IMSA CONTINENTAL TIRE SPORTS CAR CHALLENGE

BMW PERFORMANCE 200

DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY

TEAM CHEVY DRIVER RACE NOTES AND QUOTES

JANUARY 24, 2014

LAWSON ASCHENBACH, NO. 01 CKS AUTOSPORT CAMARO Z/28.R =96 FINISHED 13TH IN =
GS CLASS

DO YOU FEEL THINGS WENT AS WELL AS YOU COULD HAVE EXPECTED? =93Exactly. It =
was tough coming here with not turning a single lap on the car. To be able =
to show up, sort through some issues, make the race and finish in a decent =
spot, we have to be happy with that. A penalty in pitlane hurt us. But the =
pace is pretty good and we are excited about that. We have a lot of fine-tu=
ning to do for the longevity of our run, but we=92ll get there.=94

DID RUNNING IN RACE CONDITIONS GIVE YOU ANOTHER LEVEL OF DATA TO EXAMINE? =
=93Definitely. There are so many different cars in this series with so many=
different attributes. Obviously we have to work on ours. We used to be rea=
lly good under braking, but we don=92t really know where that is until we s=
ort out the setup and so forth. To me, it looks like a very good package th=
at=92s good overall. It seems to do everything pretty good. We just have to=
work on it a little bit more. It seemed a little down on straightline spee=
d compared to the other cars, which is what we thought would happen here. B=
ut there are a lot of positive things to think about. Hopefully we can regr=
oup and get things better for Sebring.=94

ANDY LALLY, NO. 9 STEVENSON MOTORSPORTS CAMARO Z/28.R =96 FINISHED 24TH IN =
GS CLASS

HOW WOULD YOU RATE THE START OF THE Z/28.R PROGRAM? “I’m really proud to be=
a part of Team Chevy, and we were hustling out there. This car looks good.=
These things are bound to happen. It’s a brand new program with a brand ne=
w car. This car is spectacular. You just have to work the little bugs out. =
That will happen, and it will happen soon. I’m already looking forward to g=
etting to Sebring and racing for a win. We will move on from here and get s=
ome better results next time.”

ROBIN LIDDELL, NO. 9 STEVENSON MOTORSPORTS CAMARO Z/28.R =96 FINISHED 25TH =
IN GS CLASS

WAS THIS AN ENCOURAGING START TO THE Z/28.R PROGRAM? =93To be honest, the c=
ar was going very well. I hadn=92t had a lot of green-flag laps. It was a l=
ot of start-stop, start-stop for several laps then we would go yellow. I fe=
lt being around people in a race situation that the car was competitive. I =
made some pretty good restarts. I picked up three places on my next-to-last=
restart, and on my last one I=92m not sure how many I got by Turn 3 but it=
must have been at least five spots. I got by the two BMWs ahead of me that=
we were competing with on fuel; they were the two cars that were ahead of =
us when we left the pits for fuel. It=92s a bit frustrating, obviously. We =
wanted to leave here with some points. But I=92m not ultra-disappointed bec=
ause the car felt competitive.=94

WHAT CAUSED THE CAR TO STOP ON-TRACK? =93It was good up until something wen=
t in the driveline. There was oil coming out of the differential when I sto=
pped. When I went to power out of Turn 3, there was a big mechanical bang a=
nd then lots of clattering around back there; there was something pretty un=
happy flapping around. I lost most of my drive and then just coasted off an=
d out the gate at

Turn 5. We don=92t know what it was and need to investigate. The crew worke=
d incredibly hard and it=92s disappointing not to finish the race. But I th=
ink we=92ve shown that this car has some promise. We just need to rebound a=
nd get ready for Sebring.=94

ANDREW DAVIS, NO. 9 STEVENSON MOTORSPORTS CAMARO Z/28.R =96 FINISHED 25TH I=
N GS CLASS

DID YOU SEE THE POTENTIAL ABOUT WHAT THIS CAR CAN BE IN THE FUTURE? =93Ther=
e is no doubt. I=92m thrilled to be back in the Camaro with the Z/28.R. It=
=92s such a new program with so few laps run in general because we had some=
issues leading up. It was a big learning experience for me during the race=
=96 not just getting used to the GS class, but also learning the Z.28/R. I=
loved it and thought it was great. Every lap I felt more and more comforta=
ble. Certainly this showed me the potential of the car once we get it sorte=
d out and optimized. I=92m really pleased and looking forward to the season=
. The result today is a little disappointing today, but it was all about ga=
thering data.=94

ASHLEY MCCALMONT, NO. 00 CKS AUTOSPORT CAMARO GS.R – RETIRED FROM COMPETITI=
ON IN FINAL HOUR OF THE RACE AFTER ON-TRACK INCIDENT

WHAT HAPPENED? “On the restart it got a little busy. I was out on old tires=
and got stuck on the right side after the kink.  The car hooked and I was =
just along for the ride after that.”

