Chevrolet Corvette GTP
Encyclopedia
The Chevrolet Corvette GTP was a GTP-class racing car which participated in the IMSA GT Championship
from 1984 until 1989. Used for General Motors
factory effort in IMSA GT, the car was developed in conjunction with Lola Cars International. Although using the Chevrolet Corvette
name, the car shared almost nothing mechanically with the Corvette and borrowed only some styling elements.
naturally aspirated V8s and Buick
turbocharged V6s were popular engines in the GTP class for privateer teams. However General Motors
(GM) saw the opportunity to enter the IMSA GT Championship
for themselves in the 1984 season in an attempt to bolster their image by fighting against Jaguar
, Porsche
, Nissan, and Mazda
.
General Motors turned to Lola Cars International of the United Kingdom, who had previous experience building cars for Mazda, to build their own chassis, termed the Corvette GTP in an attempt to improve the Corvette image. Following testing on an older Lola T600
with a Chevrolet V8, an all new car was built, termed the T710. The first chassis were delivered to General Motors in 1984 and outfitted with a 3.4 litre turbocharged V6, a destroked version of the 4.3L Chevrolet V6, built by Ryan Falconer. A second chassis, known as T711 used the alternative 5.7 litre naturally aspirated V8, and arrived at GM before the close of 1984. This would allow GM to be able to keep on pace with at least one car, dependent on which engine better suited a track.
The cars featured bodywork similar to a Chevrolet Corvette C4
at the front, with a long pontoon-style tail featuring Corvette tail lights. Large side intakes would feed the radiators while the turbocharged chassis had a snorkel built into the top of the fender to feed the turbocharger. HU8811 became the basis of the design for the tail section of late (1992–1996) C4 Corvettes.
A third chassis was also built in 1987 which introduced modifications made by GM subsidiary Lotus
. Termed T86/12 by Lola, this car featured an active suspension system that would allow the car to alter its suspension stiffness during the race. The car was used in competition only once where its suspension system failed. It was then retained by GM mostly as a developmental prototype.
Two more chassis were added to the Corvette GTP fleet over the next few years, with one built at the end of 1987 for use in 1988, while the other would be completed midway through 1988. Both would regain a naturally aspirated V8, now running at 6.0 litres, but feature only minor mechanical and visual differences from the T86/10s.
. The car was used as a platform for Eagle Performance to attempt to use a 10.2 litre 4 cam,32 valve V8 engine (based on the BB Chevy engine layout) to take on large manufacturers at Le Mans. The car was (slightly) modified to the point that Eagle chose to rename it the Eagle 700. Beyond the modifications necessary to house the large V8 engine internally, the car remained the same as it was run in IMSA series including the 'unique' short tail design that GM developed in its wind tunnel testing for this car and became the basis of the design for the tail section of late (1992–1996) C4 Corvettes.
This car (T8811-HU01) was and remains the pinnacle of Corvette race development and is currently being put back to IMSA spec's with the SBC engine for Vintage Racing.
and taking another 13th place finish at Sears Point
.
For 1985, the second Corvette GTP chassis was initially given to Lee Racing for its debut at the 24 Hours of Daytona
but would suffer gearbox problems and not finish. This was followed by a seventh place finish at Miami, then another failure to finish at the 12 Hours of Sebring
. This would be followed by a string of failures at Charlotte, Mid-Ohio
, and Watkins Glen
. However by Road America
, NASCAR team Hendrick Motorsports
would take over the former Racing Systems car, becoming the factory-backed team with GM Goodwrench
sponsorship and leading driver David Hobbs. Unfortunately the team did not manage to finish any races by the end of the season, although Lee Racing did rebound to score an eighth place finish at the second race at Watkins Glen and then tenth at the Daytona
season finale.
