Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Autoblog Podcast #146 - WSG Corvette racer Johnny O'Connell!]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/09/22/autoblog-podcast-146/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/09/22/autoblog-podcast-146/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/09/22/autoblog-podcast-146/#commentsFiled under:


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Episode #146 of the Autoblog Podcast puts Chris, Sam, and Dan in fast company, talking to Corvette racer Johnny O'Connell. Johnny's heading out to run the Petit LeMans, but he took some time to chat with us first. Once the crew settles down about apexes and back straights, we head off into a couple of topical discussions. Jay Leno's two-lap challenge starts us off, and GM's new "May the Best Car Win" ads get our attention next, and then we move on to Nissan's settling of the class-action lawsuit over GT-R transmissions. Some questions finish us off near the hour and a half mark. Thanks for listening, and if you like what we're doing, be sure to let us know in our survey or by leaving reviews in iTunes. Our friends over at Engadget and Joystiq do great podcasts as well, in case you need a fix before we circle around again next week.

Continue reading Autoblog Podcast #146 - WSG Corvette racer Johnny O'Connell!

Autoblog Podcast #146 - WSG Corvette racer Johnny O'Connell! originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 22 Sep 2009 16:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>autoblog podcastAutoblogPodcastcorvette c6corvette c6-rcorvette c6.rcorvette c6rcorvette c6r gt2corvette c6rsCorvetteC6CorvetteC6-rCorvetteC6.rCorvetteC6rCorvetteC6rGt2CorvetteC6rsdrew barrymore ford focusDrewBarrymoreFordFocusfalsefeaturedgm advertisinggm commercialgm may the best car wingm spotsGmAdvertisingGmCommercialGmMayTheBestCarWinGmSpotsjay lenoJayLenojohnny oconnellJohnnyOconnellleno evleno ford focusLenoEvLenoFordFocusmay the best car winMayTheBestCarWinnissan class actionnissan gt-rnissan gtrnissan gtr transmissionnissan transmissionNissanClassActionNissanGt-rNissanGtrNissanGtrTransmissionNissanTransmissionpodcastpodcastsTue, 22 Sep 2009 16:45:00 ESTAutoblog Podcast #146Autoblog01:36:20autoblog podcast;podcast146;johnny oconnell; gm ads;may the best car win; nissan gtr transmission; nissan transmission<![CDATA[Mid-Ohio 2009: GT2 Corvettes run 2nd and 4th in debut]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/08/10/mid-ohio-2009-gt2-corvettes-run-2nd-and-4th-in-debut/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/08/10/mid-ohio-2009-gt2-corvettes-run-2nd-and-4th-in-debut/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/08/10/mid-ohio-2009-gt2-corvettes-run-2nd-and-4th-in-debut/#commentsFiled under: ,


Corvette C6.R GT2 - click above for a high-res image gallery

After more than two years of design and development work, the new GT2 class Corvette C6.R made its racing debut on Saturday at Mid-Ohio. For an all-new race ca,r it proved remarkably free of teething pains. In fact, it seems the biggest hurdle was for the drivers, Johnny O'Connell, Jan Magnussen, Olivier Berretta and Oliver Gavin, who had to deal with running in the GT pack rather than racing in the top of the pack amongst themselves.

After two hours and 45 minutes of action, O'Connell and Magnussen ended up finishing second in the GT1 class to Patrick Long and Joerg Bergmeister in one of the Flying Lizard Porsches. Their teammates suffered a bout of bad timing when the safety car was out during a full course yellow and causing the duo to lose a lap. Nonetheless, they still finished fourth behind the BMW M3 of Tom Milner and Dirk Mueller. Next weekend it's off to Road America in Elkhart Lake WI.


Gallery: Mid-Ohio 2009: Corvette GT2 racing


Photos Copyright (C)2009 Sam Abuelsamid / Weblogs, Inc.

Continue reading Mid-Ohio 2009: GT2 Corvettes run 2nd and 4th in debut

Mid-Ohio 2009: GT2 Corvettes run 2nd and 4th in debut originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 10 Aug 2009 09:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>almsamerican le mansamerican le mans ser...american le mans seriesamerican lemans seriesAmericanLeMansAmericanLeMansSer...AmericanLeMansSeriescorvettecorvette c6-rcorvette c6.rcorvette c6rcorvette c6r gt2corvette racingCorvetteC6-rCorvetteC6.rCorvetteC6rCorvetteC6rGt2CorvetteRacingmid-ohioMon, 10 Aug 2009 09:58:00 EST<![CDATA[Corvette Racing just about ready to start building GT2 C6.R]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/10/26/corvette-racing-just-about-ready-to-start-building-gt2-c6-r/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/10/26/corvette-racing-just-about-ready-to-start-building-gt2-c6-r/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/10/26/corvette-racing-just-about-ready-to-start-building-gt2-c6-r/#commentsFiled under: , ,


click for a high-res gallery from the 2008 Detroit Sports Car Challenge

2009 will be a transition year for the American Le Mans Series as the GT1 class all but disappears after the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The Corvette Racing team announced a few weeks ago that it will switch from GT1 to the GT2 class. In an ALMS conference call, program manager Dough Fehan revealed that the engineering work on the new car is done and assembly of the first car will start in the next 7-10 days. Visually, the new car will be almost indistinguishable from the GT1 racer, with the biggest difference being a smaller rear wing. Underneath the skin, the carbon brakes will have to go as they aren't allowed in GT2 so steel rotors will have to dissipate the kinetic energy. Creating kinetic energy will be a new, smaller, 6.0L version of the engine currently used. The GT2 engine will continue to run on cellulosic E85.

