04Dec2006
2006 Memories from the GM Racing Team
Standing on the pit lane wall at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, waving the American flag as Corvette Racing won its class for the fifth time. That was easily the best! General Motors experienced another memorable racing season in 2006, capturing 13 racing championships and setting new records in the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series, NHRA POWERade Series and Rolex Series GT class, to name a few. In total, GM Racing scored five manufacturers championships and eight drivers titles – …
Nominated to the American Auto Racing Writers and Broadcasters Association’s Annual All America Team Braselton, Ga. – It wasn’t easy but Corvette Racing’s Olivier Beretta and Oliver Gavin again were the class of GT1 in the American Le Mans Series for 2006. For the second straight year they teamed for the class drivers title and have been nominated to the American Auto Racing Writers and Broadcasters Association’s annual All America team in the At-Large category. The duo recorded four class …
Panel of Experts Selects Le Mans-Winning LS7.R as Global Motorsport Engine of the Year COLOGNE, Germany – GM’s small-block V-8 added another accolade to a long list of honors when Corvette Racing’s LS7.R was named the Global Motorsport Engine of the Year at the inaugural Professional Motorsport World Expo in Cologne, Germany, on November 9. The race-prepared LS7.R engine, which shares its architecture with the production LS7 small-block V-8, propelled Corvette Racing to its fifth GT1 class victory in the …
Corvette Racing and Team Cadillac Personnel Receive Special Recognition Awards MONTEREY, Calif. – Following the conclusion of the 2006 American Le Mans Series and the SCCA SPEED World Challenge Championships at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca on Oct. 21-22, GM’s factory road racing teams won special recognition in post-season award ceremonies. Corvette Racing driver Ron Fellows was voted the Most Popular Driver in the ALMS, Corvette Racing’s Dan Binks was honored as the GT1 Crew Chief of the Year, and Team …
Gavin and Beretta Clinch Manufacturers, Team and Drivers Championships with Runner-Up Finish in Season Finale MONTEREY, Calif. – Corvette Racing capped Corvette’s 50th anniversary in international road racing by sweeping the American Le Mans Series manufacturers, drivers and team championships in tonight’s season finale at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. A runner-up finish by Oliver Gavin and Olivier Beretta in the No. 4 Compuware Corvette C6.R at the Monterey Sports Car Championships wrapped up Chevrolet’s sixth consecutive manufacturers’ title and gave …
O’Connell Leads Chevrolet’s Charge for Sixth Manufacturers Championship MONTEREY, Calif. – Corvette Racing’s yellow Compuware Corvette C6.Rs were sandwiched between a pair of green Aston Martins as qualifying for Saturday’s American Le Mans Series season finale was completed today at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. Johnny O’Connell will lead the charge for Chevrolet’s sixth consecutive GT1 manufacturers championship after qualifying his No. 3 Compuware Corvette C6.R second in the GT1 class at 1:21.229 (99.18 mph). Olivier Beretta was third quickest at …
Two of the most pleasant personalities in the American Le Mans Series MONTEREY, Calif. – Two of the most pleasant personalities in the American Le Mans Series just happen to be involved in one of the most watched championship battles in its history. Corvette Racing’s Oliver Gavin and Aston Martin Racing’s Darren Turner each have championships on the line in this weekend’s Monterey Sports Car Championships at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. For Gavin, it’s a second straight drivers title with …
Kent was Named to the List for Overseeing GM’s Success in a Cross Section of Motor Racing Detroit – Mark Kent, director of GM Racing, was named one of RACER magazine’s 24 powerful and influential individuals in the motorsports industry. Kent joins the ranks of the France family, Chevrolet driver and 2005 Nextel Cup champion Tony Stewart, IRL founder Tony George and prominent people in today’s auto racing community who help make the sport exhilarating, relevant, safe and entertaining. Kent …
Chevrolet Team Aims for Sixth Straight GT1 Manufacturers’ Title at Laguna Seca MONTEREY, Calif. – After nine hard-fought races that spanned the length and breadth of North America, it all comes down to this: four intense hours at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca that will decide the American Le Mans Series GT1 manufacturers, team and drivers championships. The Monterey Sports Car Championships will pit America’s premier sports car team against the best of Great Britain. Going into the decisive 10th round …
Points Battle is as Close as Ever MONTEREY, Calif. – They are teammates now but were rivals in the past. Corvette Racing’s Ron Fellows and Olivier Beretta have been part of the GT1 championship picture in the American Le Mans Series since its formation in 1999. Especially thrilling were the battles between the Corvette C5-Rs and the red ORECA Vipers in the early years of the Series. It never got closer than at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in 2000. Beretta …