The Chevrolet Corvette has become a dominant force in GT racing, and this is your chance to own a motorsport icon.
Forget replicas and tributes, as the car currently listed for sale on Bring a Trailer is a genuine C7.R race car.
Built by Pratt & Miller Engineering, this car tasted endurance racing success as part of the factory Corvette Racing programme.
From the street to race track
Pratt & Miller began their official association with General Motors in 1999, and subsequently turned the Chevrolet Corvette into a world-beating GT racer.
Developed from the street-legal seventh-generation Corvette, the C7.R was unveiled at the 2014 Detroit Auto Show. Experience from the previous Le Mans-winning C6.R model helped prime it for the IMSA SportsCar Championship.
The car listed for auction is one of the earliest examples of the Corvette C7.R. Chassis number C7RGT-003 hit the track in January 2014, taking part in that year’s Daytona 24 Hours.
Roaring to success
Chassis 003 would not have to wait long for success. It took a class win at the 2014 Tequila Patrón Sports Car Showcase at Long Beach. Three more class wins followed in 2014, along with a fourth place in class at the Le Mans 24 Hours. Yet the biggest prize came the next year.
Driven by Jan Magnussen, Antonio Garcia, and Ryan Briscoe, the C7.R would take an impressive GTLM class victory at the 2015 Daytona 24 Hours. So reliable was the Corvette, that it actually finished fourth overall at the endurance event.
The car missed the 2015 Le Mans 24 Hour, due a pre-race accident. However, a win at the 12 Hours of Sebring added to the trophy haul, before the car retired at the end of 2015.
Rather than living out a quiet life, chassis 003 has raced in the HSR Classic 24 Hour at Daytona.
All wing, no prayers
Today the car wears the famed black and yellow livery as used during the 2014-15 Corvette Racing programme. Pratt & Miller built seven C7.R models, each with a lower roofline, widened track, and bodywork made from carbon fiber.
Aerodynamic enhancements include the giant adjustable rear wing, a functional front splitter, and a flat underbody. A set of 18-inch BBS wheels, adjustable coilover suspension, and AP Racing brakes were also part of the track-ready makeover.
Powering the C7.R is a 5.5-liter V-8 engine, derived from the regular Corvette LS7 unit. A fresh rebuild by Pratt & Miller, along with a dynamometer session, confirms the engine is producing 575 horsepower and 509 lb-ft of torque.
A six-speed XTrac sequential gearbox feeds power to the rear wheels. The seller confirms it has undergone a recent refresh, too.
A safe investment
Whilst the C7.R may look vaguely related to a regular Corvette on the outside, clambering into the cockpit is a reminder that this is a true race car.
The production dashboard does remain in place, but is equipped with multiple Bosch digital displays. An F1-style carbon fiber steering wheel includes numerous buttons for adjusting engine management settings, with more buttons on the center console.
Safety is taken care of by a substantial integrated roll cage, along with a solitary carbon fiber Recaro racing seat. Extra reassurance is provided by full racing harnesses, and window nets.
Racing the clock, again
A comprehensive set of spare parts, including bodywork items, will be supplied with the car. These could come in handy, given the eligibility of the C7.R to compete in various historic racing formats.
Buying a former factory racing car is never going to be a cheap proposition, with the bids on Bring a Trailer already deep into six figures. With plenty of time left on the auction, bidding is sure to push the price even higher.
The auction closes on Monday, 1 March, meaning someone will start the new month with a very yellow Corvette race car.