| Almost from the beginning, Corvettes have been the ultimate American “could have been” race cars. Whereas its domestic rivals operated factory-supported racing programs, GM chose a different approach. The company built hot cars and parts, and sometimes even helped selected racers via an unofficial “back door” policy, but it always avoided an all-out racing program. That is, until the C5 Corvette was released.
Zora Arkus-Duntov gave us the legendary ‘57 SS project, the ’63 Grand Sport, and the 427 L-88 racers, while Dave McLellan championed the ‘88-’89 Corvette Challenge cars. Dave Hill’s efforts culminated in birth the all-new ‘97 C5. By the end of ’98, it was obvious the new car was a sales success, posting nearly triple the sales from the previous (abbreviated) season. With the financial bottom line firmly in place, it was time to go racing!
In the fall of 1998, a fully backed GT racing effort was blessed and christened the “C5-R.” The new team was to be managed by Doug Fehan and Ken Brown, engine work was assigned to Joe Negri, and race-car builders Pratt & Miller Fabrication would manage chassis development and car construction.
GT rules required that mostly stock parts be used. This gave the newly redesigned Corvette a competitive advantage. The hydro-formed steel main rails, front and rear chassis cradles, and LS1 engine were nearly track-ready in stock form. From there, it was simply a matter of adding selected race-spec parts to build an all-out competition Corvette.
To hit the 2,500-pound target weight, the C5-R was put on a weight-reduction plan, gaining carbon-fiber body panels and other lightweight pieces. Retained stock parts included the rack-and-pinion steering, front and rear control arms, windshield, auxiliary and driving lights, and basic block design. The modified LS1 engine displaced 427 cid, had 12.5:1 compression, and produced over 600 horsepower and 500 lb-ft of torque. The new body panels were designed for maximum stability at 200 mph. Since the basic shape was already excellent, improvements were limited to add-on appendages and underbody treatments.
Two race cars were built by members of GM Motorsports, Chevrolet Race Shop, Pratt & Miller Fabrication, and Riley & Scott Race Car Engineering. The driving team consisted of Ron Fellows, Andy Pilgrim, John Heinricy, Chris Kneifel, Scott Sharp, and John Paul Jr. After a thorough test session in Sebring in November 1998, the team was ready for its maiden race—the 24 Hours of Daytona in January 1999.
Both Vettes finished the race, outlasting 36 other entries, and one of the cars came in Third in class. The crew, drivers, and machines showed stunning potential for a debut effort. Yes, some minor parts broke, but the Corvette finally had the backing it had deserved since 1953. Wherever he was, Duntov must have been smiling.
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