CCORVETTE DPs AT DAYTONA: Gurney Takes Historic Pole for Rolex 24
GAINSCO/Bob Stallings Racing leads Corvette DP front-row sweep in Daytona qualifying
 
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Jan. 23, 2014) – Alex Gurney’s name will go down in history as the first Corvette Daytona Prototype driver to claim an overall pole position for the Rolex 24 At Daytona. The Californian put the No. 99 GAINSCO/Bob Stallings Racing Corvette DP on pole Thursday for the 52nd running of the twice-around-the-clock endurance classic and the opening round of the new TUDOR United SportsCar Championship.
 
Gurney’s best lap was a 1:38.270 (130.416 mph) in the Corvette DP he shares with Jon Fogarty, Memo Gidley and Darren Law. Richard Westbrook made it a sweep of the front row for Corvette DPs with the second-fastest qualifying time – 1:38.487 (130.129 mph) in Spirit of Daytona Racing’s No. 90 entry.
 
“We were pretty diligent all through the testing we did and concentrated on full-tank runs,” Gurney said. “We never really went low-fuel to show what we had. When we pulled the fuel out, the time came. We were pretty happy with the car and it’s nice to get this pole.”
 
Corvette DPs posted four of the five fastest qualifying laps. Action Express Racing’s two entries were fourth and fifth with Christian Fittipaldi leading the team’s efforts in the No. 5 Corvette DP at 1:38.658 (129.903 mph). Burt Frisselle was next in the No. 9 car at 1:38.838 (129.667 mph).
 
“Congratulations to Alex Gurney and GAINSCO/Bob Stallings Racing on their historic qualifying result today at Daytona,” said Mark Kent, Chevrolet’s Director of Racing. “It’s fantastic to have two Corvette Daytona Prototypes on the front row for the opening race of the TUDOR United SportsCar Series. Thursday’s qualifying results – with four Corvette DPs in the top-five – is a testament to the collective effort by Chevrolet Racing, Earnhardt Childress Racing, GM Powertrain and our Chevrolet teams. This will be a very demanding race but our teams are as prepared as they can be for this grueling 24-hour event.”
 
The contingent of six Corvette DPs was in the top-12 of the qualifying order. It’s an impressive start in a new championship after Chevrolet claimed the last two engine manufacturer championships in the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series. Chevrolet power is looking for its first victory in the Rolex 24 since 2003.
 
“This was an excellent start to the weekend for our Corvette DP teams,” said Jim Lutz, Chevrolet Racing Program Manager for Daytona Prototypes. “It is encouraging to see the speed and consistency from the test days earlier this month through today. There are many more challenge and laps to go before the end of the race Sunday, and as a result no one in the Chevrolet camp will rest on these accomplishments.”
 
The TUDOR Championship is a merger of the Rolex Series and the American Le Mans Series.  The main prototype category is the featured class with a mix of GRAND-AM Daytona Prototypes racing for the first time against several other prototype machines that made up the ALMS grid a year ago.
 
Saturday’s race begins at 2:10 p.m. ET with live television coverage available throughout on FOX, FOX Sports 1 and FOX Sports 2.
 
In the GS class of the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge, the new Chevrolet Camaro Z/28.R made an impressive run in its first qualifying session. The No. 01 CKS Autosport entry of Eric Curran and Lawson Aschenbach qualified fourth with a time of 1:56.625 (109.891 mph) and was only 0.801 seconds off Jade Buford’s pole-winning time.
 
Stevenson Motorsports’ No. 9 Camaro Z/28.R of Matt Bell and Andy Lally posted the fifth-fastest time of the session at 1:56.750 (109.773 mph). A lengthy red-flag period meant both the Camaros posted just two laps.
 
The opening Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge race is set for 1:45 p.m. ET on Friday. FOX Sports 2 will air the race beginning at 6 p.m. ET.
 
EDITORS: High-resolution images of Corvette Racing are available on the Team Chevy media site for editorial use only.
 
ALEX GURNEY, NO. 99 GAINSCO/BOB STALLINGS RACING CORVETTE DP
“I’m really happy and excited about this all. I have to say a big thank you to Bob Stallings and everyone on the team. Most of the team worked right through Christmas and New Year’s with no real time off due to all the changes and challenges. This means a lot to our team. It feels really good to pull it off.”
Future plans: “Bob and everyone are trying to find more way to keep going. You never know. Starting well and finishing well is the best place to be. I think we’re in a good position as far as doing some more races.”
Dealing with grid size and classes: “We’ve had quite a few sessions to run together and I think everyone has a feel for where they are going to be. I don’t expect things to be massively different. Obviously there are some bigger closing speeds. On the banking, I’d like to see cars stay low more often; sometimes when a guy stays in the middle, you don’t know which way he is going to go. For the prototype cars that have more top speed, that can be a little more tricky. There are a lot of really good drivers in this field and it should be OK.”
 
RICHARD WESTBROOK, NO. 90 SPIRIT OF DAYTONA CORVETTE DP
“I’m delighted. We have a quick car. It’s the first time for me in a DP going into this 24-hour race knowing that we have a car that can fight for the overall win. But we have to do all the other stuff right, now – the pit stops, reliability, staying out of crashes. Pole would have been nice but the front row… I’m delighted.”
 
