DETROIT – In 2018, Corvette Racing and Chevrolet will embark on their 20th season of competition at the highest level of endurance sports car racing.
In hopes of capturing a third consecutive class championship, Corvette Racing turns again to four sets of trusted hands to pilot its pair of Chevrolet Corvette C7.Rs in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship’s GT Le Mans category.
Antonio Garcia, Jan Magnussen, Oliver Gavin and Tommy Milner comprise Corvette Racing’s full-season lineup. The 2018 season marks the seventh straight year the quartet has made up the regular driving roster. The full-season four have combined for 111 victories and 12 Driver Championships in their Corvette Racing careers.
“It’s always a privilege being with Corvette Racing. One of the strongest and most valuable aspects of our program is the continuity we have. It plays a massive role in the team’s success, on the engineering side, on the crew side and on the driver side,” said Magnussen. “This makes things so much easier when we all know our strengths and weaknesses. We can work that. There are no unknown quantities. To continue to be a part of this team is a great honor. This is a fantastic group, and I’m very proud to be part of it. ”
They also have played significant roles in Chevrolet’s 12 Manufacturer Championships and 12 Team Championships for Corvette Racing, which has recorded 106 victories around the world.
“Consistency amongst the team and its drivers has been key to the success of our program for the last 20 years,” said Mark Kent, Chevrolet Director of Motorsports Competition. “Having Antonio, Jan, Oliver and Tommy returning for the 2018 season will definitely increase the likelihood of continued success for Corvette Racing.”
Both of the Mobil 1/SiriusXM Chevrolet Corvettes will officially begin the 2018 IMSA season at the annual Roar Before the 24 at Daytona International Speedway on Jan. 5-7. It is the prelude to the season-opening Rolex 24 At Daytona, an event Corvette Racing has won three times.
“This will be my eighth year with Corvette Racing, and I can see how being part of a program for this long with this much consistency has made me a better driver over the years. It makes the start of a season easier,” said Milner. “There is no learning process or getting a feel for the car or team. You jump right in and you’re off running from the first practice session. We build off those sessions and each race. That consistency is fantastic. Looking at the history and success of this partnership between Corvette Racing and Chevy for now 20 years, the consistency has been a large part of our success. So I’m happy to be back with this incredible group.”
Corvette Racing is coming off a 2017 season in which it won four times. Garcia and Magnussen recorded three victories and shared the GTLM Driver Championship. Gavin and Milner, 2016 co-champions, also claimed a victory in 2017.
The records of each Corvette Racing driver rank among the best in endurance sports car racing:
Antonio Garcia: 15 victories; two IMSA Driver Championships; winner at Le Mans (2009, 2011), Daytona (2015), Sebring (2009, 2015, 2017)
Oliver Gavin: 49 victories; five IMSA Driver Championships; winner at Le Mans (five times), Daytona (2016), Sebring (five times)
Jan Magnussen: 34 victories; three IMSA Driver Championships; winner at Le Mans (four times), Daytona (2015), Sebring (five times)
Tommy Milner: 13 victories; two IMSA Driver Championships; winner at Le Mans (2011, 2015), Daytona (2016), Sebring (two times)
Source : speedsport.com
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