xjxvw - Registry of Corvette Race Cars

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PRESENTS
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www.roadamerica.com
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ROAD AMERICA
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Chairman
Jonathan P. Laun
P RE SEN TS
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Vice-Presidents
James Jeffords
William Wuesthoff
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Treasurer
Jonathan P. Laun
ROAD AMERICA STAFF
President & General Manager
George Bruggenthies
Hospitality / Rentals Director
Gail Bartelt
Administrative Assistant
Julie Cudworth
Marketing & Promotions Director
Mary Lou Haen
Asst. Finance Manager
Cody Hendler
Programs Manager
Mike Kertscher
Office / Retail Manager
Kathy Kiesau
Technology Supervisor
Jason Perl
Communications Director
Julie Sebranek
Track Manager
Greg Wieser
Safety Director
Carson Wilkinson
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We thank and acknowledge George Bruggenthies and the dedicated staff at Road America, the collectors
who brought their treasured Corvette race cars for all to enjoy on display, race directors Carl Jensen and
Jack Woehrle, and John Rische, Brian Morrison, Kevin Mackay, Lance Miller and others for their work and
enthusiastic support.
We hope you have the time of your life at the Corvette World Tribute.
Sincerely,
Jan Hyde
Jim Gessner
Wayne Ellwood
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CWT Schedule ............................................................. 4
Panels & Presentations .................................................. 7
Corvettes at Road America: 1956-1964 ..............................10
Corvettes & Road America: A Symbiotic Relationship ..............13
Jim Jeffords, Passing the Torch, Corvettes at Carlisle,
Chip Miller and Carlisle Events ........................................14
PUBLISHING STAFF
All Design, Layout & Printing of the official
2011 Corvette World Tribute Program by Varsity Publications, Inc.
Varsity Publications CEO
James Porter
Art Director
Andrew Pfeifer
Photos by www.SportsRacingLtd.com
The dream began in 2007 when we set out to build a Corvette race car database with a classification
system and photos of every year and model of Corvette that raced in the various FIA sanctioned series over
the years. The spark was an Excel file compiled by Jim Gessner documenting 100+/- solid axle Corvette
race cars. Some Sixty Six pages of printout were not practical so we created the website www.registryofcorvetteracecars.com . It offers car rosters of C1 to C6 Corvettes with race history in SCCA Pro and Club
Series, IMSA, FIA Le Mans and Europe, Grand-Am and early NHRA. Our photo collection topped 10,000 at
last count. We periodically publish features on race series and subjects. These write-ups have been well
received and go far beyond what even the best print magazines could offer, even their heyday. Ahead are
Facebook, social marketing, more publishing, mobile aps, video, other media and more events to better
serve our dedicated followers.
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SHOWCASE YOUR BUSINESS IN THIS PUBLICATION
CALL US TODAY! 877-477-2056
PO Box 825 • Pekin, IL 61555 • 877.477.2056
www.varsitypublications.net • [email protected]
19562011
A Retrospective
of Corvettes in
SCCA Club Racing
at Road America
1956
Finance Director
Daniel Lemmer
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Ever since we began the Registry of Corvette Race Cars project, we dreamed
about gathering a large group of Corvette race cars, performance cars and their
drivers at one of the great road circuits of the world. Our relationship to assist
in the Corvette World Tribute at Road America on the 100th anniversary of
Chevrolet makes that dream come true. We have races, displays, track time, the
re-dedication of the Corvette Bridge, the ALMS Corvette Racing Team, a host of
vintage, historic and current Corvette race cars and panels with some renowned
Corvette drivers and celebrities on hand.
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Security Supervisor
Dawn Klister
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We Welcome All Corvette Enthusiasts &
Racers To The Corvette World Tribute.
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Hospitality / Rentals Coordinator
Lori Bramstedt
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Bark Henry,
SCCA CP
Jerry Earl,
SCCA CM
www.VarsityPublications.net
RA 500,
SCCA BP
1958
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1957
Directors
George Bovis
Chris Hartwig
Robert A. Cornog
August U. Pabst
Louis P. Gentine
Ronald Pace
Carl A. Haas
Frederick P. Stratton, Jr.