LAWSON ASCHENBACH, NO. 01 CKS AUTOSPORT CAMARO Z/28.R
“It’s been a bit of a learning experience this whole weekend. We’ve had a lot to sort out in a little bit of time. But the Chevrolet Camaro Z/28.R is a fantastic race car and I think we have a lot of potential in it. We just have to keep working. It’s a new car for all of us here, and these things don’t happen quick. You have to take your time to sort through all the issues and then start working on setup and so forth. We’re very happy with it so far. Give us a little bit of time and we will be fighting for wins.”
 
MATT BELL, NO. 9 STEVENSON MOTORSPORTS CAMARO Z/28.R
“One thing you learn really quickly about this series is that when you see 15 minutes for a session, you usually only get about five minutes. When you’re working with a program for a production car that doesn’t yet exist, we are doing the stuff that is usually held behind the curtain. It’s fortunate in a way that we’re doing it out in the open. Proof that this car can qualify in the top-10 in its first time out with very few laps under it while we are still teething is awesome. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a GS car that has come in and really done this. It still has a huge ways to go. But the development that has gone into the chassis and braking system is going to a huge advantage down the road. You can tell as soon as you get in the car that there is a refinement you don’t get in GS racing or even GT racing.”
 

Mixed Bag in First Qualifying for Corvette C7.R
Gavin fourth in GTLM order; electrical issue sidelines No. 3 Corvette
 
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Jan. 23, 2014) – Corvette Racing’s first qualifying session with the Chevrolet Corvette C7.R proved to be a bit of a mixed bag at Daytona International Speedway. Oliver Gavin qualified the No. 4 Corvette C7.R fourth in the GT Le Mans class for the 52nd Rolex 24 At Daytona – the opening round of the new TUDOR United SportsCar Championship.
 
The Briton turned a best lap of 1:44.729 (122.373 mph) in the Corvette C7.R he will share with Tommy Milner and Robin Liddell for the twice-around-the-clock endurance classic. Gavin was only 0.223 seconds off Marc Goossen’s pole-winning pace with the top five cars within 0.240 seconds.
 
“It’s very good,” Gavin said. “We’re there and only a couple tenths of pole. I’m pretty happy with that. We’re obviously right at the beginning of the development curve of this car so that’s pretty awesome. We know we have a lot more to come.”
 
Fortunes were not as good in the No. 3 camp. With Jan Magnussen set to qualify the car, his Corvette developed an electrical and throttle issue that sidelined the Dane’s qualifying run. It was doubly disappointing after Antonio Garcia, Magnussen’s teammate along with Ryan Briscoe, set the class’s fastest time in the morning practice.
 
This year’s Rolex 24 is Corvette Racing’s return to Daytona after winning the race overall in 2001 with a Corvette C5-R. The event also served as the team’s debut race in 1999. The new Corvette C7.R carries on the strong heritage of racing Corvettes – including the C6.R that swept the American Le Mans Series’ GT championships in 2012 and 2013 – with a stronger and lighter aluminum frame that matches the one available in the 2015 Corvette Z06 production car.
 
The C7.R also has a direct-injected V8 engine and the most aggressive aero package developed for a racing Corvette.
 
Television coverage of the Rolex 24 At Daytona will be available on the FOX family of channels, starting with the FOX network’s two-hour broadcast at 2 p.m. The race also will air on FOX Sports 1 and FOX Sports 2, along with overnight streaming video at imsa.com.
 
The TUDOR Championship is the result of a merger between the ALMS and GRAND-AM’s Rolex Sports Car Series. Corvette Racing will compete in 11 races around North America plus the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
 
EDITORS: High-resolution images of Corvette Racing are available on the Team Chevy media site for editorial use only.
 
JAN MAGNUSSEN, NO. 3 CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R
“Obviously starting down the order like this changes things a little. It’s still a long, long race but it’s a shame that we didn’t get to have a proper qualifying session and place ourselves on the grid where we deserve to be. I’m not sure of the problem but it was big enough that we couldn’t qualify. We will attack the race from where we start and see what that gets us. It’s not the end of all things, but it’s not optimal either. We can come back from this, I’m sure. We will have to work a little bit harder.”
 
OLIVER GAVIN, NO. 4 CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R
“I was pretty fortunate that I managed to get a tow from Patrick Long (in a Porsche) on my fastest lap which gave us a tenth of a second. Our car was very strong in the infield section and felt very good. The Michelin tires worked pretty well in the conditions. It was great to get out there and get the first qualifying session done. Where we qualify today has very little impact on how the race will go Saturday and Sunday. Unfortunately we didn’t get that first session due to an electrical problem. Had we gotten that session, could we have gotten a bit closer? Most probably. But it comes down again to a new car and getting everything dialed in. We found that particular problem and it won’t happen again. But it’s interesting times. I’m pleased to be as close as we are.”
 
