Ron Fellows: Not Hanging up the Helmet Just Yet

[gaijin]

Ron Fellows: Not Hanging up the Helmet Just Yet
Wednesday, 21 March 2007

Road racing veteran Ron Fellows has accomplished it all in his illustrious career. As one of the primary faces of the American Le Mans Series, the Windsor, Ontario, Canada-native has been racing for over four decades with success in a number of series. 2007 marks a new chapter in the career of Fellows, as he shifts his focus from competing full-time behind the wheel of a Corvette C6.R to being an ambassador to GM Racing’s road race program. However, the likeable Canadian isn’t giving up racing all together.

It was announced in February that the three-time ALMS GT1 champion would scale back his racing program with Corvette Racing for 2007. Fellows felt that it was the right time to make the change.

“I think just the timing was right to do that,” Fellows said. “Basically, its not exactly how I wanted to do it [but I will] hopefully get a little more time not only to spend with the family but I am interested in helping GM Racing in all areas. This gives me an opportunity to do some unfinished business in NASCAR.”

His schedule on the Corvette side of things this year consists of four races – the 12 Hours of Sebring, 24 Hours of Le Mans, Grand Prix of Mosport and the Petit Le Mans. The likeable Canadian is most looking forward to his home event at Mosport, a track which he holds a lot of memories with.

“I’ll be honest with you – Mosport,” Fellows said. “That’s the home race and the very first car race I went to was at Mosport in 1969. I basically grew up an hour from there. That will be an emotional event for sure.”

For Mosport, Fellows will be in a third Corvette Racing C6.R, partnering a yet-to-be-announced driver. It is expected that the driver will come within the GM Racing family.


When the former Trans-Am driver won’t be in the cockpit of a Corvette C6.R, he will be staying busy, whether advising in the pits or mingling with the fans at the Corvette Coral.

“Essentially, what we’ve got is an incredibly enthusiastic Corvette ownership group that goes to the races,” Fellows said. “I will be able to spend a little bit more time with them on the rest of the weekends that I’m not racing.”

“I’m also going to advise on the technical side of things, helping the drivers and engineers on race weekends,” he added. “I’m looking forward to that. I don’t want to go away. I want to stay involved because I love doing this. Actually, the technical side in terms of developing the car is what I enjoy the most.”


During the winter, Chevrolet launched the Ron Fellows ALMS GT1 Champion Corvette Z06 road car. With a limited production of 500, the commemorative-edition car which comes in Artic White recognizes the success of not only Fellows, but the whole team.

“It was obviously hugely flattering to have that happen and it’s really a reflection of the kind of success we’ve had as a group at Corvette Racing,” Fellows said. “I am fortunate to have my name on it but it’s a reflection of the success we’ve had as a team.”

The Corvette Racing team went one step further by painting up Fellows’ No. 3 Compuware Corvette C6.R in the Artic White livery for Sebring as a surprise on race day. It was a fitting touch to pay tribute to Fellows’ final appearance in the 12 Hours of Sebring as a driver. Fellows, along with co-drivers Johnny O’Connell and Jan Magnussen finished second in the race. Teammates Olivier Beretta, Oliver Gavin and Max Papis picked up class honors, making it a Corvette 1-2 finish.


The next race on the calendar for the series is the Acura Sports Car Challenge at St. Petersburg. It will be Fellows’ first race to sit out, breaking his string of 57 consecutive starts in the ALMS which is an all-time series record. He knows it won’t be easy to give up the reigns but on the other hand, no driver can continue racing forever.

“I’m sure its not going to be easy,” Fellows said. “At the same time, in any athletic endeavor, you can’t do it forever. These cars beat up your body, even more so than in NASCAR. I’ve had two shoulder surgeries with the most recent one being in December so it’s taking its toll somewhat. It’s just a message that we’ve been doing this for a long time. I’m not stopping driving by any means. We’ll be able to pick and choose what I want to do and stay involved with the team.”



Fellows has enjoyed being with the Pratt & Miller team since the inception of the Corvette Racing program. Many key members within the organization have also been there since day one.

“That’s one of the things that I have enjoyed with this program in particular having been part of it since day one,” Fellows said. “Gary Pratt, Jim Miller, Robin Pratt – this is family. A lot of the guys who are working on my car for instance have been here since day one. It’s interesting that you’re with a team this long. I’ve found in the past that you stay with the team three or four years and want to move onto a new challenge. It’s not been like that here. It’s hard to believe its 10 years since we first started development of the Corvette. Time has flown by but it’s been an enjoyable ride with all these guys.”

During the past ten years, there have been some memorable moments for the program. Fellows remembers three in particular that stood out from the rest.

“To me there are three and they were all about firsts,” he said. “We got our very first win in September of 2000 – Andy Pilgrim and I driving the Corvette. It was extremely hot conditions in Texas. It was our first big win. We beat the Vipers there. Getting an overall win at Daytona in 2001 and following it up with a class win in the 24 Hours of Le Mans the same year [are the other two memorable moments].


The monumental win at Daytona was even more special for the whole Corvette crew as NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt and his son, Dale Earnhardt Jr., joined the team for the race. It was unfortunately one of the final races for Dale Sr. as his life was tragically taken in the Daytona 500 just a few weeks later.

“I guess probably Daytona was one just because of the connection with the Earnhardt’s and getting to know Dale Sr,” Fellows said. “He unfortunately died a couple weeks later. Jackie Stewart, who was another childhood hero of mine, was the grand marshal there and he was the one who presented us with the Rolex watches in victory lane. That was part of the three that was most memorable for me.”