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Secretary
Charles B. Hill, III
Jack Knab,
SCCA BP
Corvette World Tribute | 3
P R E SE N T S
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Thursday August 18, 2011
7:00am – 5:00pm Registration Gate 6 and parking
9:00am – 5:00pm Corvette Field of Dreams set-up and open
in North Paddock
Corvette Corral opens
Vendor area opens in Midway
10:00am – 10:30am Track orientation with Carl Jensen and
Jack Woehrle, all participants welcome,
location TBD
11:30am – 1:15pm >Track Touring 11:30-12:10; HPDX and
Vintage, Historic, Contemporary race groups
combined, 12:10-1:15. HPDX rules apply in
this session.
4:30pm – 5:30pm Meet and greet reception, Road America Center
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Friday August 19, 2011
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Saturday August 20, 2011
7:00am – 5:00pm Registration Gate 6 and parking
8:00am – 9:15am 1.25 Hr race, SCCA Trans Am
9:00am – 5:00pm Field of Dreams, Corvette Club displays,
vendor areas and Corvette Corral open
10:00am – 11:00am >Road America Center, Corvettes racing thru
time Session 3, The Outlook for the Corvette
Racing Hobby and Collecting, celebrity guests,
panel presentations, Q & A, selected
display cars
11:25am – 12:50pm >Track Touring 11:25-11:50;
HPDX 11:50-12:25; Vintage, Historic,
Contemporary race car groups
12:25-12:50 practice
3:00pm – 7:00pm 4 Hr race ALMS Corvette Racing team
Dinner via advance sign up and pay, time,
place TBD. Showing of Quest Documentary
film to be confirmed.
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Sunday August 21, 2011
4 | Corvette World Tribute
Jim Jeffords,
SCCA BP
Dick Thompson,
SCCA CM
1961
Dick Thompson,
SCCA CM
1960
Jim Jeffords,
SCCA BP
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7:00am – 5:00pm Registration Gate 6 and parking
7:00am – 9:00am Breakfast bar
8:00am – 8:30am Track participants meeting V, H, C, X
and T groups
8:30am ALMS Corvette racing team autographs,
meeting
8:30am – Noon Concours assembly including race cars on
display, vendors open
8:30am Autocross begins
8:30am Practice Vintage group
9:00am Practice Historic and Contemporary group
9:30am HPDX group
10:00am Touring group
10:30am ALL CORVETTE RACE CAR PHOTO at turn
6 newly re-christened Corvette Bridge
11:30am – 1:30pm Lunch tent open
12:30pm Qualifying Vintage group
1:10pm Qualifying Historic and contemporary group
1:50pm HPDX group
2:30pm Touring group
3:00pm Race Vintage group
3:40pm Race Historic and contemporary group
4:20pm HPDX group
4:50pm Touring group
5:20pm Awards and farewell
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1959
1958
7:00am – 5:00pm Registration Gate 6 and parking
9:00am – 5:00pm Corvette Field of Dreams, vendor areas and
Corvette Corral open
10:00am – 11:00am >Road America Center, Corvettes Racing thru
time Session 1 Driving Corvette Race Cars
at the Limit, celebrity guests, panel
presentations, Q & A, selected display cars
11:40am – 1:05pm >Track Touring 11:40-12:10;
HPDX 12:10-12:35; Vintage, Historic,
Contemporary race car groups
12:35-1:05 practice
Noon – 1:05pm ALMS Corvette racing team autographs
in Competition Paddock
1:30pm – 2:00pm CWT Race car drivers meeting, orientation,
location TBD
2:00pm – 3:00pm >Road America Center, Corvettes Racing thru
time Session 2 Preparing Corvette Race Cars
to Win, celebrity guests, panel presentations,
Q & A, selected display cars
3:25pm – 3:40pm Qualifying, ALMS Corvette Racing team
4:30pm – 5:30pm >Corvette Corral, Corvette Racing Team Doug
Fehan and #3 Corvette crew chief Dan Binks,
presentation and benefit auction Camp Anokijig
(An-oh-ki-jig).
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Schedule Subject to Change.