Into 1986, Hendrick Motorsports and Lee Racing would continue their campaign with mixed results. Although both teams failed to finish the first three races of the season, Hendrick would manage to take the first victory for the Corvette GTP at Road Atlanta
for Doc Bundy
and Sarel van der Merwe. However by that time Lee Racing abandoned their effort. Hendrick would continue on and manage a fourth place finish at Charlotte, seventh at Lime Rock
, and third at Mid-Ohio
. The Corvette GTP would follow this with its second victory on the streets of Palm Beach
, defeating a Porsche 962
by four tenths of a second. Unfortunately the car would fail to finish at Watkins Glen
, but return for an eighth place finish at Portland
. By Sears Point
, Hendrick would purchase Lee racing's former chassis to start a two-car campaign. Unfortunately Hendrick would not be able to see the same success by the end of the season, leaving Chevrolet
to take third in the constructors championship to Porsche
and Jaguar
.
Hendrick started 1987 the same way they had 1986, failing to finish the first three races of the season, even suffering from a fire during the Miami event. Unfortunately Hendrick continued to have problems until they were finally able to finish a race at Laguna Seca
, the sixth round of the season, and managing a second place result, then a third and eleventh for the two car team at Mid-Ohio. Following a short stint of problems, the duo would finish fourth and seventh at Portland, followed quickly by a lone third at Sears Point. One final third came in the streets of San Antonio before Hendrick would close out the season with a series of problems. However, problems at Jaguar helped Chevrolet secure second in the manufacturers championship, once again losing to Porsche.
By 1988, the Corvette GTPs were becoming slightly more consistent as the team managed to overcome their mechanical woes, helped by a switch to the naturally aspirated V8s. The season again began slow, with an eighth place finish at Road Atlanta
be the first finish by a Corvette GTP that season. A seventh at Lime Rock and Mid-Ohio would be followed by a third at Watkins Glen, tenth at Road America, and finally ninth at Sears Point before the Hendrick team would be joined by the new Peerless Racing squad, using the newest Corvette GTP chassis. Peerless would take a fourth place at Columbus, followed closely behind by Hendrick in fifth. Hendrick would close the season with a fifth at Del Mar. Chevrolet would however manage to finish fourth in championship.
After the 1988 season, General Motors chose to cancel their funding for the Corvette GTP project, and Hendrick Motorsport did not return to IMSA GT. Peerless Racing would attempt to continue into 1989, but a series of accidents led to them failing to finish any of the races they entered, (although they did run as high as 4th at Watkins Glen with only 4 laps go when a tire failed, forcing them to quit midway through the season. The Peerless car would later be used by Eagle Performance as an experiment with their large 10.2 litre (4 Cam-32 valve) V8 engine, entering it in the 24 Hours of Le Mans
. The car would however suffer electrical problems during the qualifying sessions and would not be able to make the race, marking the end of the Corvette GTP.
T710-HU01
T711-HU02
T86/10-HU01
T86/10-HU02
T86/12-HU03
T87/10-HU01
T88/11-HU01
IMSA GT Championship
IMSA GT was a sports car racing series organized by International Motor Sports Association. Races took place primarily in the United States and occasionally in Canada.-History:...
from 1984 until 1989. Used for General Motors
General Motors
General Motors Company , commonly known as GM, formerly incorporated as General Motors Corporation, is an American multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Detroit, Michigan and the world's second-largest automaker in 2010...
factory effort in IMSA GT, the car was developed in conjunction with Lola Cars International. Although using the Chevrolet Corvette
Chevrolet Corvette
The Chevrolet Corvette is a sports car by the Chevrolet division of General Motors that has been produced in six generations. The first model, a convertible, was designed by Harley Earl and introduced at the GM Motorama in 1953 as a concept show car. Myron Scott is credited for naming the car after...
name, the car shared almost nothing mechanically with the Corvette and borrowed only some styling elements.