The GT2 cars will likely make their competition debut at the Mid-Ohio ALMS race in early August. Before that happens, the GT1 cars will make three final runs at Sebring, Long Beach and of course Le Mans to try and win one more time.

Gallery: Detroit Sports Car Challenge 08


[Source: American Le Mans Series]

Corvette Racing just about ready to start building GT2 C6.R originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 26 Oct 2008 17:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>american le mansamerican le mans ser...american le mans seriesamerican le mans series green challengeamerican lemans seriesAmericanLeMansAmericanLeMansSer...AmericanLeMansSeriesAmericanLeMansSeriesGreenChallengecorvettecorvette c6-rcorvette c6.rcorvette c6rcorvette racingCorvetteC6-rCorvetteC6.rCorvetteC6rCorvetteRacinggt1gt2Sun, 26 Oct 2008 17:32:00 EST<![CDATA[Corvettes back in ALMS in 2009 with GT1 and GT2 programs]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/09/09/corvettes-back-in-alms-in-2009-with-gt1-and-gt2-programs/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/09/09/corvettes-back-in-alms-in-2009-with-gt1-and-gt2-programs/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/09/09/corvettes-back-in-alms-in-2009-with-gt1-and-gt2-programs/#commentsFiled under: ,


Click the Corvette for a high res gallery from the Detroit Sports Car Challenge

As the 2008 American Le Mans Series season winds down with only two races left, teams are starting to make announcements about the 2009 season. One of the question marks over the last several years has been the future of the Corvette Racing program. With no really competition to speak of, one has to wonder why GM stays in the GT1 ranks. This year, they switched fuels and now run on cellulosic ethanol. Today, the team announced that 2009 will be a transition season as the GT1 C6Rs continue in limited competition. The GT1 cars will run at Sebring and Long Beach before going for a sixth class victory at Le Mans. After Le Mans, a new GT2 Corvette will debut running the rest of the season in preparation for 2010. New international GT class rules take effect in 2010 and are closer to current GT2 rules.

The new C6R will be based on the body and chassis of the ZR1 and cars will be run by the factory team, as well as being available to independent teams. A 6.0-liter version of the LS7.R from the GT1 car will be used in GT2 competition next year, while the 2010 car gets a new 5.5-liter version of the production engine. Like the current GT1 car, the new GT will keep running on cellulosic E85.

Gallery: Detroit Sports Car Challenge 08


[Source: American Le Mans Series]
Photos Copyright (C)2008 Sam Abuelsamid / Weblogs, Inc.

Corvettes back in ALMS in 2009 with GT1 and GT2 programs originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 09 Sep 2008 16:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>american le mansamerican le mans ser...american le mans seriesamerican le mans series green challengeAmericanLeMansAmericanLeMansSer...AmericanLeMansSeriesAmericanLeMansSeriesGreenChallengecorvette c6-rcorvette c6.rcorvette c6rCorvetteC6-rCorvetteC6.rCorvetteC6rTue, 09 Sep 2008 16:27:00 EST<![CDATA[Corvette C6-R still the machine to beat in ALMS GT1]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/03/16/corvette-c6-r-still-the-machine-to-beat-in-alms-gt1/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/03/16/corvette-c6-r-still-the-machine-to-beat-in-alms-gt1/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/03/16/corvette-c6-r-still-the-machine-to-beat-in-alms-gt1/#commentsFiled under: ,



Just as the Audi R10 is dominating the LMP1 class, the Corvette C6-R has again captured the top two spots in qualifying for the GT1 class for the 12 Hours of Sebring that runs tomorrow. Jan Magnussen, who will be driving the number 3 Vette for the full season this year, ran .419 seconds faster than the number 4 car in the hands of Oliver Gavin. On Saturday, Magnussen will be sharing his car with Ron Fellows and Johnny O'Connell while Gavin will be trading off with Max Papis and Olivier Beretta. Chances are the real racing will be going on the Corvette's GT1 class, as well as the very competitive LMP2 class. The LMP1 class, meanwhile, is again expected be wrapped up from the start by the pair of R10s from Audi. The green flag for the 12 Hours of Sebring drops at 10AM eastern on Saturday.

[Source: General Motors]

Continue reading Corvette C6-R still the machine to beat in ALMS GT1

Corvette C6-R still the machine to beat in ALMS GT1 originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 16 Mar 2007 14:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ALMSAmericna LeMans SeriesAmericnaLemansSeriesCorvette C6-RCorvetteC6-rsebringFri, 16 Mar 2007 14:02:00 EST