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Corvette everywhere, part 1 : the C2s

This post is essentially a tribute to one of the most beloved car in the US : the Chevrolet Corvette.

The Chevrolet Corvette has always been an American favorite, from the spectator's point of view. The car has been introduced in 1956, and became an icon right from the beginning. The likes of Zora Arkus Duntov and Vince Piggins were people which made this car display an aura which still perdures nowadays. The cars were involved in racing from the beginnings, that is to say 1956, in SCCA racing, but you could find them racing in World Endurance Championships soon afterwards. The Chevrolet Corvette had begun its glittering career, and the C6R is a direct offspring from this glorious period. The first cars to enter SCCA and FIA competition were C1 cars, which were known as solid axle cars. The C2 cars, known as Sting Ray, appeared later, back in 1963. The cars were modified to suit the SCCA rules and would fight against Cobras or Ferraris. They would appear in the IMSA series from the beginning. They were running with C3 cars, which were more recent cars at the time, of course. Powered by V8 engines given for around 400hp, they had trouble being on top of the field, thanks to their weight.
A displacement of 5,7L was commonplace. Big tires were fitted to the chassis, with the cars appearing in roadster or coupé forms. Those cars were unfortunately not very successful, being overweight. They were not entered by top teams, which was also some kind of disadvantage. However, they were always very spectacular. Right from 1971, they could be seen at the racetracks on the IMSA circuit.

Don Haines entered such a car in 1971 and 1972, but it was bent at Mid Ohio in 1972. He then purchased a C3, which he raced in many SCCA events, as well as a few IMSA races. The most successful car was undoubtedly the car entered by fast Phil Currin, who fielded his familiar red '63 car right from 1971 thru 1974. He then switched to a C3 car, with some relative success.
Another familiar car was the one entered by Darrell and Craig Carter. Appearing as a roadster, the white and blue stripe car had some consistent results in 1974 and 1975.

Darrell and Craig Carter campaigned this roadster in 1974 and 1975.

Copyright Yves Saint Jean

Tom Felton and Lou D'Amico campaigned an immaculate orange car in 1971.
Paul Hecker purchased a C2 in 1970. It was first used in SCCA racing, then sold it to Tom McArthur. He then repurchased it in 1973 and the car was entered in IMSA and Trans Am in 1975 and 1976. It was driven by Blake Rear and Bob Bienerth as well as Paul Hecker. One remarkable fact was that it was fitted with different engines, ranging from 302c.i to 454c.i. After 1975, the car was sold to Ed Prutton.
Clark Howey was an independent racer, who campaigned a C2 car from 1973 thru 1978. He ran mainly the endurance events, but also ran some Camaros. His yellow Vette was a familiar sight in the East Coast races.
Jim Moyer and Richard Ortman were mainly seen at East Coast races. They switched to a Greenwood bodywork later in 1975.

Jim Moyer and Richard Ortman ran this beautiful Sting Ray in 1973 and 1974. They then switched to a Greenwood C3 car.

Copyright Mark Windecker

Sebring Racing Enterprises fielded a '63 roadster, which was driven by Scott Chapman and John MacLaren. The car was essentially run at Sebring and Road Atlanta, but did not grab any consequent result.
Big Al Levenson was a familiar face at Daytona, Sebring and Road Atlanta. A Continental Airlines pilot, he enjoyed driving his car around those international tracks. He did not enjoy any great result, but ran it for a great deal of years.

Al Levenson was a familiar face on the IMSA circuit, and he drove his C2 Corvette from 1977 thru 1981 as well.

Copyright Auto Hebdo

A special mention should be given to the Bard Boand and Richard Anderson '63 car, which was an ex-AJ Foyt car. The car was seen until the 1980 season, in the Trans Am series, and in some IMSA events.

Maybe the most famous amongst the C2s shown here : the car formerly owned and raced by AJ Foyt. Bard Boand and Richard Anderson campaigned it in 1980.

Copyright unknown

Barry Ruble and Greg Pastoric drove a roadster from 1974 to 1976.

