*89x2*
Well-known member
Cool stuff! 
CallawayMV said:Last weekend kicked off the beginning of the 2008 racing season in FIA's Manufacturer's Cup Series. For those who haven't heard about this, it's a series of six events at various European racetracks: Silverstone (UK), May 18 at Monza (Italy), June 7 at Oscherschleben (Germany), Sept 14 at Brno (Czech Rep.), Oct 5 at Nogaro (France), and Nov 15 at Dubai's "Full Circuit". Here's a link to the FIA's GT3 website: http://www.fiagt3.com/[/URL]
In this series, Callaway Competition-built Z06.R GT3's are challenged by the world's best race cars, including Ferrari, Lamborghini, Porsche, Aston Martin, Ford GT, Dodge Viper, Jaguar and others. Many of these teams enjoy OEM factory support.
In the 2007 season, the Martini Callaway Corvette team won the points championship and sights are set high for this year.
The season opener was held this weekend at Silverstone in Northamptonshire, England. Here's a link to the Silverstone Circuit website:
http://www.silverstone.co.uk/php/home.html[/URL]
I just spoke to Ernst Wöhr, Managing Director of Callaway Competition in Leingarten, Germany, and he gave me the Silverstone report.
In the first of the two races, Callaway finished 7th (of 43 cars). It had rained just enough to make the dry tires marginal and it wasn't wet enough for rain tires. Plus, it was cold which further hampered traction. Consequently, the race was full of crashes, with several cars colliding in the first laps. The Callaway Z06.R got bumped at the very beginning, right at one of the wheels, knocking the alignment out. After sixty torrid minutes, the race ended with Ford GT first, Porsche second, Aston Martin third. A seventh place finish for Corvette was darn good, considering the carnage that resulted from this race.
In the second race, the following day, a spin in the main pack on the first lap relegated the Callaway Competition Z06.R to 24th place. A combination of excellent driving and the car's superior power and handling resulted in a 2nd place finish, behind the same Ford GT that started on the pole and won the first race.
Callaway Competition also debuted a new GT4 Corvette at Silverstone, an LS3-based non-Z06 Corvette with fewer modifications allowed than the GT3 cars. Here's a link to the GT4 cup website:
http://www.gt4cup.com/[/URL]
The GT4 car in pre-season testing:
In its effort to even the playing field, the FIA added 110 kilos (242.5 lb) to the Corvette, raised the ride height 10 mm (almost .40"), and mandated a 63mm restrictor plate at the throttle body.
Before the GT4 Corvette tucked into second place:
At another point of the race:
With Danny van Dongen at the wheel, the Callaway Competition GT4 Corvette still managed a second place finish, just behind and in front of Aston Martins. Considering the Astons have been campaigned for several years, the GT4 Corvette's second place finish at the first race ever run is certainly something for our German partners to be proud of.
A truly great weekend for Corvette and Callaway. Herzlichen Glückwunsch!
