Post by Corvsport.com Administrator on Jun 17, 2012 12:35:26 GMT -6
(from corvetteracing.com)
LE MANS, France - Corvette Racing finished the grueling 24 Hours of Le Mans for the 12th time in 13 attempts as both the No. 73 and No. 74 Compuware Corvette C6.R race cars were running at the finish of the world's most demanding sports car race.
The No. 73 Corvette C6.R driven by Jan Magnussen, Antonio Garcia, and Jordan Taylor completed 326 laps and finished fifth in the GTE Pro category. The No. 74 Corvette C6.R of Oliver Gavin, Tommy Milner, and Richard Westbrook completed 215 laps and was sixth across the finish line, but was not classified because the car did not complete the minimum race distance. The No. 51 AF Corsa Ferrari won the GTE Pro class by a three-lap margin with 336 laps completed.
The No. 73 Corvette crew was relentless as the drivers and mechanics clawed their way back into contention after losing time to a steering rack replacement and electrical problems. With four hours to go, the crew replaced the alternator and then made a series of battery replacements to cope with a problem in the charging system. Le Mans rookie Jordan Taylor did a triple stint at dawn, followed by doubles by Jan Magnussen and a triple by Antonio Garcia. Magnussen drove the car to the checkered flag.
The No. 74 Corvette suffered extensive damage in a crash in the Porsche Curves in the 18th hour. Tommy Milner nursed the battered car back to the garage, where the Corvette crew virtually rebuilt the back half of the chassis. After a 2 hours and 12 minute pit stop, Oliver Gavin had the No. 74 back on track. With no possibility of advancement in the final standings, the star-crossed car was held in its garage until the final 40 minutes of the race. Gavin drove the car to the finish in his 12th appearance at Le Mans.
LE MANS, France - Corvette Racing finished the grueling 24 Hours of Le Mans for the 12th time in 13 attempts as both the No. 73 and No. 74 Compuware Corvette C6.R race cars were running at the finish of the world's most demanding sports car race.
The No. 73 Corvette C6.R driven by Jan Magnussen, Antonio Garcia, and Jordan Taylor completed 326 laps and finished fifth in the GTE Pro category. The No. 74 Corvette C6.R of Oliver Gavin, Tommy Milner, and Richard Westbrook completed 215 laps and was sixth across the finish line, but was not classified because the car did not complete the minimum race distance. The No. 51 AF Corsa Ferrari won the GTE Pro class by a three-lap margin with 336 laps completed.
The No. 73 Corvette crew was relentless as the drivers and mechanics clawed their way back into contention after losing time to a steering rack replacement and electrical problems. With four hours to go, the crew replaced the alternator and then made a series of battery replacements to cope with a problem in the charging system. Le Mans rookie Jordan Taylor did a triple stint at dawn, followed by doubles by Jan Magnussen and a triple by Antonio Garcia. Magnussen drove the car to the checkered flag.
The No. 74 Corvette suffered extensive damage in a crash in the Porsche Curves in the 18th hour. Tommy Milner nursed the battered car back to the garage, where the Corvette crew virtually rebuilt the back half of the chassis. After a 2 hours and 12 minute pit stop, Oliver Gavin had the No. 74 back on track. With no possibility of advancement in the final standings, the star-crossed car was held in its garage until the final 40 minutes of the race. Gavin drove the car to the finish in his 12th appearance at Le Mans.