

Garcia and Magnussen won the Rolex 24 in GTLM a year ago. It was the first leg of Corvette Racing’s Triple Crown season as it also won at Sebring and the 24 Hours of Le Mans. No team had accomplished the feat in 15 years.

The No. 4 Corvette C7.R team rebounded from an incident Friday in the morning session with Milner behind the wheel. A check valve malfunction ignited a small fire in the right-rear compartment of the race car. It was quickly extinguished, and Milner was uninjured in the incident. The car returned to the track Saturday morning after the team thoroughly checked the Corvette and made the necessary repairs.

The 2016-spec Corvette C7.R is an updated racecar due to changes in Automobile Club de l’Ouest regulations for top-level GT cars that compete in the IMSA GTLM class. There are a number of aerodynamic changes including a larger splitter at the front and diffuser at the rear of the Corvette. Side skirts and a repositioned wing also are among the most notable changes, along with updated safety features that are now mandated on all GTLM cars.

The powertrain on the Corvette C7.R is unchanged from 2015 with a 5.5-liter V-8 Chevrolet small block powering the race car. The Corvette C7.R will use E20 fuel during the IMSA season and the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

The Rolex 24 was the site of Corvette Racing’s debut on Jan. 31, 1999. Since that first race, the team has competed in more than 170 events around the globe with 97 victories worldwide – including three wins in 2015 – along with 10 team and manufacturer championships in the American Le Mans Series and eight victories at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

ANTONIO GARCIA, NO. 3 CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R: “We always want more track time. But this weekend was very good. The weather gave us a chance to carry on with some things that may help us in the race. It has been a very productive Roar, which is unusual. You tend to lose a lot of time to things like red flags and weather. We have worked through a lot of things that need to be analyzed in order for us to be quicker for the race. We have a good baseline and I’m sure the Corvette engineers will make the right decisions to put us in an even better position for the Rolex 24.”

JAN MAGNUSSEN, NO. 3 CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R: “We’re getting through a lot of items on our list that we wanted to try here. The track is probably pretty representative of what the race will be like with the amount of rubber – there have been lots of cars on the track. I think we are moving in the right direction. We’re going through our program – we’re trying to be fast all the time, but sometimes we just need to concentrate on the setup and try to learn more about the car and disregard the time. We’re very happy with the way things are going. We have more aero this year and more grip. The power is the same and these cars are never easy to drive, but they now just feel a little nicer with the added downforce.”

MIKE ROCKENFELLER, NO. 3 CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R: “You always want to have more and more laps, especially when you are in a car like the Corvette that is fun to drive. You always want to be in the car. As we all know, we have to get our work done and I think these three days were quite productive. We were lucky with the weather so we could do a lot of work and check off our boxes. Personally, I feel quite good in the car. I’m still learning lap to lap but I’m already looking forward to the race week.”

OLIVER GAVIN, NO. 4 CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R: “We’ve made some good progress over the weekend. It’s been good to get Marcel in the car. It’s great to have him back on the team. Tommy and I have been working away on the car – some suspension stuff and aero bits and pieces. Everything is pretty much going to plan. We recovered from the incident Friday where we lost some track time. It doesn’t appear that has set us back too much. It’s very positive. We all seem pretty happy and confident in the car. All in all, we’ve made some good steps forward.”

TOMMY MILNER, NO. 4 CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R: “The best part about this whole weekend so far is how the guys have done such a great job after the issue we had on Friday. We got it fixed and the car was basically perfect once we got back on track Saturday. 1-2 in this test is not a bad thing, but it doesn’t mean a whole lot because we are going through our laundry list of items of things to try. The fact that we are fast is a good thing – it’s better to be fast rather than being not quick and scratching our heads. We felt like we should have been quick coming here because these cars were a known quantity to us. On the outside they are a bit different with the new aero but underneath they are pretty similar. This is now year three for the C7.R and we’re fine tuning these things now rather than finding big things any more.”

MARCEL FÄSSLER, NO. 4 CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R: “For sure, this still feels like a Corvette! The car has changed a bit since I was with the team last. For me, I’m having to learn the car and the track at the same time. It wasn’t easy to go in immediately and be on pace. I’ve progressed a bit and still have to learn a lot. It’s been really good fun to drive this weekend. I ask a lot of myself but need to be patient to continue learning to understand the car. The team organized a good test plan – mainly Olly and Tommy did some of the baseline and tuning work as I needed to keep learning about the Corvette. Now I can speak on what I’ve felt in the car. All this information will definitely help on the race weekend; you don’t want to try new things once the race gets here. The good thing is that the team knows the car so well. It gives us a lot of confidence.”

DOUG FEHAN, CORVETTE RACING PROGRAM MANAGER: “When you come into a weekend like this, there are a number of boxes you want to check off as part of the testing program. As Corvette Racing leaves Daytona, by and large we accomplished all the items on our checklist. With the regulation changes in our class, there are a number of things we needed to understand. Some of those include how our Corvettes react in traffic with the aerodynamic changes, how certain adjustments make the car behave and where we stand against our competition. I’m confident saying that based on the last three days, this will be the toughest Rolex 24 we will face but everyone at Corvette Racing is looking forward to that challenge.”