Dick Lang,
SCCA BP
Don Yenko
& Ed
Lowther,
SCCA BP
Enduro
1963
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• Vintage Race Group (V) is for Corvettes manufactured and
prepared to 1972 and earlier racing specs.
• Historic Race Group (H) is for Corvettes with post-1972
specs regardless of year of manufacture; and certain earlier
cars that may be deemed more appropriate for this group.
• Contemporary Race Group (C) classified by race and
tech directors.
• HPDX Group (X) is for track-day Corvettes all years of
manufacture and will be subject to a safety inspection. No
speed limit, experience required, helmets, passing zones
defined.
• Touring Group (T) is open to Corvettes all years of manufacture. 70 mph speed limit, seat belts are required, follow
pace cars.
1962
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Background Photo Courtesy of Todd Lang
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Dick Lang,
SCCA AP
Dick
Thompson,
SCCA AP
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Driving Corvette Race Cars at the Limit
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Panelists:
Panelists:
Jim Jeffords, driver of Nickey Purple People Eater Corvette # 1 1958 and 1959 SCCA
BP National Champion, inducted into the National Corvette Museum Hall of Fame.
Tom Stephani, son and nephew of the owners of Nickey Chevrolet, Corvette historian
and vintage racer.
Bob Bondurant, driver of Washburn Chevrolet Corvette # 614, 1959 Cal Club Champ
and founder of Bondurant School of Racing, inducted into the National Corvette
Museum Hall of Fame.
Tony DeLorenzo, driver of Hanley Dawson Chevrolet SCCA A Production class L88 #
7, founder and leader of Owens Corning Corvette racing team, record consecutive
1969 and 1970 SCCA AP wins and Daytona and Sebring FIA class wins, inducted
into the National Corvette Museum Hall of Fame.
Bill Cooper, driver of Valley Chevrolet # 3 and 1989 Pro Corvette Challenge Series
champion, professional driving instructor.
Andy Pilgrim, driver of Pratt & Miller Corvette Racing Team C5R ALMS Series wins,
professional driving instructor.
Johnny O’Connell, driver of Pratt & Miller Corvette Racing Team C5R and C6R ALMS,
record GT class wins at Sebring, former Le Mans GT class winner.
Ronnie Kaplan, Crew chief and preparation of Nickey Chevrolet Corvettes and other
race car programs.
Dick Guldstrand, SCCA BP west coast Champion, Pro driver for Roger Penske and
Dana Chevrolet, tuning and chassis parts and expert, inducted into the National
Corvette Museum Hall of Fame.
Doug Hooper, Early west coast racer, won Z06 first race driving for Mickey Thompson
at Riverside in October 1962, restored and drove Grand Sport Corvette chassis
#001 roadster in vintage racing, inducted into National Corvette Museum
Hall of Fame.
Gib Hufstader, former GM engineer served under Zora Duntov, devised high
performance parts program, homologation, testing and delivery to Corvette
racers in mid-1960s.
Jerry Thompson, former GM engineer and Owens Corning team mate of Tony
DeLorenzo, builder of several successful Corvette C3 “Shark” and C4 race cars,
inducted into the National Corvette Museum Hall of Fame.
Alan Sevadjian, Duntov Motor Company licensed manufacturer of authentic Grand
Sport continuation Corvettes, former SCCA racer and current vintage racer.
John Heinricy, former GM engineer for High Performance Vehicles, winner of
numerous SCCA Runoffs and professional driver.
Doug Rippie, DRM, Leading C4 Corvette World Challenge and IMSA Supercar Series
tuner and chassis development.
Lou Gigliotti, LG Motorsports, leading constructor of C5 and C6 tube frame chassis,
tuner, winner in SCCA club and pro Trans Am and World Challenge series.
Gary Pratt, Principal and chief engineer for Pratt & Miller Corvette Racing Team,
pioneered design of Corvette tube frame chassis.