At the end of the 2006 season, Aston Martin Racing left the ALMS. With no other competition, it put Corvette Racing as the only team in the GT1 class for 2007. Fellows is disappointed at Prodrive’s decision to not take part but also doesn’t doubt them from possibly returning in the future.

“I guess we are a little disappointed that the Prodrive group has disappeared,” Fellows explained. “I am not so sure mainly because David Richards, who heads up Prodrive, he and a group have just purchased Aston Martin. I think when you have two manufacturers like that [go] head-to-head and its competitive as it’s been, you obviously want it to come back. My guess is that we will certainly seem them at Le Mans and I won’t be surprised that they may come back to this side of the pond after Le Mans. That’s just me speculating but I can’t believe that now he owns them, David Richard won’t want to race.”


With just the privateer Team Modena Aston Martin at the 12 Hours of Sebring and no other entries expected to take part for at least the next few races, the two Corvettes will be all alone in the GT1 class. However, Fellows knows they will face stiff competition somewhere down the line this year, especially at Le Mans.

“One of the things we learned is that there’s going to be competition somewhere,” Fellows said. “Just because at the moment there is not a lot, it doesn’t mean we should stay away. You always learn something. We did a part time schedule in ’99 and ’00 and things that happened on race weekends never happened in testing. You’ve got to be here to do all the races because you never stop learning. The challenge here is to continue to do that because we are going to be tested. Le Mans is a huge test, it always is. And then Petit Le Mans in October, who knows what will happen there. It’s trying to make sure that we stay sharp. There’s going to be competition.”


Despite a rumored switch to the Le Mans Series for 2007, Fellows feels that Corvette Racing is in it for the long run and sees the ALMS as the perfect fit for the brand.

“The only option would be to go do some races in Europe but the biggest market is here,” Fellows said. “The ALMS has a great following, solid spectator attendance and quality television. This is the place to be. As I think, it’s been said for a number of years now: As long as they are building and selling Corvettes, we are going to race them.”

The ALMS’ Most Popular Driver has also tried his hand in NASCAR, competing in road races at Watkins Glen, Infineon and Mexico City. Fellows’ first attempts in the Busch Series were rewarded with three wins out of five starts, also making him the fist non-American to win a Busch Series race. However, as of late, the success hasn’t come that easy.

“The first five Busch races I did with [Joe] Nemecheck’s team, we won three of them,” he said. “And then they stopped going to Watkins Glen until last year. It’s been a little more difficult the last few years. I’ve done a further five – three at Mexico and two at The Glen and without any real solid results in terms of being in contention for a win. It’s frustrating for sure but I know its going to come around.”


Fellows finished a disappointing 32nd in the Telcel-Motorola 200 in Mexico City driving the No. 33 Camping World Chevy for Kevin Harvick Inc. The car suffered engine woes, which other teams ran into as well.

“I look at Mexico City and I see nothing but positives out of that with Kevin’s [Harvick] team,” Fellows said. “We went there with a brand-new car and because of my shoulder surgery, we weren’t able to test. Other than rolling out of the shop into the trailer and getting hauled to Mexico, [the car] never ran. I felt that we made real good progress as a group, qualifying solidly in sixth. Unfortunately, there was some kind of parts failure that was system-wide in the Chevy motors. That sort of thing happens and it’s unfortunate. It not only bit us but five other teams.”

With two more Busch Series road races on the schedule, including the new race at Montreal, Fellows feels confident that he can pull off another win.

“I’m pretty confident that when we get to the month of August with the race in Montreal followed by Watkins Glen back-to-back, we’ll be contending for a win with Kevin’s team,” Fellows said. “He’s got a really good group of people.”

There is also an opportunity for Fellows to try out some oval races this year.

“I’ve talked to Kevin a little about it,” he said. “Certainty in the Busch Series this year, it would be the year to do it. Who knows? It could happen.”

Fellows also intends to compete in the two Nextel Cup Series road races in 2007, at Infineon and Watkins Glen. He is winless in America’s premier stock car series and feels like there is some unfinished business over there.


Another series that Fellows has enjoyed success in is the SPEED World Challenge GT Series, driving for the factory Cadillac team. One of his most memorable moments was a daring last-lap pass on Mike McCann to take the win at Long Beach last year. Fellows will be back behind the wheel of a CTS-V later this year in select races.

“My first race back in the Cadillac will be at Long Beach to defend our title,” he said. “It will be good fun. We have a strong team there. Andy [Pilgrim] is back with defending champion Lawson Aschenbach. He’s a good young kid – very enthusiastic. He’s got a future here with GM racing as well. I think I’m doing four or five [races] and it’s primarily to help wrap up the manufacturers championship for Cadillac.”


With 2007 being the swansong year for Fellows behind the wheel of a Corvette, he won’t be hanging up the helmet all together. Along with his new role as GM Racing Ambassador, it will be busy times for the likeable Canadian.

“I’m guessing I will still race in 2008,” Fellows said. “This is likely it for me in a Corvette. I’ve got an opportunity with GM Racing in the future to stay involved. It’s something that we are talking about because I feel like I can still make a contribution outside of the car. I’m actually looking forward to it.”

John Dagys

[WB9MCW]

very nice article thnx for posting!

[flyin ryan]

good Canadian boy .