Development
Prior to 1984, ChevroletChevrolet
Chevrolet , also known as Chevy , is a brand of vehicle produced by General Motors Company . Founded by Louis Chevrolet and ousted GM founder William C. Durant on November 3, 1911, General Motors acquired Chevrolet in 1918...
naturally aspirated V8s and Buick
Buick
Buick is a premium brand of General Motors . Buick models are sold in the United States, Canada, Mexico, China, Taiwan, and Israel, with China being its largest market. Buick holds the distinction as the oldest active American make...
turbocharged V6s were popular engines in the GTP class for privateer teams. However General Motors
General Motors
General Motors Company , commonly known as GM, formerly incorporated as General Motors Corporation, is an American multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Detroit, Michigan and the world's second-largest automaker in 2010...
(GM) saw the opportunity to enter the IMSA GT Championship
IMSA GT Championship
IMSA GT was a sports car racing series organized by International Motor Sports Association. Races took place primarily in the United States and occasionally in Canada.-History:...
for themselves in the 1984 season in an attempt to bolster their image by fighting against Jaguar
Jaguar (car)
Jaguar Cars Ltd, known simply as Jaguar , is a British luxury car manufacturer, headquartered in Whitley, Coventry, England. It is part of the Jaguar Land Rover business, a subsidiary of the Indian company Tata Motors....
, Porsche
Porsche
Porsche Automobil Holding SE, usually shortened to Porsche SE a Societas Europaea or European Public Company, is a German based holding company with investments in the automotive industry....
, Nissan, and Mazda
Mazda
is a Japanese automotive manufacturer based in Fuchū, Aki District, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan.In 2007, Mazda produced almost 1.3 million vehicles for global sales...
.
General Motors turned to Lola Cars International of the United Kingdom, who had previous experience building cars for Mazda, to build their own chassis, termed the Corvette GTP in an attempt to improve the Corvette image. Following testing on an older Lola T600
Lola T600
The Lola T600 was a racing car introduced in 1981 by Lola Cars as a customer chassis. It was the first GT prototype race car to incorporate ground-effect tunnels for downforce. The revolutionary aerodynamic design of the T600 was widely imitated throughout the 1980s by International Motor Sports...
with a Chevrolet V8, an all new car was built, termed the T710. The first chassis were delivered to General Motors in 1984 and outfitted with a 3.4 litre turbocharged V6, a destroked version of the 4.3L Chevrolet V6, built by Ryan Falconer. A second chassis, known as T711 used the alternative 5.7 litre naturally aspirated V8, and arrived at GM before the close of 1984. This would allow GM to be able to keep on pace with at least one car, dependent on which engine better suited a track.
The cars featured bodywork similar to a Chevrolet Corvette C4
Chevrolet Corvette C4
The Chevrolet Corvette is a sports car produced by the Chevrolet division of General Motors for the 1984 through 1996 model years. The editors of Consumer Guide stated: "The first fully redesigned Corvette in 15 years was more sophisticated and more practical than the beloved Shark...
at the front, with a long pontoon-style tail featuring Corvette tail lights. Large side intakes would feed the radiators while the turbocharged chassis had a snorkel built into the top of the fender to feed the turbocharger. HU8811 became the basis of the design for the tail section of late (1992–1996) C4 Corvettes.
Later chassis
Following the first full season for the Corvette GTP in 1985, the cars were replaced with new chassis for 1986. Termed T86/10 by Lola, the new cars featured evolved bodywork which included a smaller opening for the side radiator. The rear pontoons were also able to be removed on the new chassis for courses that did not require longer tails. GM mostly abandoned the use of the naturally aspirated V8, opting instead for the turbocharged V6, now at a smaller 3.0 litre displacement.A third chassis was also built in 1987 which introduced modifications made by GM subsidiary Lotus
Lotus Cars
Lotus Cars is a British manufacturer of sports and racing cars based at the former site of RAF Hethel, a World War II airfield in Norfolk. The company designs and builds race and production automobiles of light weight and fine handling characteristics...
. Termed T86/12 by Lola, this car featured an active suspension system that would allow the car to alter its suspension stiffness during the race. The car was used in competition only once where its suspension system failed. It was then retained by GM mostly as a developmental prototype.
Two more chassis were added to the Corvette GTP fleet over the next few years, with one built at the end of 1987 for use in 1988, while the other would be completed midway through 1988. Both would regain a naturally aspirated V8, now running at 6.0 litres, but feature only minor mechanical and visual differences from the T86/10s.