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Preparing Corvette Race Cars to Win
Friday, August 19, 10:00 to 11:00 am
Road America Center
Friday, August 19, 2:00 to 3:00 pm
Road America Center
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Presentation and Benefit Auction:
Friday, August 19, 4:30 to 6:00 pm
The Corvette Corral
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Team Players:
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Doug Fehan, GM Manager of the ALMS Corvette C6R Racing Team
Dan Binks, Senior Crew Chief for the ALMS Corvette C6R Racing Team and auctioneer
The Outlook for the Corvette Racing Hobby and Collecting
Saturday, August 20, 10:00 to 11:00am | Road America Center
Panelists:
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Dave Rex,
SCCA BP
Don Yenko,
SCCA AP
Tim Startup,
SCCA AP
Jerry
Thompson,
SCCA AP
1973
Don Yenko,
SCCA BP
1970
Jim Hall,
SCCA
USRRC CM
1969
Dick Lang,
SCCA AP
1967
1964
1963
Kevin Mackay, founder of Corvette Repair, a finder and award winning restorer of Corvette race cars.
Mike Yager, founder of Mid-America Motorworks, a pioneer Corvette mail order business, collector, influential author,
Corvette FunFest and Corvette hobby expert.
Lance Miller, partner and second generation leader Carlisle Events,Corvettes at Carlisle, collector and vintage racer.
Steve Earle, founder in 1974 and manager of the now internationally acclaimed Monterey Historic Races, collector and vintage racer.
Ralph Kramer, former head of Chevrolet public relations, publicized the Corvette Challenge Series and introduction of the ZR1,
author and Corvette expert.
Jim Gessner, Pioneer Corvette historian, First year inductee in Bloomington Gold Great Hall, co-founder of the Registry of Corvette
Race Cars, expert at locating, documenting and selling Corvettes.
Denny Long,
SCCA AP
Corvette World Tribute | 7
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SUBWAY ® restaurant owner Rock Irving’s Formula 500 open wheel car
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Driven
To
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The SUBWAY®restaurants of Wisconsin are proud
to support the 2011 racing season at Road America.
Before the race, stop by and fuel up with one of our breakfast
sandwiches and a hot cup of Seattle’s Best Coffee®. After the
race, motor in for one of our delicious $5 FOOTLONGTM subs.
©2011 Doctor’s Associates Inc. SUBWAY® is a registered trademark of Doctor’s Associates Inc.
Seattle’s Best Coffee® is a registered trademark of Seattle’s Best Coffee, LLC.
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FUEL YOUR AUTOMOTIVE PASSION
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roadandtrack.com
Follow us with:
Facebook.com/RoadandTrack
Twitter.com/RoadandTrack
YouTube.com/RoadandTrack
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Words and photos by
Tom Schultz, Track Historian
2
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The next photo shows Jeffords accelerating
through Thunder Valley. Jeffords achieved fame
as one of the country’s best Corvette drivers.
He won both the 1958 and 1959 SCCA B Production
National Championships with a long series of wins
in the Nickey Corvette. In addition to the National
crowns, he also won the 1958 Nassau Tourist Trophy
race in the Nickey Corvette, and the 1960 Grand Prix
of Havana in a Corvette entered by
Camoradi USA.
1959 Road America 500. Dick Thompson’s Corvette Sting Ray makes a pit stop during the 500.
The Sting Ray, co-driven by Anatole Lapine,
dropped out of the race after 67 laps of the four mile
course. The Corvette started life as the SS “mule” or
the 1957 Sebring 12 Hour race. After General Motors
made one of its periodic withdrawals from racing, Bill
Mitchell, GM’s Director of Styling, purchased the car,
upgraded it, and clothed it in a body that foretold the
production Stingray of 1963-68. It was painted red
for the 1959 season.
10 | Corvette World Tribute
Buzz Fyhrie,
SCCA AP
1975
Jim Durovy
& Bob Kerns,
SCCA BP
1974
1973
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The earlier Corvette SR-2, a modified Corvette
with a headrest, fin, extended nose, and side
brake scoops, was built for Jerry Earl, the son
of GM chief styling executive Harley Earl, to race. At
the end of the 1957 season the car was sold to Jim
Jeffords, who raced it at Sebring and four other races
during 1958. Jeffords scored an overall win in May,
1958, at the SCCA Regional in Milwaukee. In 1959
the car was sold to Indianapolis Chevrolet dealer Bud
Gates, who raced it sporadically. Gates is pictured
exiting Thunder Valley early in the race. His co-driver
was Max Goldman.