The next article will feature everything about the next generation car, the C3, with much more details about the cars entered in IMSA races

(to be continued)

Corvette everywhere, part 2 : the C3s

The second generation of Chevrolet Corvette racers would appear in 1971. From the beginning of the series, theses cars were running for the overall. Running with V8 engines, with 7,0L or 7,5L displacement, they could rely on 500hp or so. The most prominent car, in 1972,  was the Dana English entered car, which displayed a very attractive southern livery. The Rebel Corvette was driven by Dave Heinz who won three races out of six races in 1971 and was runner up to Peter Gregg for the Championship. It is one of the most famous car, and it has been restored to run the HMSA vintage championship.

John Greenwood has become a true legend in IMSA racing. His name is synonymous with highly competitive, fast and sometimes unreliable cars. Yet, his business became flourishing with the customer cars that were available for purchase. Then, many Corvette racers would sport Greenwood racing kits. The cars, which were improved road racing cars at the beginning, became widebody cars as soon as 1974. This became the trademark of the Greenwood shops. He ran by his own cars until 1977, then he dedicated himself to his new business.

John Paul, born in the Netherlands, moved to the US in 1953. He became a successful broker, and he launched his racing career in the late 60s. He purchased his first Corvette in 1968 and did some autocrossing. He then ran some SCCA events with the Corvette and entered IMSA in 1971. He drove his car with Rod Harris at Bridgehampton. The car was one of the first lightweight cars which were to meet the new emissions requirements. Those new engines were released to some racers, and John Paul was one of them.

After switching to a Porsche Carrera in 1977, he turned to John Greenwood and had a full blown AAGT car built for the 1978 season.

John Paul's early Chevrolet Corvette, which he drove at Bridgehampton in 1971 with Rod Harris.

Copyright Bill Oursler

He had to face the Porsche 935s, which were prominent at this time. He managed to carve a handful of second and third places. He had a Porsche 935 for the next season.

Denny Long drove for John Greenwood in 1971, then he purchased one of his cars, and started entering it for himself. The car was efficient, and it evolved with time. It then became the Bandag Corvette, which was entered until the 1976 season.

Garrett Waddell was a young engineer when he purchased his L88 Corvette in 1970. The car was fitted with a big block engine, and underwent some modifications, allowing it to run the IMSA GT class. He did some races from 1971 thru 1976. The car, which was kind of competitive at the beginning, then went down the field as the years went by. Due to a lack of budget, it could not be developed accordingly, so it became uncompetitive by 1976.

Garrett Waddell drove this car from 1971 to 1976.

Courtesy Garrett Waddell

Bobby Rinzler had purchased an ex-Owens Corning Fiberglass L88 car, and entered it in 1972. Charlie Kemp and Wilbur Pickett drove the car to some great results, including one victory at Daytona. Unfortunately, Bobby Rinzler decided not to go on with IMSA, and the car was not to be seen again under the familiar orange colors.

Charlie Kemp and Wilbur Pickett drove this Chevrolet Corvette to some great results in 1972

Copyright Tucker Conley, courtesy Nick England

Ike Knupp and Mike Murray entered a very fast Corvette in 1972 and 1973. By this time, Bob Tullius was amongst the racing line-up. They had some very good results with this car, which sported a very distinctive flame design above the hood. This car was later sold to Phil Currin, who ran it until 1979 in the GTO class. This car was famously known as the Swiss cheese car, as Phil had lightened it to the highest degree. By the end of 1979, he was searching for another car, and he turned to his former partner Bruce Morton. The white car he had used once in 1973 was for sale and he jumped on it.

Jim Robbins was a Trans Am racer who began his career racing a Ford Mustang. Then he switched to a Chevrolet Corvette, which he entered in both the Trans Am and IMSA in 1973. He posted some very good races, but then he disappeared for many years, only to reappear in 1985.
Milton 'Babe' Headley began racing Chevrolet Corvette in 1972. He could be seen every year until 1978. Then he dropped from racing.

