[gaijin]

(Continuation)

Corvette Racing Statistics
The following is a statistical summary of Corvette Racing's championship season in 11 events (10 ALMS races and the 24 Hours of Le Mans):

Victories: 10 (three by No. 3, seven by No. 4)
1-2 Finishes: 9
Fastest Qualifiers: 7 (two by No. 3, five by No. 4)
Fastest Race Laps: 8 (five by Gavin, three by Beretta)
Total laps: 4,014 (2001 by No. 3, 2013 by No. 4)
Total miles: 14,654 (7315 by No. 3, 7339 by No. 4)

Bumps in the Road
There were some rough patches in Corvette Racing's road to the championship. Running first and second in the season-opening Sebring 12-hour race, both cars sustained heavy damage in accidents at the 8-hour mark. In Portland, Beretta was hit by a spinning prototype; in Lime Rock, Fellows was forced into a tire barrier by an impatient LMP1 driver. Yet in every instance, the cars were repaired and the drivers finished the race on the podium.

"As a team, we were not at all happy about our Sebring result," Fehan recalled. "We had worked for a year on the C6.R to ensure that we would be able to go out and win. We don't like finishing second and third. I didn't have to say anything when we got back to the race shop because you knew what was on everybody's mind. We were determined to make it clear we were not ready to relinquish the throne."

Gavin agreed: "There was a great deal of resolve and dedication by the team that we were going to turn this around and not get affected by one bad result," said the Briton. "We actually managed to come away from Sebring with a reasonable outcome, finishing second and third. Considering what happened to the cars, that was really a marvelous performance."

Louis Chevrolet, race car driver and co-founder of the car company that bears his name, had a motto: "Never give up." Corvette Racing lives by that credo.

"The crashes we had at Sebring and Lime Rock would have destroyed other cars, but our guys drove them back to the pits and said, 'Come on, let's go!'" Fehan remembered. "The Corvettes ran some of the fastest laps of the race after they were repaired in the pit lane. That's the result of great design, fabrication and the ability of the crew. The Corvettes have earned their reputation as being virtually indestructible."

Winning in the Marketplace
Corvette Racing's accomplishments extend beyond the race track. The success of Chevy's works team reflects the technical and human resources of General Motors, the world's largest automaker. The racing program is an integral part of GM's strategy to use motorsports to develop technology, people and processes that benefit customers.

"Corvette is a performance icon that competes successfully against international competition on the track and in the marketplace," said Corvette marketing manager Karen Rafferty. "Corvette is synonymous with passion, and the brand is enthusiastically supported by owners, race fans and Chevrolet dealers."

That support was evident as thousands of Corvette owners participated in Corvette Corrals at ALMS events and a contingent of Corvette owners cheered the team to victory at Le Mans. The team was spotlighted in a one-hour "Rides" documentary on The Learning Channel and featured in dozens of publications and on Web sites around the world. O'Connell and four-time NASCAR champion Jeff Gordon put the new race-inspired Corvette Z06 supercar through its paces for a special on SPEED.

"Activities such as the Corvette Corrals are an opportunity for Corvette owners to celebrate their enthusiasm for the marque and for us to thank them for their support," said Rafferty. "Customers were able to get close to the drivers, and that doesn't happen in many racing series."

Looking Ahead
Corvette Racing's championship-winning C6.Rs will be replaced by two new cars for the 2006 campaign that begins at the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring on March 18. The team's to-do list for next season includes continued refinement of the underbody aerodynamics and engine specifications as permitted by the series regulations.

"Just when I think the Corvette team has done all that can be done, they surprise me," said GM Racing director Mark Kent. "I just can't wait to see what they do next, and I'm glad that our racing efforts will be part of making the next generation Corvette even better."