Random Photo of the Month: Corvette DP Racecar at Road America

This photo of a Corvette DP racecar was taken at the Grand Am Road Race held on August 10, 2013 at the Road America road track in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin.

The Corvette DP is a Gen3 Daytona Prototype racecar approved for use in the Grand American Road Racing Association (GARRA) in the Rolex Sports Car Series.  The first Corvette DP racecar was approved in 2012 with a  5.0 L V8 engine with 500 hp capable of reaching a top speed of 190 mph. 

GARRA regulates the number of chassis that are approved for use in series races.  The Corvette DP and Riley MxXXVI were approved in 2012 as Gen3 cars.  Gen2 cars can also be upgraded to meet the Gen3 standards.

Random Photo of the Month: Al's Oasis and the Black Hills Corvette Classic

 

July is road trip month.  It's also a peak month for Corvette events.  I chose this photo for July in honor of the Black Hills Corvette Classic (BHCC), an event that's marking its 42-year anniversary in 2013.   Al's Oasis is a popular breakfast stop during the "Dakota Road Rally" portion of the BHCC which is typically held on a Thursday.  Al's is conveniently located just off I-90 in Oacoma, South Dakota near the Missouri River.

The 2013 Black Hills Corvette Classic will be held from July 16 to July 20.  See you there!

Link to a Video: The Automotive Film and Arts Festival

Here's a link to a sampling of film clips promoting the upcoming "World Class Automotive and Arts Festival" to be held on August 15-17 in Monterey this year.  The 2013 event includes the Le Mans endurance race, the life of John Finch, the anniversary of the Corvette, and more.

http://www.automotivefilmfestival.com/?goback=%2Egde_52608_member_254006726

Random Photo of the Month: June is Bloomington Gold Month

June is Bloomington Gold month.  Bloomington Gold Corvettes USA is a car show, vendor show, and car auction all centered around Corvettes.  The photo above is a row of C1 Corvettes for sale by a classic car dealer at the 2007 show. 

The 2013 Bloomington Gold show will be held this weekend from June 28 to June 30 at a new venue in Champaign, Illinois.

Random Photo of the Month: Pile of Exhausts behind the Corsa Tent at Bloomington Gold

This pile of discarded exhausts was stacked behind the Corsa installation tent at the Bloomington Gold Corvette show in 2011.  Corsa was installing new exhausts on-site at the vendor show, something they do every year. 

The Corsa brand is popular with Corvette owners.  The "straight through" design decreases back pressure which increases the horsepower of the engine.  But, really, the main reason for installing one of these high performance exhausts is to give the car a deep rumbling sound that can be heard for miles on the road.  Try revving the engine.  You'll hear what I mean.  Very cool.

Random Photo of the Month: The 25th Anniversary Corvette

This is the nose badge from a 25th anniversary Corvette which also happens to be the 1978 model year.  The badge includes the C3 crossed flags emblem along with lettering acknowledging the 25 years.  This model year included a new fastback rear window, a resigned dash with new gauges, and a larger fuel tank.

Random Photo of the Month: Ron Fellows Z06 Corvette

 

 

 

The Ron Fellows Z06 Corvette

 

This is a collector edition car with a long name.  Officially, it's called the Ron Fellows ALMS GT1 Championship Edition Z06 Corvette, or something like that.  Rarely is the entire name used in daily conversation.  No matter. The car is still as amazing as they come. 

 

This special Corvette is a tribute to Ron Fellows, driver for Corvette Racing in the GT1 class in the American LeMans series.  His association with Corvette Racing started in 1998 with the development of the C5-R race car.  His successful driving career included special recognition by fans as the most popular driver in ALMS for 4 consecutive years from 2004 to 2007.  Fellows has been connected to Corvette ever since, continuing as a technical expert  following his peak years as a driver. 

 

Offered for the 2007 model year, the car is a collector's dream.  Only 399 of these cars were produced with only 300 sold in the US.  Special features include a rear spoiler, a unique windshield banner, a fully-appointed red leather interior, and flashy chrome wheels.  The exterior is a striking Arctic White color with Victory Red hash stripes on the front fender.  The hash stripes include a maple leaf as a tribe to Ron's Canadian heritage.  Best of all, the console of each car is hand numbered and signed by Ron Fellows himself. 

 

Nice car!