Mike Oleyar was a regular SCCA and IMSA racer. He began driving an ex-AIR car from 1972 thru 1975, then he drove an ex-Greenwood car. The former EF Miller car, from 1980 thru 1988. He was one of the most consistent drivers and ran Corvettes from 1972 until 1988!

The Leldon Blackwell car, mostly driven by Wilbur Pickett, Bill Bean and Tony de Lorenzo, appeared in 1972, and was developed until 1974. A very potent car, it always ran for victory.
The 1974 season was a landmark as widebody cars appeared. John Greenwood, of course was the initiator of this evolution, and cars grew wilder.

Jerry Thompson built this car in 1973, and he was supported by Frank van Arnem. Its very first race was to take place at Daytona in 1973. It would then receive a special attention from Chevrolet and would be fitted with a new set of flares. Don Yenko would provide his assistance.It was competitive, but never enough to be able to beat the Porsche Carreras. The best result was a 6th at Mid Ohio. For 1975, Andrew Bach was to bring some financial support, but the car appeared only once after the Daytona race. Then Jerry Thompson had to move from his home and the car was sold to his definitive owner.

Rick Hay started working for John Greenwood in 1975, where he worked as a fabricator.  He had begun driving a Chevrolet Corvette in 1974, which was produciton based. But in 1975 he started building his own Greenwood racer, which was more than a mere copy of the original work. It was a full frame coil-over car, sponsored by Dennis Tracy. The car ran from 1976 to probably early 1978. He met RJ Valentine at this point, and a partnership would rise out of it. This would result in a much more ambitious project, which was a new AAGT car. RJ Valentine would use the GT car until the new AAGT car was completed.

Rick Hay driving his first Greenwood car at Mid Ohio in 1977.

Copyright Mark Windecker

Rick Mancuso bought the car from John Greenwood late in 1975. It was a classical customer car, with a coil-over rear suspension and a standard front suspension. He would enter it at Sebring in 1976, then would do a couple of races with it until the end of 1977.
He had formerly used a 1969 Corvette, updated to 1973 specs.

The Marathon Corvette was probably one of the most efficient car ever to be entered in IMSA. It began its fantastic career at Daytona in 1972. It qualified ahead of the GT pack, but as it was fitted with a 510CI engine, the officials summoned the owner to remove this oversized engine. Even with a 427CI, the drivers managed to take the lead, as they started from the back of the field. In 1973, the car was fitted with a 454CI engine and was again ahead of everybody. They did more than 200mph on the banking. Running faster than everyone, they had to retire after seven hours. Driven by Mo Carter and Tony de Lorenzo, it was a threat to the Porsche fleet.

Don Haines drove Corvettes for most of his racing career. He used to drive a Sting Ray which had been destroyed at Mid Ohio in 1972. He used the engine in a shell he purchased. It was a 350CI, and his first appearance was at Charlotte in 1974. The car was built up to the IMSA GT class.

Robert Krekel used a car which was also a widebody car. The Group 7 team would campaign the car from 1975 through 1984. They built the car out of many steel components, while Greenwood provided many body panels and suspension parts. The car was to be destroyed at Mid Ohio in 1977, which meant the season was over. It would not be raced until 1980, when new IMSA specifications were set.
Richard Ortman and Jim Moyer purchased a chassis in 1975. It was a Greenwood built chassis. It would evolve through time, appearing later as an AAGT car, with a very long and small rear wing.

Copyright Mark Windecker

Many people were involved in the fabrication of these race cars, but one thing remains obvious, to everyone, is the fact that John Greenwood really boosted the evolution of the Chevrolet Corvette as a race car. The men that were doing the biggest part of the job were Bob Riley, Charlie Selix and Gary Pratt. The cars were customer cars, but they were built according to their wills. This was what made each racer something kind of unique. They were then modified by their owners and evolved with time. Each racer has a particular story.

Next part will deal about the AAGT cars.(to be continued)