DOUG FEHAN, CORVETTE RACING PROGRAM MANAGER
“It was a great day for Chevrolet and Corvette Racing as the Chevrolet Corvette C7.R continued to show tremendous competitive potential – evidenced by Oliver Gavin’s very respectable qualifying time in the No. 4 car. With the top five cars within 0.240 seconds, it shows just how close this GT Le Mans class continues to be. Unfortunately, we did have an electrical issue on the No. 3 Corvette, and it was unable to qualify despite having run very strong in the morning and afternoon practice sessions. Rest assured, the Corvette Racing team will diagnose the issue, learn from it and be ready to go for what promises to be a thrilling race.”
 

CORVETTE DPs AT DAYTONA: Start of Another Championship Push
Six Corvette DPs in search of overall victory in Rolex 24 At Daytona
 
DETROIT (Jan. 22, 2014) – The months of waiting are nearly over for Corvette Daytona Prototype teams. A new age dawns this weekend with the 52nd Rolex 24 At Daytona and the first round of the new TUDOR United SportsCar Championship. Six Corvette DPs are on the entry list for one of America’s premier endurance races set for Jan. 25-26 at Daytona International Speedway.
 
The contingent of Corvette DPs returns to Daytona off its second straight GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series DP Engine Manufacturer’s championship and eight race victories in 2013. Nothing would be sweeter than having a Rolex 24 victory as the next feather in its cap. Chevrolet power last won the twice-around-the-clock classic in 2003.
 
Plenty has changed since then. This year’s Rolex 24 officially begins the TUDOR Championship – a merger of the Rolex Series and the American Le Mans Series.
 
“This year’s Rolex 24 At Daytona will be a monumental event, and one where we expect to contend for an overall victory,” said Mark Kent, Chevrolet’s Director of Racing. “Our partner teams have put in a lot of hours preparing for this new era of North American sports car racing. There are a number of unique elements that go into a race like Daytona, and that is magnified by new classes and new competitors. However, we are confident that our Corvette DP teams have the speed and reliability needed to win this great race.”
 
The main prototype category is the featured class with a mix of GRAND-AM Daytona Prototypes racing for the first time against several other prototype machines that made up the ALMS grid a year ago. In an attempt to balance the competition featuring multiple chassis constructors and engine configurations, officials from the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) have adjusted the performance levels of each car.
 
As a result, the Corvette-powered DPs have about 50 more horsepower this season compared to last but mandated aerodynamic features means the cars will create more drag around the circuit.
 
The lineup of Corvette DPs is unchanged from the Roar Before the 24 test days earlier this month: Wayne Taylor Racing, Spirit of Daytona Racing, Action Express Racing (with two Corvette DPs), GAINSCO/Bob Stallings Racing and newcomer Marsh Racing – stepping up from running a GT Corvette to the Corvette DP.
 
Action Express’ Christian Fittipaldi set the fastest time of the test weekend in the No. 5 Corvette DP at 1:38.630 (129.940 mph). In all, Corvette DPs held five of the first six positions on the time sheets. But as with any long-distance race, speed doesn’t always equal results.
 
“With the merger of GRAND-AM and ALMS, this year’s Rolex 24 provides a set of unique challenges for all the Corvette DP teams,” said Jim Lutz, Chevrolet’s Program Manager for Daytona Prototypes. “It’s an unprecedented situation for those teams who are familiar with GRAND-AM. The pit lane and pit stop rules are different. The rules were changing as late as last weekend. We have more power and more aerodynamic drag, so it’s likely our teams will pit more often than in the past. There is a different mix of classes, and the dynamics of how they will interact with different speeds and capabilities is unknown. So the race becomes very much a challenge of adaption. The teams that do their homework and are the most flexible will be in the best shape.”
 
Chevrolet ended Rolex Series competition with 20 Daytona Prototype victories – 16 by Corvette DPs since it debuted in 2011 – and nine in GT. The Bowtie also captured engine manufacturer championships for DP in both 2012 and 2013, plus the 2011 GT title.
 
Chevrolet also will be well represented in the Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge’s GS class with the new Camaro Z/28.R production car. Stevenson Motorsports and CKS Autosport each are entered for Friday’s two-and-a-half-hour race.
 
“This year’s DAYTONA Rising 200 presents exciting possibilities for our Chevrolet Camaro Z/28.R teams,” said Lisa Talarico, Chevrolet’s Program  Manager for the IMSA Continental Sports Car Challenge. “This will be a great test of the new Camaro for the rest of the season with a full field of cars and a track that has a mix of long, fast straights but also a tight infield section. We understand there may be challenges with racing a new car for the first time but at the same time we are confident in our teams and engineers.”

CORVETTE RACING AT DAYTONA: Back to Where It All Started
New Chevrolet Corvette C7.Rs to race for first time in TUDOR Championship opener
 
DETROIT (Jan. 21, 2014) – Fifteen years ago, Corvette Racing stepped onto the world’s sports car stage for the first time. Thirteen years ago, it scored a stunning overall victory in the Rolex 24 At Daytona. Now with 90 victories around the world – seven at the 24 Hours of Le Mans – and 10 American Le Mans Series titles, America’s premier production-based sports car team is back at Daytona with a brand new car to contend for a brand new championship.
 