Jerry Hansen,
SCCA AP
Rick Stark,
Babe Headley,
Dick Danielson,
SCCA BP & TA
1960 Road America 500 next four photos. The
Bill Mitchell entered Sting Ray is in the pits prior
to the 500. Dick Thompson is the driver, with
James Johnston scheduled to co-drive. In the event,
a couple lengthy pit stops for brake repairs meant
that Johnston never got into the race. In this photo
one can see the rudimentary pit layout used in the
early days of the track. The pits, such as they were
back then, were a row of benches behind which the
crews worked and kept their equipment, re-fuelling
rig, spares, and such. The cars merely pulled off
the racing surface onto a gravel area which
separated the track proper from the row of
benches. Accepted practices today such as a
pit wall, concrete barriers, and separate pit
road were simply not thought of back then.
7
Ron Weaver,
SCCA AP
Gary Carlin,
Phil Currin,
Babe Headley,
SCCA AP,
BP & TA
Paul DePirro,
SCCA BP
1980
1959 SCCA September National weekend. Jim
Jeffords drives the famous Nickey Chevrolet
“Purple People Eater” Corvette to overall victory
in the 120 mile large bore production race. In the first
photo he is lapping an AC Ace-Bristol, exiting Canada
Corner.
1960 June
6
Sprints. Dick
Thompson,
in the Sting Ray now
painted silver and with
aerodynamic improvements, and
Augie Pabst, in the Meister Brauser
Scarab, staged a race for the ages in
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the 140 mile feature event. Pabst and
Thompson swapped the lead several times
before the Sting Ray’s brakes began to fade. Pabst
won overall and in Class BM, while Thompson was
second overall and first in CM. Thompson drove the
Sting Ray the entire season, winning the SCCA CM
National Championship.
1977
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1956 June Sprints. Dick Thompson drives the
CP Corvette #11 in the 44 mile C Production
race. Thompson was just starting to make his
name as a Corvette driver of great renown. However,
in this race he was a non-finisher. Two other Corvettes finished first and second, driven by Bark Henry
and Fred Windridge.
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Bill Mitchell consistently brought various GM show cars to Road
America to display and test public reaction. One such is the Corvette
XP-700, which Mitchell brought to the 1960 500. In this picture, Road
America founder and President, Clif Tufte, is about to be given a lap around
his track. Leaning in to speak with him is long time Chief Steward and
starter, Bud Seaverns.
Dick Thompson hustles the Sting Ray down the Moraine Sweep early
in the race. Thompson ran in second place for the first 120 miles of
the race, behind the Maserati T-61 of Jim Jeffords. Then the brake
problems which seemed to plague the Sting Ray throughout its racing life
began to appear. The brakes began to fade and Thompson had to drop back
and eventually pit for repairs.
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Thompson raises his arm to warn following cars that he is slowing down. The brakes had failed entirely and he was heading to
the pits for a very lengthy pit stop. In fact, part of the repairs consisted of replacing the master cylinder. However, no such spare was available, and the crew cannibalized a Plymouth in the paddock for its master
cylinder, which was installed in the Sting Ray. Thompson finished the race,
but far behind. Fifty years on, Vintage racers running the few straight axle
Corvettes equipped with drum brakes, have mastered the technique for getting the right parts and installing and servicing them for reliable operation.
11
& After the 1963 season the Doane and Davis
Grand Sports were returned to the factory
where they were updated substantially. A much
bigger 377ci engine with four double Weber carbs on a cross over manifold
was put under the hood, while the fenders were punched out to accept fatter
tires. Three cars were once again wheeled out the back door, this time to the
Mecom Racing Team which ran all three at Nassau with some success. It
is believed that John Mecom footed the bill. Once GM found out, the three
cars were recalled once again. For 1964 one car was ‘sold’ to Jim Hall of
Chaparral fame, who ran it in three races. It was not originally scheduled
to race in the 1964 Road America 500. Hall had entered two Chaparrals
but one could not be prepared in time and was a DNS. The Grand Sport
was substituted and was at a disadvantage to the new rear engine V-8
sports racers which were now dominant.