Eagle Performance 700
Following the abandonment of the project at the end of 1988 by General Motors and the end of privateer competition by Peerless Racing in 1989, the decision was made to take Peerless' car into international racing, entering the 1990 24 Hours of Le Mans1990 24 Hours of Le Mans
The 1990 24 Hours of Le Mans was the 58th Grand Prix of Endurance, and took place on June 16 and 17 1990.-Pre-race:This was the first race after the installation of two chicanes along the Mulsanne Straight in an attempt to slow the prototypes down after speeds of were reached in previous...
. The car was used as a platform for Eagle Performance to attempt to use a 10.2 litre 4 cam,32 valve V8 engine (based on the BB Chevy engine layout) to take on large manufacturers at Le Mans. The car was (slightly) modified to the point that Eagle chose to rename it the Eagle 700. Beyond the modifications necessary to house the large V8 engine internally, the car remained the same as it was run in IMSA series including the 'unique' short tail design that GM developed in its wind tunnel testing for this car and became the basis of the design for the tail section of late (1992–1996) C4 Corvettes.
This car (T8811-HU01) was and remains the pinnacle of Corvette race development and is currently being put back to IMSA spec's with the SBC engine for Vintage Racing.
Racing history
Debuting in 1984 at the Grand Prix of Miami, the first Corvette GTP was run under the Racing Systems team name in a mostly all white paint scheme. The car managed to finish 13th overall after starting 29th. However the car would only appear two more times in 1984, failing to finish at RiversideRiverside International Raceway
Riverside International Raceway was a race track or road course in Riverside, California. The track was in operation from September 22, 1957, to July 2, 1989...
and taking another 13th place finish at Sears Point
Infineon Raceway
Infineon Raceway, formerly Sears Point Raceway, is a road course and drag strip located on the landform known as Sears Point in the southern Sonoma Mountains near Sonoma, California, USA. The course is a complex series of twists and turns that go up and down the hills...
.
For 1985, the second Corvette GTP chassis was initially given to Lee Racing for its debut at the 24 Hours of Daytona
24 Hours of Daytona
The 24 Hours of Daytona, currently known as the Rolex 24 Daytona for sponsorship reasons, is a 24-hour sports car endurance race held annually at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. It is run on a combined road course, utilizing portions of the NASCAR tri-oval and an infield...
but would suffer gearbox problems and not finish. This was followed by a seventh place finish at Miami, then another failure to finish at the 12 Hours of Sebring
12 Hours of Sebring
The 12 Hours of Sebring is an annual motorsport endurance race for sports cars held at Sebring International Raceway, a former Army Air Force base in Sebring, Florida...
. This would be followed by a string of failures at Charlotte, Mid-Ohio
Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course
Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course is a road course auto racing facility located in Troy Township, Morrow County, Ohio, United States, just outside of the village of Lexington...
, and Watkins Glen
Watkins Glen International
Watkins Glen International is an auto race track located near Watkins Glen, New York, at the southern tip of Seneca Lake. The facility is owned by International Speedway Corporation...
. However by Road America
Road America
Road America is a road course located near Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin on Wisconsin Highway 67. It has hosted races since the 1950s and currently hosts races in the NASCAR Nationwide Series , American Le Mans , SCCA Speed World Challenge Series, ASRA, and AMA Superbike series.- Current track and...
, NASCAR team Hendrick Motorsports
Hendrick Motorsports
Hendrick Motorsports , originally named All Star Racing, is a current American auto racing team created in 1984 by Rick Hendrick. The team currently competes in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with Chevrolet Impalas...
would take over the former Racing Systems car, becoming the factory-backed team with GM Goodwrench
GM Goodwrench
GM Goodwrench is an auto repair service for General Motors in Canada, and previously, the United States. In 2011, GM replaced Goodwrench in the US with separate Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, and GMC Certified Service brands.-Background:...
sponsorship and leading driver David Hobbs. Unfortunately the team did not manage to finish any races by the end of the season, although Lee Racing did rebound to score an eighth place finish at the second race at Watkins Glen and then tenth at the Daytona
Daytona International Speedway
Daytona International Speedway is a race track in Daytona Beach, Florida, United States. Since opening in 1959, it has been the home of the Daytona 500, one of the most prestigious races in NASCAR. In addition to NASCAR, the track also hosts races of ARCA, AMA Superbike, Grand-Am and Motocross...
season finale.