The 52nd running of the Rolex 24 At Daytona will see the competitive debut of the new Chevrolet Corvette C7.R in the new TUDOR United SportsCar Championship. After several months in black-and-white camouflage, Daytona is the first time the two Corvettes will run in the familiar Corvette Racing velocity yellow. Both cars tested at Daytona as part of the Roar Before the 24 earlier in the month. Oliver Gavin in the No. 4 car was the second-fastest driver in the GT Le Mans class, followed closely by Jan Magnussen in the No. 3 Corvette.
 
Magnussen and Antonio Garcia won the American Le Mans Series’ GT driver’s championship in 2013 with three victories. Gavin and Tommy Milner placed third in the final year of the ALMS before it merged with the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series to create the TUDOR Championship. At Daytona, Ryan Briscoe will join Garcia and Magnussen while Robin Liddell partners with Gavin and Milner.
 
“Corvette sets the standard for Chevrolet regarding technical transfer between racing and production,” said Jim Campbell, Chevrolet Vice President, Performance Vehicles and Motorsports. “The learnings from the race track have helped us design and engineer the new Corvette Z06 for the street and the new C7.R for the track.  We are excited to debut the Corvette C7.R at the Rolex 24 At Daytona and race it all season long in the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship’s GTLM class.
 
“In the 2001 24 Hours at Daytona, the #2 Corvette C5-R won its class and the overall race with drivers Ron Fellows, Johnny O’Connell, Chris Kneifel and Franck Freon,” Campbell added. “That history makes returning to the 2014 24 Hours at Daytona with the new Corvette C7.R in the GTLM class extra special. In addition, it will be great to have Corvette DP teams competing for the third consecutive year at Daytona in the Prototype class. We can’t wait to see the Corvette owners and supporters at the track.”
 
In 1999, Corvette Racing made its debut at Daytona with a pair of Corvette C5-Rs. The team placed second overall a year later and won the event in 2001. Times – and technology – have changed since then. The C7.R shares an unprecedented level of attributes with the Z06 – most notably chassis structure, direct injection on the engine front and aerodynamics.
 
Both the C7.R and Z06 share the same production-based aluminum frame, both of which are built at Corvette’s assembly plant in Bowling Green, Ky. The chassis is 40 percent stronger than on the outgoing Corvette C6.R, which results in better handling and stability at high speeds.
Direct injection also returns to a racing Corvette for the first time since the GT1 era that ended in 2009. There are two main gains to be expected. One is better throttle control and response from the engine under power. The other is a gain in fuel efficiency – up to a 3 percent improvement on the C6.R. Those savings have the potential to add up in a race as long as the Rolex 24.
 
From an aerodynamic standpoint, the package on the C7.R is the most aggressive in the Corvette Racing era. Some of the features carried over from the C6.R to the 2014 Corvette Stingray production car including forward-tilted radiator, functional hood and front-quarter panel vents, and rear transmission and differential cooling intakes. From there, engineers improved the aero details on the C7.R and Z06 with similar front splitters, rocker panels, and front- and rear-brake cooling ducts.
 
All those factors and other improvements from the C6.R give Corvette Racing an excellent chance to get the C7.R era started on the right foot… err, wheel.
 
“This is a great start for a new era of Corvette Racing,” said Mark Kent, Director of Racing for Chevrolet. “The Corvette C7.R represents new levels of technology in a number of areas that improve on the championship-winning legacy of the C6.R. It has been fascinating watching the development of the car over the last few months and we all are excited to finally see it in competition.”
 
Television coverage of the Rolex 24 At Daytona will be available on the FOX family of channels, starting with the FOX network’s two-hour broadcast at 2 p.m. The race also will air on FOX Sports 1 and FOX Sports 2, along with overnight streaming video at imsa.com.
 
The TUDOR Championship is the result of a merger between the ALMS and GRAND-AM’s Rolex Sports Car Series. Corvette Racing will compete in 11 races around North America plus the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
 

Camaro Z/28.R Sends Historic Name Back to the Track
New era begins at Daytona with IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge
 
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 returns to its racing roots this week when the all-new Camaro Z/28.R race car debuts in a 2.5-hour endurance race ahead of the 52nd Rolex 24 At Daytona. It will be one of the most production-based competitors on the track, sharing aero, engine and even axle components with the new 2014 Camaro Z/28.
 
Stevenson Motorsports and CKS Autosport will campaign Z/28.R race cars in the GS class of the IMSA Continental Tires SportsCar Challenge. The Daytona race begins at 1:45 p.m. EST, on Friday, Jan. 24, kicking off the 12-race 2014 season.
 
