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FOR RELEASE: June 16, 2003
<div align="center"><b>Corvette Racing Takes Podium Finish at 24 Hours of Le Mans</b>
<i>"Les Bleus" Corvettes finish second and third in GTS class</i></div>
<b>LE MANS, France</b> - After 24 hard-fought hours, the General Motors Chevrolet Corvette C5-R Racing team placed both its cars on the podium at Le Mans in the GTS class for the fourth year in a row. The accomplishment, in what many believe to be the world's toughest endurance race, speaks volumes to automotive DNA of the production based Corvette C5-R race car.
"Our Corvette team overcame seemingly insurmountable obstacles today and did a great job," said Doug Fehan, Program Manager for Corvette Racing. "The men and women on this team know how to adapt and overcome, and that's exactly what the fans saw today. We faced all types of challenges, from finding tiny brackets broken in our throttle linkage to changing gearboxes and fighting intense heat. We wish that we would have been able to win the GTS class, but finishing both our cars for the fourth year in a row says a lot about the quality of our team and our Corvettes."
The #50 Corvette C5-R, co-driven by Oliver Gavin, Kelly Collins and Andy Pilgrim completed 326 laps to finish 11th overall and second in the GTS class. Collins and Pilgrim notched their fourth straight podium finish while Gavin took home his second in a Corvette at Le Mans.
"This is truly fantastic," said Collins. "This is four years in a row for me on the podium and it feels great every time. We want to congratulate the Ferraris and the Prodrive organization as they ran a great race. But they should know that we'll be after them the rest of the season in the U.S."
The #53 Corvette C5-R, co-driven by Ron Fellows, Johnny O'Connell and Franck Freon completed 326 laps of the 8.6 mile circuit to finish 12th overall and third in the production-based GTS class. Fellows and O'Connell also co-drove to class victories in 2001 and 2002, while Freon experienced his tenth straight Le Mans appearance and fourth podium finish at Le Sarthe with Corvette.
"I love Le Mans," said O'Connell. "The best thing about it is the fans, and as I look down from the podium it's clear to our team how many of you love the Corvette. We are gunning for a victory next year and rest assured we'll be back."
Corvette Racing's legendary C5-R race cars have earned podium finishes in the last 29 consecutive races, including 20 victories. It is a record of consistency that spans more than three years, dating back to the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2000. Driver Oliver Gavin's podium record is even more impressive: he has never driven a Corvette to anything less than a podium finish.
"The people at Corvette Racing make a tremendous sacrifice and we are all proud of them," said Steve Shannon, GM's executive director for marketing services. "The huge personal sacrifice that this team makes is beyond the call of duty and everyone at GM appreciates it. There is a little bit of disappoint in not winning the GTS class title, but we start work on Tuesday morning for our 2004 Le Mans effort and we'll be ready."
With track temperatures exceeding 95 degrees, the Corvettes had as much competition from Mother Nature during the 24-hour race as they did from the likes of Ferrari, Saleen, Chrysler and Pagani in the GTS class. Although two of three Ferraris failed to finish the race, the #88 Veloqx Prodrive Ferrari 550 car managed to stay out of trouble and hold off both Chevy Corvette C5-R's.
The Corvette Racing team will take to the track again on June 29th, at the Chevy Grand Prix of Atlanta, the second round of the American Le Mans Series.
GTS Final Results
Pos. Car No. Drivers Team Laps
1 88 Davies, Enge, Kox Veloqx Prodrive Ferrari 550 M 336
2 50 Gavin, Collins, Pilgrim Corvette Racing Corvette C5-R 326
3 53 Fellows, O'Connell, Freon Corvette Racing Corvette C5-R 326
4 86 Bouchut, Goueslard, Zacchia Larbre Competition Chrysler Viper 317
5 72 Alphand, Dor, Policand Luc Alphand Adventures Ferrari 550 298
6 68 Dupuis, Thevenin, Marques Scorp Motorsport Chrysler Viper retired
7 64 Erdos, Chaves, Newton Graham Nash Mtsprts Saleen S7-R retired
8 80 Burt, Davidson, Turner Veloqx Prodrive Ferrari 550 M retired
9 66 Konrad, Seiler, Brun Konrad Motorsports Saleen S7-R retired
10 61 Hezemans, Kumpen, Hart Carsport America Pagani Zonda GR retired
General Motors Corp. (NYSE: GM), the world's largest vehicle manufacturer, employs 342,000 people globally in its core automotive business and subsidiaries. Founded in 1908, GM has been the global automotive sales leader since 1931. GM today has manufacturing operations in 32 countries and its vehicles are sold in more than 190 countries. In 2002, GM sold more than 8.6 million cars and trucks, nearly 15 percent of the global vehicle market. GM's global headquarters is at the GM Renaissance Center in Detroit. More information on GM and its products can be found on the company's consumer website at www.gm.com.
