This time they got it right and everyone noticed! The 1956 Corvette was truly a pivotal model. At Chevrolet, every car has to pay its way or die. The 1955 Corvette hit an all-time low sales volume of only 674 units. Although not "big" numbers by GM standards, Chevrolet sold 3467 Corvettes in 1956, enough to buy a future for the fiberglass car that many wanted to see die!

Writer Karl Ludvigsen from Sportscar Illustrated made the statement that would forever be the Corvette credo: "The only true American production sports car." What turned the tide was the fact that the Corvette now had the performance to back up its great looks.

All of the '50s comforts were there: roll-up windows, bucket seats, and a quality AM radio. By far, the best part was under the hood. The 265 V8 came in two versions. The base engine, single four-barrel was rated at 210 hp, and the optional dual four-barrel engine was rated at 255 hp. The optional version had high compression 9.25:1 pistons, a special camshaft, and a cast aluminum intake manifold. With the close ratio 3-speed manual transmission, the '56 Corvette would go 0-60 mph in just 7.3 seconds. Quarter-mile times were 15.9 seconds at 91 mph. Gas mileage averaged 12 miles per gallon. With the right stuff in the '56 Vette and "more" planned for '57, Zora Arkus-Duntov set out to prove the Corvette on the track.

At the 1956 Daytona Speed Week, the car made an impressive two-way run of 150.583 mph, with Zora himself at the wheel! With John Fitch driving during competition, a Corvette was fastest in the Modified class with an average of 145.54 mph. Even Carroll Shelby was quoted as saying, "Racing was the thing that actually saved the Corvette." At the Sebring 12 Hour race, Corvettes placed ninth overall and first in-class. From here on, racing would for- ever define the Corvette.

With the limitations of the previous GM Motorama car in the past, even Road & Track blessed the '56 Corvette by saying, "The new Corvette is as good to excellent compared to other dual purpose sports cars." Little did they know that things would get even better in '57!

It was as if the Gods of Fortune had smiled upon the Corvette! The 1956 Corvette was so well received that GM executives felt comfortable enough to indulge themselves with special "racer" versions of their new darling. Thus, the SR-2 was born. "SR" had several meanings: "Special Racing," "Sports Racing" or "Sebring Racer." These terms referred to the '56 Sebring effort that got so much attention. Three SR-2 Corvettes were built.

The first SR-1 was built for then president of GM, Harlow Curtice. This was a styling exercise over a 265, 3-speed Corvette off the assembly line. The car was never intended to be a real racer. Its distinguishing feature was the symmetrical low fin in the middle of its decklid. The extra trim made it look more like a showcar than a race car.

The second SR-2 was built for GM vice president Harley Earl's son Jerry! But this SR-2 had real teeth. Under the hood was a 265 with a 3-speed manual gearbox. The running gear and chassis featured quick ratio steering, stiff springs and shocks, a limited slip rear, oversized brakes with cooling scoops and Halibrand knock-off wheels on racing tires. Dual exhausts exited just in front of the rear wheels.

The interior had extra instruments, power windows and stock seats. There also was a fire extinguisher, a wood-trimmed steering wheel and a radio! The body of the SR-2 had some interesting changes. The nose had been extended and louvers were added to the hood. The side coves had functioning scoops to cool the brakes. Two short windscreens replaced the stock windshield. Centered on the trunklid was a short single fin. This was later replaced with the tall "Mitchell-style" high fin and roll bar.

Bill Mitchell, GM chief of styling, had the third SR-2 built. Although the second and third cars look the same other than the fin, the Mitchell car is three inches wider! The car was also made lighter by removing nearly all frills and using racing bucket seats.

On the race track, Earl's SR-2 was the most successful of the three. While sponsored by Nickey Chevrolet, the SR-2 won the SCCA B-Production national title in 1958. Happily, all three SR-2 Corvettes have been fully restored and are accounted for.