“The original Camaro Z/28 was designed for racing and became an iconic performance car through its hard-fought victories,” said Mark Kent, director of racing for Chevrolet. “A new chapter in racing begins this week, as the new Camaro Z/28 makes its competition debut in one of the most hotly contested series in motorsports.”
 
Developed alongside its production counterpart, the Z/28.R  incorporates the same performance elements that make the 2014 Camaro Z/28 the most track-capable Camaro ever. To enhance grip, for example, the Z/28.R’s body shares the same downforce-generating aero package as the production model, including:
     • Front splitter
     • Rear spoiler with wickerbill
     • Hood extractor vent
     • Rockers, wheel-house extensions and front tire deflectors
     • Belly pan.
 
The Z/28.R is also powered by the same LS7 7.0L V-8 engine as the production Z/28 and employs the unique, helical-gear limited-slip rear differential found on the production model. It is standard in the Z/28, helping the driver put down more power to the pavement when exiting corners.
 
“Apart from series-mandated equipment and the specialized suspension components needed for endurance racing, the Z/28.R is as close to a production-spec race car as you’ll find,” said Kent.
 
Advancing the Z/28 legacy
As Stevenson Motorsports and CKS Autosport kick off a full season of racing in the IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge with their new Camaro Z/28.R race cars, they’ll advance the legacy of Camaro endurance racing that dates to the original Z/28’s 1967 introduction, when it was developed for the Trans-Am series. More recently, the Camaro GS.R won six races from 2011 to 2013 in the Continental SportsCar Series Grand Sport class, helping Chevrolet achieve a runner-up finish in the GS championship last season.
 
“The new Camaro Z/28.R is a significant advancement from the GS.R that won multiple races in the Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge the last three years,” said Lisa Talarico, Chevrolet program manager for the Continental Tire series. “We expect the new engine package, suspension components and aerodynamic improvements to help our teams to further successes in the 2014 GS class. The GS class is full of great competitors, and we believe the performance level of the new Z/28.R will provide us the opportunity to contend for a championship.”
 
The 2014 Camaro Z/28 goes on sale this spring.

Chevy trucks and Cadillac cars announced as official vehicles
for the 2014 Firestone Grand Prix of St Petersburg
 
ST. PETERSBURG, FL, January 20, 2014 – The Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg has secured a major sponsorship agreement with General Motors Company to have Chevrolet trucks and Cadillac cars on board as the official vehicles for the 2014 event, taking place March 28-30.
 
“We are thrilled to have the tremendous opportunity to partner with Chevy and Cadillac for our official vehicles,” said Tim Ramsberger, President of the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. “Welcoming General Motors and its two iconic brands to the streets of St. Petersburg speaks volumes as to the value of our event and its impact on the corporate objectives of our sponsors. The presence of quality partners is important to our success.”
 
Since its re-entry into INDYCAR racing in 2012, Chevrolet engines have secured four of the top five positions on the streets of St. Petersburg for two years in a row, including an all Chevrolet podium in 2013 with Canadian James Hinchcliffe winning his first-ever IndyCar Series race.
 
“We are pleased to partner with the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg with Chevy trucks and Cadillac as the official vehicles,” said Terry Dolan, Manager of Chevy Racing. “It is exciting to have a strong presence in this event that showcases the season-opening race for the IndyCar Series and the Pirelli World Challenge, as well as a number of other of racing events. Motorsports is a key element in our overall marketing portfolio as it showcases our cars and trucks in a highly visible and fan-friendly event environment.”
 
“2014 is a milestone year for the event and, as a race fan, I am looking forward to the 10th anniversary of the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg,” said Mayor Rick Kriseman, City of St. Petersburg, a long-time partner of the event. “I especially want to extend a warm welcome to General Motors, the new automotive sponsor, and Firestone as the title sponsor. It’s going to be another great year for INDYCAR racing in St. Petersburg.”
 
Tickets to the 2014 Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg are on sale now at gpstpete.com and by phone at 877-283-5385.
About Chevrolet

Teams put Chevrolet IndyCar V6 Engine Through its Paces at First Manufacturer Test of 2014 Season
 
SEBRING, FLA. – Chevrolet has concluded its first successful manufacturer test of the 2014 IndyCar Series season at Sebring International Raceway. A total of 10 teams and drivers put their cars powered by the Chevrolet IndyCar V6 2.2 liter twin turbocharged direct injected engine through its paces at a one-day test in preparation for the 18-race schedule that will begin March 30th on the Streets of St. Petersburg.
 
“We had an extremely productive test at Sebring,” said Chris Berube, Chevrolet Racing Program Manager for the IndyCar Series.  “The IndyCar engine homologation table allowed a fairly significant amount of change to the engine for 2014, including new turbochargers and fuel system revisions.  Work on all of that started last year and this first track test is an exciting yet anxious time for the engineers that toiled over and tortured the new bits to push the performance level up while maintaining the competitive advantage in reliability Chevrolet has had in 2012 and 2013.
 