Into 1986, Hendrick Motorsports and Lee Racing would continue their campaign with mixed results. Although both teams failed to finish the first three races of the season, Hendrick would manage to take the first victory for the Corvette GTP at Road Atlanta
Road Atlanta
Road Atlanta is a 2.54-mile road course located just north of Braselton, Georgia, USA. The facility is utilized for a wide variety of events, including professional and amateur sports car and motorcycle races, racing and driving schools, corporate programs and testing for motorsports teams...
for Doc Bundy
Doc Bundy
Doc Bundy is an American former race car driver who competed in the International Motor Sports Association. He drove in the 1997 24 Hours of Le Mans in a David Price Racing Panoz Esperante GTR-1...
and Sarel van der Merwe. However by that time Lee Racing abandoned their effort. Hendrick would continue on and manage a fourth place finish at Charlotte, seventh at Lime Rock
Lime Rock Park
Lime Rock Park is a natural-terrain motorsport road racing venue located in Lime Rock, Connecticut, United States, a hamlet in the village of Lakeville, Connecticut, in the state’s northwest corner...
, and third at Mid-Ohio
Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course
Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course is a road course auto racing facility located in Troy Township, Morrow County, Ohio, United States, just outside of the village of Lexington...
. The Corvette GTP would follow this with its second victory on the streets of Palm Beach
Palm Beach, Florida
The Town of Palm Beach is an incorporated town in Palm Beach County, Florida, United States. The Intracoastal Waterway separates it from the neighboring cities of West Palm Beach and Lake Worth...
, defeating a Porsche 962
Porsche 962
The Porsche 962 was a sports-prototype racing car built by Porsche as a replacement for the 956 and designed mainly to comply with IMSA's GTP regulations, although it would later compete in the European Group C formula as the 956 had...
by four tenths of a second. Unfortunately the car would fail to finish at Watkins Glen
Watkins Glen International
Watkins Glen International is an auto race track located near Watkins Glen, New York, at the southern tip of Seneca Lake. The facility is owned by International Speedway Corporation...
, but return for an eighth place finish at Portland
Portland International Raceway
Portland International Raceway is located in Portland, Oregon, USA's, Delta Park complex on the former site of Vanport, just south of the Columbia River. It is west of a light rail station and less than a mile west of Interstate 5....
. By Sears Point
Infineon Raceway
Infineon Raceway, formerly Sears Point Raceway, is a road course and drag strip located on the landform known as Sears Point in the southern Sonoma Mountains near Sonoma, California, USA. The course is a complex series of twists and turns that go up and down the hills...
, Hendrick would purchase Lee racing's former chassis to start a two-car campaign. Unfortunately Hendrick would not be able to see the same success by the end of the season, leaving Chevrolet
Chevrolet
Chevrolet , also known as Chevy , is a brand of vehicle produced by General Motors Company . Founded by Louis Chevrolet and ousted GM founder William C. Durant on November 3, 1911, General Motors acquired Chevrolet in 1918...
to take third in the constructors championship to Porsche
Porsche
Porsche Automobil Holding SE, usually shortened to Porsche SE a Societas Europaea or European Public Company, is a German based holding company with investments in the automotive industry....
and Jaguar
Jaguar (car)
Jaguar Cars Ltd, known simply as Jaguar , is a British luxury car manufacturer, headquartered in Whitley, Coventry, England. It is part of the Jaguar Land Rover business, a subsidiary of the Indian company Tata Motors....
.