Nonetheless, the driving trio of Hap
Sharp, Roger Penske, and Jim Hall
finished third overall in the 500. In
this shot, Hap Sharp corners the
Grand Sport in turn five early in
the race. The next photo shows
Jim Hall in turn three late in the
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race. Hall ran the Grand Sport
once more that year, numbered
#82 with Roger Penske winning
the Nassau Tourist Trophy race.
This is Grand Sport Chassis #005.
It is now owned and was restored by
Bill Tower, a well- known Florida based
collector of Corvette race cars.
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Notice: These copyrighted images are owned and
provided by Tom Schultz solely and exclusively for use
herein. All rights reserved. Any unauthorized duplication,
alteration or usage in whole or in part is a direct violation of
applicable copyright laws. Violators are subject to prosecution
and damages.
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®
Vern Brown,
SCCA GT1
Rusty
Schmidt,
SCCA GT1
John Heinricy,
SCCA GT1
2004
Jerry
Lancaster,
SCCA GT1
1989
Bard Boand,
SCCA GT1
1982
Larry Stephens,
SCCA GT1
13
Tom’s images are available for sale by contacting him at
[email protected]
10
1981
9
Zora Arkus-Duntov reacted to the Cobra with the
Corvette Grand Sport, a lightweight tube frame
racer clothed in a production Stingray-like body.
However, the project had just gotten underway before General Motors once again pulled the plug on racing. Hence,
Duntov turned his back while a couple Grand Sports
were wheeled out the back door on loan to long time
Chevrolet entrants and pipelines Dick Doane and Grady
Davis. Doane was a Chevrolet dealer in Dundee,
Illinois, who for years had been the front
for Chevrolet’s clandestine racing efforts.
Doane raced his Grand Sport, painted
light metallic blue in a number of events
during 1963. In this photo it is early in
the 1963 Road America 500 and Doane
powers out of turn 14 with the ListerChev of Charlie Hayes following.
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2005
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Boris Tirpack,
SCCA GT1
Max
Lagod,
SCCA
GT1
Corvette World Tribute | 11
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S Y M B I O T I C
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By Dr. Peter J. Gimenez,
R E L AT I O N S H I P
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rom the first June Sprints in 1956 to present day, Corvettes have
played importantly to race fans at Road America. The dual quad
265 small block Corvettes made their mark at Road America that
year and they have continually evolved since. Fuel Injection made its
debut the next year and Road America welcomed it. In 1959 and 1960
Bill Mitchell’s Stingray racer scored with the flying dentist himself, Dr.
Dick Thompson. The production Z06 Sting Rays showed up at the
June Sprints in 1963
with so much similarity
to Mitchell’s Stingray
racer that the American public realized
for the first time that
they could purchase a
new car that could be
considered not only a
sports car, but also a
1964 Jim Hall & Hall Sharp, Grand Sport #005
“Show Car.”
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As racing got more serious, Roger Penske, Jim Hall, and Hap Sharp
entered a specially prepared “lightweight” Corvette Grand Sport
in the1964 USRRC Road America 500 when one of their
Chaparrals was a DNS. Their number 67 Corvette Grand Sport
chassis #005 was welcomed by Road America and finished
the race 3rd Overall.
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Author of Corvette Racing Legends
The Corvettes got faster and the
fans loved it. Names such as
Jeffords, DeLorenzo, Thompson,
Morrison, Weaver, Barker, and
Greenwood all have conquered
Road America and left a memory
with fans around the world.
PR
Corvette Racing Legends is a high quality 424 page hardbound book
that tracks the first 25 years of Corvette racers and Corvettes from
Road America and other significant race tracks including Daytona, Sebring, Le Mans and Watkins Glen. This limited edition book has over
500 color and black and white photos, many published in this book for
the first time.
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See it at:
www.CorvetteRacingLegends.com
for a preview and best of all, it’s on
sale this weekend!
The June Sprints would be the home of the Big Block Corvettes competing in A/production and the later GT-1 category,
while the small block Corvettes ran in the B/production class.
This relationship would continue for over two decades.