“The engine change-out mileage increases from 2,000 to 2,500 miles in 2014 so achieving a 25% increase in life simultaneously with a performance increase is the holy grail of engineering development.   These pre-season manufacturer tests are our engineers’ opportunity to see the fruits of their labor and receive direct feedback from our customers – the race teams and drivers.  It is also the next phase of development where the new engine is integrated with the race car and the driver’s feedback plus reams of data are collected and utilized to hone the drivability characteristic of the final race car package.”
 
“Bottom line,” Berube concluded. “When the first test of the season goes off like this one did, it is encouraging and rewarding, but there is a lot of data to analyze to go from good to great in the integration phase and our teams and technical partners are focused on that.”
 
Chevrolet-powered IndyCar teams participating in the test were:  Team Penske – Helio Castroneves, Will Power and Juan Pablo Montoya; Ed Carpenter Racing – Mike Conway; KV Racing Technology SH Racing – Sebastien Bourdais; Chip Ganassi Racing Teams – Scott Dixon, Tony Kanaan, Charlie Kimball and Ryan Briscoe and Panther Racing – Carlos Huertas.
 
In pursuit of its third consecutive IndyCar Series Manufacturer Championship, Chevrolet will continue pre-season preparations with two additional Chevy-only tests in February at Auto Club Speedway, Fontana, California, and Sonoma Raceway, Sonoma, California.
 
DRIVER POST TESTING QUOTES:
MIKE CONWAY – NO. 20 ED CARPENTER RACING CHEVROLET:
YOUR FIRST MANUFACTURER TEST FOR ED CARPENTER RACING HOW IS IT GOING?
“Well we had two days before Christmas and they went well.  Just the case of working with my engineer.  I had worked with him previously at Andretti when he was running Marco (Andretti).  I knew a lot of the people on the team, a lot of the mechanics and stuff from previous teams.  It was nice to see some familiar faces.  We got a lot of work done, but then coming here for this one, and with the 2014 specs applies to the engine, there is a lot of stuff to get through.  New for everybody so there are going to be changes all day to get it right and in the sweet spot.  So far so good I’m pretty impressed with the power band and I think definitely an improvement from last year.”
 
YOU ARE OUT HERE FOR THE FIRST TIME WITH A LOT OF YOUR FELLOW CHEVY TEAMS.  IS THAT MORE COMFORTABLE FOR YOU OR WOULD YOU RATHER HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME CONSIDERING YOU ARE GOING TO BE ON THE HOT SEAT FOR THE FIRST RACE?
“No it doesn’t bother me.  It’s good to have everyone here because at least you’ve got a benchmark to work at.  I would rather be here with everyone and see where we are actually at I suppose.  No, it’s good we still need to find some time, but I think we knew that from the previous test and we just have to keep working at it.”
 
CARLOS HUERTAS – NO. 4 PANTHER RACING CHEVROLET:
TALK ABOUT YOUR FIRST INDYCAR TEST AND HOW IT IS GOING:
“It’s going okay, just getting used to the car is very different to what I’m used to in Europe.  It went well on used tires and then on new tires just didn’t make the right changes.  It didn’t improve as much as I wanted, but just in general getting used to the way the engine with the turbo works and stuff like that.  It is going well I think.”
 
HOW HARD IS IT TO JUMP IN WITH A TEAM THAT YOU HAVEN’T HAD A LOT OF TIME WITH OR ANY TIME WITH OTHER THAN SITTING IN THE SHOP OR THE OFFICE?
“It’s not that hard I’ve done it in the past, but it’s just when you drive you have to get used to things that I haven’t been used to.  But the team has been great, the explained everything to me the best they can and they gave me as much information as they could.  I think it’s never easy.  You would like to have much more time with the guys to get to know them more, but in general I think it was okay.”
 
WILL POWER –  NO. 12 TEAM PENSKE CHEVROLET:
TESTING SO FAR THIS IS THE FIRST TIME ALL THREE CARS, ALL THREE DRIVERS, HOW IS IT GOING SO FAR?
“Obviously we have the 2014 spec of the engine so just going through a few teething problems so we didn’t get that much running this morning.  It is the first test of the year, I get run with Helio (Castroneves) and Juan (Pablo Montoya) and I think it will be a good year.  I think we’ve all got pretty good feedback and work together to get a better car.”
 
HOW IMPORTANT IS THAT CHEMISTRY BETWEEN THE THREE DRIVERS?
“Yeah, it’s always a tough situation the teammate thing because on one hand you want to beat them, but on the other hand you have to work together.  It’s very easy to make a bad environment amongst competitive drivers, but I think you just have to be willing to work together. Put that aside off the track and when on the track you race as you race.”
 
HELIO CASTRONEVES – NO. 3 TEAM PENSKE CHEVROLET:
ON THE TEST: “Very happy with the work that Chevy did.  I feel that they were constantly working during the off season, and I believe it is a great start for 2014.”
 
HOW DID IT GO THE FIRST TIME ALL THREE OF YOU HAVE BEEN TOGETHER ON THE TRACK:
“It was fun.  So far we have been able to collect a lot of data between the three of us. Having conversation about the car and trying to improve for the whole overall team.  I felt that was great having Juan Pablo (Montoya) with us (Will Power and Castroneves).  It just adds for the team and right now that is what’s happening.”
 
