Corvette Z06 GT3.R
Chassis manufactured at Bowling Green plant
The Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R chassis, like the Corvette Z06 on which it is based, is manufactured on the assembly line at the Bowling Green plant in Kentucky.
The Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R racing car, which debuted at the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona, the opening race of the 2023 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, has a chassis manufactured at the Bowling Green plant in Kentucky, USA, just like the Corvette Z06 production model on which it is based, and is equipped with the same 5.5-liter V8 LT6 naturally aspirated engine.
Jessica Dane, Corvette Racing Program Manager, explains the Corvette Z06 GT3.R production process:
“The Corvette Z06 GT3.R is arguably the GM Motorsports program’s best example of two-way technology transfer between motorsports and production vehicles. After the road car chassis rolls off the assembly line at our Bowling Green plant, it is sent to our constructor partner, Pratt Miller Engineering, to be transformed into a race car.”
“Powertrain development is done in-house by GM’s Global Propulsion Systems team, and approximately 80 percent of the engine is the same parts as the road car.”
Close ties with Corvette owners
Many Corvette owners came to the Daytona 24 Hours to watch the race, and the drivers and team members who participated in the race visited the Fan Zone and interacted with them in various ways.
Long-distance endurance races like the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona and the 24 Hours of Le Mans provide GM engineers with the ultimate opportunity to test vehicles under the most demanding conditions, evaluating performance, durability and reliability under intense stress. The Corvette Z06 architecture and its naturally aspirated 5.5-liter V8 LT6 engine were developed using knowledge and experience gained from Corvette’s previous motorsports activities.
Dane also points out that Corvette’s motorsports activities are not just about vehicle development, but also an opportunity to connect with current and future Corvette owners.
“When we visit the Daytona 24 Hours and other racing events around the world, there’s a gathering of Corvette owners called the ‘Corvette Coral.’ They bring their cars to watch the race, and sometimes drivers and team members come to meet the fans. This is a really valuable opportunity for us to interact with road car owners.”
“The excitement at the 24 Hours of Daytona was incredible. Hundreds of Corvette owners came to watch the race and cheer on Corvette Racing. They wouldn’t have come to Daytona without the close connection between Chevrolet race cars and road cars.”