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1963
2011
2010
Dick Thompson SCCA AP Grady
Davis team Z06 alongside former
Corvette pilot Bob Johnson in Shelby Cobra 289
John Heinricy,
SCCA T1
Jim Bradley,
SCCA GT1
John Buttermore,
SCCA T1
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1969 Tony DeLorenzo SCCA SP
There are few tracks today that
Owens Corning Racing Team
can boast a relationship like
Road America has with the Corvette. The Corvette Bridge is being rededicated on this 100th anniversary of Chevrolet.. The Corvette Corral
has been a fixture from the very early years. There are Corvettes
racing in the ALMS, Trans Am, World Challenge and Grand-Am GT pro
series and the SCCA Club racing June Sprints and the Runoffs.
Simon Gregg
Leads
Bryan Long,
SCCA GT1
1956-2011
A Retrospective of Corvettes in SCCA
Club Racing at Road America
1970 Herb Caplan SCCA AP
June Sprints
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Notice: These copyrighted images are provided by The Registry of Corvette Race Cars solely
and exclusively for use herein. All rights reserved. Any unauthorized duplication, alteration or
usage in whole or in part is a violation of applicable copyright laws.
The Registry of Corvette Race Cars will use its best efforts to direct interested parties to
the various sources. Contact [email protected]
Corvette World Tribute | 13
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1959 Nickey Purple People Eater Mk II
Driven by Jim Jeffords Chip Miller Pictured
CORVETTES
And Carlisle
CHIP MILLER Events
At
Carlisle
tesy of Wa
yne Ellwood
We
welcome Jim Jeffords and the Nickey Chevrolet Purple
People Eater Mk II to the Corvette World Tribute at Road
America where much of its history played out. Jim
Jeffords drove this car to win the SCCA B Production National
Championship in 1959. Chip Miller and friends discovered the car by
accident and restored it exactly as it was.
Most of us in the Corvette hobby know that Chip Miller was a victim
of Amyloidosis, a rare un-curable blood disease; and left us in March,
2004. Chip will always be remembered and was inducted into the
Corvette Hall of Fame.
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The story of Chip Miller and Corvettes at Carlisle is legend. Back in
1980, Chip Miller and his 1953 Corvette were rejected by the Antique
Auto Club of America at their famed Hershey Car Show. A natural
born salesman and a visionary, Chip and friend Bill Miller rented the
Pennsylvania State Fairground in Carlisle and started their own car
show and swap meet.
Chip Miller loved Corvettes and began collecting them as Carlisle
Events grew into one of the leading car shows and swap meets in the
world. Chip also loved the racing aspect. Today the Chip Miller family
collection boasts a number of historic Corvette race cars.
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Photo Courtesy of Lance Miller
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In 2000, Chip Miller acquired the
first Corvette to win its class at
the world renowned Le Mans 24
hour endurance race. The
legendary Corvette is known
as the Briggs Cunningham
team car #3. Kevin Mackay of
Corvette Repair restored the car
to its exact configuration. Lance fulfilled Chip’s dream to take the car
back to Le Mans last year for a tribute on the 50th anniversary of that
win in 1960. Film maker Michael Brown researched and captured
that story in a brilliant 84 minute documentary.
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There were big shoes to fill at Carlisle.
Seven years onward, Chip’s son
Lance Miller is the active
managing partner
and carries the
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1990 R9G
Escort WC
Driven by Andy Pilgrim
& Others
2001 C5R
Driven by Earnhardt Jr & Sr
& Pilgrim 2nd at Daytona
Carlisle flag at prominent car
shows and meetings around
the country (and you might
add the world). Lance has
also grabbed onto racing with
a passion. Meet Lance and
look for him driving a white
1959 Straight Axle # 3 in the
Vintage race group.
RATING :
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3+2 ( 1,; $5,=21$
ERQGXUDQWFRP 1987 Callaway
Supernatural #003
Driven by Almo Copelli
14 | Corvette World Tribute
Photo Courtesy of Lance Miller
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Photo Cour
Photos Courtesy of Lance Miller
Passing
the Torch
MEET THE LEGEND HIMSELF AT OUR BOOTH THIS WEEKEND!
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Corvette World Tribute | 15