A big week for Corvette then. The
C7 Z06
has been launched alongside the
C7.R
racer and, most importantly, Mr Dan Trent Esq. is driving a Stingray in Britain. That's all before we speak with Oliver Gavin, Corvette racer and four-time American Le Mans Series (ALMS) champion.
So to get us all in the mood, here's a quick vid of Mr Gavin in his Corvette C6.R from last year. Unsurprisingly, the noise dominates this onboard clip; when the combustion engine has disappeared and uneducated souls need to know what a V8 sounds like, this will be on repeat. It's a loud, angry, raw sound, enhanced by the vicious interruption of every upshift. It's mega.
Then it becomes apparent these GT3 and prototype racers appear to be at maximum attack down a bumpy high street. The Baltimore track is hardly a legendary street circuit but it looks terrifying. The cambers and ruts deflect all the cars which the kerbs exacerbate(see the Z4 grab some air a couple of minutes in) and the barriers never seem more than a few centimetres away.
The ALMS finished in 2013, to be replaced by the Tudor United Sportscar Championship. If it's anything like this, they're in for a real treat in America. And more from Oliver Gavin soon!