Contacts:
Reilly Brennan
248-642-2700 x225
rbrennan@g-2communications.com
Mike Stoller
313-665-2445
michael.stoller@gm.com
Serge Vanbockryck
gm.racing@eleven.be
<div align="center"><b>Corvette Racing Takes Podium Finish at 24 Hours of Le Mans</b>
<i>"Les Bleus" Corvettes finish second and third in GTS class</i></div>
<b>LE MANS, France</b> - After 24 hard-fought hours, the General Motors Chevrolet Corvette C5-R Racing team placed both its cars on the podium at Le Mans in the GTS class for the fourth year in a row. The accomplishment, in what many believe to be the world's toughest endurance race, speaks volumes to automotive DNA of the production based Corvette C5-R race car.
"Our Corvette team overcame seemingly insurmountable obstacles today and did a great job," said Doug Fehan, Program Manager for Corvette Racing. "The men and women on this team know how to adapt and overcome, and that's exactly what the fans saw today. We faced all types of challenges, from finding tiny brackets broken in our throttle linkage to changing gearboxes and fighting intense heat. We wish that we would have been able to win the GTS class, but finishing both our cars for the fourth year in a row says a lot about the quality of our team and our Corvettes."
The #50 Corvette C5-R, co-driven by Oliver Gavin, Kelly Collins and Andy Pilgrim completed 326 laps to finish 11th overall and second in the GTS class. Collins and Pilgrim notched their fourth straight podium finish while Gavin took home his second in a Corvette at Le Mans.
"This is truly fantastic," said Collins. "This is four years in a row for me on the podium and it feels great every time. We want to congratulate the Ferraris and the Prodrive organization as they ran a great race. But they should know that we'll be after them the rest of the season in the U.S."
The #53 Corvette C5-R, co-driven by Ron Fellows, Johnny O'Connell and Franck Freon completed 326 laps of the 8.6 mile circuit to finish 12th overall and third in the production-based GTS class. Fellows and O'Connell also co-drove to class victories in 2001 and 2002, while Freon experienced his tenth straight Le Mans appearance and fourth podium finish at Le Sarthe with Corvette.
"I love Le Mans," said O'Connell. "The best thing about it is the fans, and as I look down from the podium it's clear to our team how many of you love the Corvette. We are gunning for a victory next year and rest assured we'll be back."
Corvette Racing's legendary C5-R race cars have earned podium finishes in the last 29 consecutive races, including 20 victories. It is a record of consistency that spans more than three years, dating back to the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2000. Driver Oliver Gavin's podium record is even more impressive: he has never driven a Corvette to anything less than a podium finish.
"The people at Corvette Racing make a tremendous sacrifice and we are all proud of them," said Steve Shannon, GM's executive director for marketing services. "The huge personal sacrifice that this team makes is beyond the call of duty and everyone at GM appreciates it. There is a little bit of disappoint in not winning the GTS class title, but we start work on Tuesday morning for our 2004 Le Mans effort and we'll be ready."
With track temperatures exceeding 95 degrees, the Corvettes had as much competition from Mother Nature during the 24-hour race as they did from the likes of Ferrari, Saleen, Chrysler and Pagani in the GTS class. Although two of three Ferraris failed to finish the race, the #88 Veloqx Prodrive Ferrari 550 car managed to stay out of trouble and hold off both Chevy Corvette C5-R's.
The Corvette Racing team will take to the track again on June 29th, at the Chevy Grand Prix of Atlanta, the second round of the American Le Mans Series.
GTS Final Results
Pos. Car No. Drivers Team Laps
1 88 Davies, Enge, Kox Veloqx Prodrive Ferrari 550 M 336
2 50 Gavin, Collins, Pilgrim Corvette Racing Corvette C5-R 326
3 53 Fellows, O'Connell, Freon Corvette Racing Corvette C5-R 326
4 86 Bouchut, Goueslard, Zacchia Larbre Competition Chrysler Viper 317
5 72 Alphand, Dor, Policand Luc Alphand Adventures Ferrari 550 298
6 68 Dupuis, Thevenin, Marques Scorp Motorsport Chrysler Viper retired
7 64 Erdos, Chaves, Newton Graham Nash Mtsprts Saleen S7-R retired
8 80 Burt, Davidson, Turner Veloqx Prodrive Ferrari 550 M retired
9 66 Konrad, Seiler, Brun Konrad Motorsports Saleen S7-R retired
10 61 Hezemans, Kumpen, Hart Carsport America Pagani Zonda GR retired
General Motors Corp. (NYSE: GM), the world's largest vehicle manufacturer, employs 342,000 people globally in its core automotive business and subsidiaries. Founded in 1908, GM has been the global automotive sales leader since 1931. GM today has manufacturing operations in 32 countries and its vehicles are sold in more than 190 countries. In 2002, GM sold more than 8.6 million cars and trucks, nearly 15 percent of the global vehicle market. GM's global headquarters is at the GM Renaissance Center in Detroit. More information on GM and its products can be found on the company's consumer website at www.gm.com.
Contacts:
Reilly Brennan
248-642-2700 x225
rbrennan@g-2communications.com
Mike Stoller
313-665-2445
michael.stoller@gm.com
Serge Vanbockryck
gm.racing@eleven.be