JUAN PABLO MONTOYA – NO. 2 TEAM PENSKE CHEVROLET:
ON THE TEST: “I think it’s a good day.  We are just trying a lot of different things.  It’s fun to be back in the car.  Kind of struggled with the balance today, normally we have been running really good here.  For some reason it has just been a little bit harder to drive today, but it’s okay we are just learning.”
 
WHAT IS IT LIKE THIS IS THE FIRST TIME YOU HAD ALL THREE CARS ON THE TRACK AT THE SAME TIME?  WHAT KIND OF FEEDBACK WERE YOU ABLE TO GIVE EACH OTHER?
“It’s interesting it seems like Will (Power) and myself we are struggling with the same thing on the car and Helio (Castroneves) is a little bit different.  I think that is a good thing because we can relate and learn from each other so we will see.”
 
RYAN BRISCOE – NO. 8 CHIP GANASSI RACING TEAMS CHEVROLET:
TALK ABOUT YOUR FIRST TEST HERE WITH CHEVROLET AND HAVING ALL FOUR CARS TOGETHER AND HOW IT FEELS:
“It feels great.  It feels so good to be back doing a test knowing that it’s preparation for an entire season and with a team that we are hoping that is
going to be extremely competitive.  I’m excited.  I had a really good first day here in Sebring, got through some set-up items and basic just tuning to understand my driving style to what they have developed already.  Just trying to understand those kinds of things and it was a good day.  We come out of the day knowing a lot more than we did going in.  It’s a good start to the year.”
 
TONY KANAAN – NO. 10 CHIP GANASSI RACING TEAMS CHEVROLET:
TALK ABOUT YOUR FIRST DAY OF FULL TESTING: “It was pretty good.  We did a lot of miles.  The engine worked pretty well so it was a trouble free day.  I’m still getting used to the new car, the new team, but all in all I think it was a good day.”
 
YOU KNOW SO MANY OF THE GUYS HERE.  YOU HAVE A HISTORY WITH ALL THESE GUYS DOES THAT MAKE IT A LITTLE BIT EASIER TO COME IN AND WORK WITH A NEW CREW? “For sure, I mean obviously having Dario (Franchitti) here helps a lot, but a lot of these guys I knew because of Dario.  Some of them we already worked together so it makes it easier for sure.”
 
CHARLIE KIMBALL – NO. 83 CHIP GANASSI RACING TEAMS CHEVROLET:
TALK ABOUT YOUR FIRST FULL DAY OF TESTING WITH ALL FOUR TEAMS:
“It was good.  I think as a team we really fed off each other today.  I can’t go without saying how much we appreciated having Dario (Franchitti) around actually for additional perspective.  He is very good at that.  That was helpful, but as far as all four of us the day went reasonably flawlessly as far as on-track mechanical stuff.  It’s nice to really get into the meat of it with the Chevy.  The little bit of running we did before Christmas was an introduction and now we can dig out teeth into it and start to work on the car and get a direction to head before we get towards any more serious pre-season stuff.  I’m pretty happy with the day.  I’m really happy with how we worked as a team all four of us.  I think that bodes well for us and hopefully not well for everyone else.”
 
SCOTT DIXON – NO. 9 CHIP GANASSI RACING CHEVROLET:
WHAT IS YOUR OVERALL VIEW OF FIRST FULL DAY ALL FOUR CARS WORKING TOGETHER:
“Yeah it was really good.  We had lots of different things to get through obviously and different sort of projects for each car.  But the engine package just ran.  We had a couple of little issues to work out, but you expect that with a brand new engine for the season.  Really excited to see that it runs, it just runs.  Kind of not what we are used to when you get a new engine.  Went through a lot of changes on mapping and different engine stuff and made some really good progress I think for things to look at and things to improve on in the future.  I don’t know I think all around we accomplished just about all the things we needed to on the check list, but more importantly it’s great to be back in the car after being out for a month so it was really nice.”
 
SEBASTIEN BOURDAIS – NO. 11 KV RACING TECHNOLOGY – SH RACING CHEVROLET:
TALK ABOUT YOUR FIRST MANUFACTURER TEST WITH YOUR NEW TEAM.  HOW DID EVERYTHING GO?
“It was an interesting day very different conditions than we had last time.  Last time was really windy but the grip on the track was much higher so we discovered very different issues with the car.  So we are in the process of integrating everyone and make everybody work together so it’s been a good day, but pretty challenging.  We have been fighting the car balance pretty big and then this morning we used the introduction of the new engine.  We took it pretty easy so once we got going and discovered the problems we didn’t have so much time left and that was a bit of a crash course.  It’s always interesting when things don’t work out the way you want them to then it makes you work harder and that is why testing is there.  We have got a lot of work to do, but everybody has got a good understanding of why things are happening and how to fix them.  So now we just have to get to work and come up with some solutions.”