Hendrick started 1987 the same way they had 1986, failing to finish the first three races of the season, even suffering from a fire during the Miami event. Unfortunately Hendrick continued to have problems until they were finally able to finish a race at Laguna Seca
Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca
Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca is a paved road racing track used for both auto racing and motorcycle racing, originally constructed in 1957 near both Salinas and Monterey, California, USA....
, the sixth round of the season, and managing a second place result, then a third and eleventh for the two car team at Mid-Ohio. Following a short stint of problems, the duo would finish fourth and seventh at Portland, followed quickly by a lone third at Sears Point. One final third came in the streets of San Antonio before Hendrick would close out the season with a series of problems. However, problems at Jaguar helped Chevrolet secure second in the manufacturers championship, once again losing to Porsche.
By 1988, the Corvette GTPs were becoming slightly more consistent as the team managed to overcome their mechanical woes, helped by a switch to the naturally aspirated V8s. The season again began slow, with an eighth place finish at Road Atlanta
Road Atlanta
Road Atlanta is a 2.54-mile road course located just north of Braselton, Georgia, USA. The facility is utilized for a wide variety of events, including professional and amateur sports car and motorcycle races, racing and driving schools, corporate programs and testing for motorsports teams...
be the first finish by a Corvette GTP that season. A seventh at Lime Rock and Mid-Ohio would be followed by a third at Watkins Glen, tenth at Road America, and finally ninth at Sears Point before the Hendrick team would be joined by the new Peerless Racing squad, using the newest Corvette GTP chassis. Peerless would take a fourth place at Columbus, followed closely behind by Hendrick in fifth. Hendrick would close the season with a fifth at Del Mar. Chevrolet would however manage to finish fourth in championship.
After the 1988 season, General Motors chose to cancel their funding for the Corvette GTP project, and Hendrick Motorsport did not return to IMSA GT. Peerless Racing would attempt to continue into 1989, but a series of accidents led to them failing to finish any of the races they entered, (although they did run as high as 4th at Watkins Glen with only 4 laps go when a tire failed, forcing them to quit midway through the season. The Peerless car would later be used by Eagle Performance as an experiment with their large 10.2 litre (4 Cam-32 valve) V8 engine, entering it in the 24 Hours of Le Mans
24 Hours of Le Mans
The 24 Hours of Le Mans is the world's oldest sports car race in endurance racing, held annually since near the town of Le Mans, France. Commonly known as the Grand Prix of Endurance and Efficiency, race teams have to balance speed against the cars' ability to run for 24 hours without sustaining...
. The car would however suffer electrical problems during the qualifying sessions and would not be able to make the race, marking the end of the Corvette GTP.
Chassis
In total, seven cars would be built under the Corvette GTP name, although nearly all had different designations by Lola. The '10' in the chassis number indicates a 'Turbo V-6' factory designation and the '11' in the chassia number indicates a 'V-8' factory designated design.T710-HU01
- Racing Systems (1984)
- Hendrick Motorsport (1985–1986)
- Winner at Road Atlanta (1986)
T711-HU02
- Lee Racing (1985–1986)
- Hendrick Motorsport (1986)
T86/10-HU01
- Hendrick Motorsport (1986–1987)
- Winner at Palm Beach (1986)
T86/10-HU02
- Hendrick Motorsport (1986–1988)
T86/12-HU03
- Hendrick Motorsport (1987)
- Equipped with LotusLotus CarsLotus Cars is a British manufacturer of sports and racing cars based at the former site of RAF Hethel, a World War II airfield in Norfolk. The company designs and builds race and production automobiles of light weight and fine handling characteristics...
active suspension
T87/10-HU01
- Hendrick Motorsport (1988)
T88/11-HU01
- Peerless Racing (1988–1989)
- Eagle Performance (1990)
- Leicester Racing (1992- )
External links
- Lola Heritage - Corvette GTP T88/11-HU01 history
- World Sports racing Prototypes - Lola Group C/GTP chassis history
- http://www.racingsportscars.com/chassis/photo/T8811-HU01.html