2009 Chevrolet Corvette C6R GT2

The car we have the pleasure of offering for sale here today, chassis number C6.RGT-002, is the second of just two ZR1 generation C6.Rs built by Pratt & Miller to be campaigned the factory Corvette Racing team in the new GT2 class of global endurance racing in 2009. 

Completed in July 2009, the two GT2 C6.Rs used the new C6 ZR1 model as the base platform. Building on their experience of fielding the Corvette Racing outfit which had at that point yielded an unparalleled 5 GT1 class wins at Le Mans, Pratt & Miller created what in practical terms was a thoroughbred prototype around the base chassis and selected panel shapes of the road C6 ZR1.

The hydroformed aluminium chassis found in the C6 ZR1 provided a light and rigid foundation for the new C6R. Within its confines were the two fuel cells, mounted centrally and low in the car for optimal weight distribution.

An extensive roll cage, or safety cell as may be more appropriate, triangulated the road chassis, and incorporated Corvette Racing’s proprietary driver’s side crash impact box.

At the heart of the new GT2 car was a revised version of the aluminium Katech developed LS7.R engine that had already been so successful in GT1 over the previous seasons.

The revision came with the change to 6.0-litre capacity, achieved by shortening the stroke of the crankshaft while maintaining the bore.

Mounted low and rearward in the engine bay, the LS7.R is fed through carbon intake manifolds. Short exhaust manifolds exit halfway along the side sill on each side, and the Katech motor made 470 bhp in its restricted form to reflect the maximum limit imposed by the regulations.

Even more impressive was the 535 lb/ft torque it produced. There’s an old adage that says “Horsepower sells engines, torque wins races…”

The new GT2 rules specified the use of steel brakes and aluminium wheels along with some variations in aerodynamics, all in the pursuit of a more cost-responsible formula to reflect the global financial crisis of the time.

Suspension was carried over from the GT1 car, using the same race proven double wishbone layout with coil-over shock absorbers and huge anti-roll bars aiding the weight control. The bodywork style came from the ZR1 road car but was extensively remade in lightweight carbon fibre with wide arches and aerodynamic profiling.

In testing, Pratt & Miller found the new GT2 C6.R to give incredible mechanical grip and more predictable than the previous GT1 C6.R Z06 and the future for the new car looked bright. The new GT2 class in the American Le Mans Series brought a huge depth of competition with Ferrari, Porsche, BMW, Ford, Dodge and Panoz fielding cars and chasing victory.

This car, C6.RGT-002

This car, C6GT-002, was completed alongside chassis 001 at Pratt & Miller during 2009 and both cars made their race debut at the ALMS Mid Ohio round in August that year. 002 was the number 4 car of driver pairing Oliver Gavin and Olivier Beretta, both multiple Le Mans winners for Corvette in GT1. The first race for 002 saw the pairing finish 4th in the GT2 class and 10th overall.

At Road America for the next round two weeks later, Gavin and Beretta took 6th in GT2 with 002. Mosport at the end of August would see 002 both qualify and finish 3rd in GT2, the best result of the season to date for Gavin and Beretta while the sister car took the GT2 victory.

With Corvette Racing back on top with the new C6.R, rival teams voiced their anguish at another potential Velocity Yellow wash out, and the ALMS organisers responded with a change to the balance of performance for the Corvettes to slow them.

The only ALMS round of September was the prestigious 1,000 mile Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta, with Gavin and Beretta being joined by Marcel Fassler, another future multiple Le Mans winner. The trio set 3rd fastest time in qualifying and completed the long-distance classic in 4th place.

At the ALMS round at Laguna Seca in October, 002 again set 3rd fastest time in qualifying but retired from the race itself and was classified 10th in GT2.

Ahead of the 2010 season, Pratt & Miller developed updates for the new year. The largest change came in the form of GM’s new in-house engine programme which had developed a new engine, the LS5.5R. Moving away from Katech, who for so long had handled the engines for Corvette Racing, the new engine was 5.5 litres in capacity to comply with the GT rules for that season in ALMS and WEC.

002 was again the number 4 entry of Gavin and Beretta for the 2010 American Le Mans Series. At the season opening Sebring 12 Hours in March, they were joined by Emmanuel Collard, another Le Mans winner who was joining Corvette Racing for the first time. The trio qualified 002 in 5th within the GT class and were classified 9th at the conclusion of the race. At Long Beach in April, Gavin and Beretta mirrored the results of Sebring with a 5th place starting position and 9th place finish in GT.

Laguna Seca in May saw the regular pairing set 3rd fastest time in qualifying, just 0.4 back from the Risi Competizione Ferrari and ahead of the sister C6.R. 002 had a strong run in the 6 hour race, taking 3rd place in GT at the finish and 7th overall.

The strong Laguna Seca result showed promise for the upcoming Le Mans 24 Hours in June. Gavin and Beretta were again joined by Collard for the 24 Hours where 002 wore the race number 64.

The 2010 Le Mans 24 Hours coincided with the 50th Anniversary of Corvette’s first appearance at Le Mans, an occasion which GM were keen to celebrate. The two C6.Rs wore 50th Anniversary graphics through the season and at Le Mans, the top figures at the company were present, hoping to see Corvette Racing take victory.

002 proved to be the benchmark for the whole GT2 class in qualifying, with Gavin setting the fastest lap time at 3:59.4 and securing pole position for Corvette Racing, ahead of several of the GT1 cars.

When the 24 Hours got underway on Saturday afternoon, it was a Corvette Racing 1-2 formation that characterised the GT2 class. Previous winner Jamie Melo’s Ferrari F430 closed in on Gavin in 002 and the two endured a close battle before Melo’s Ferrari failed.

Approaching the 6 hour remaining mark, 002 held a dominant position in the lead of the GT2 class with no close competition apparent. However, a close and impatient move by Anthony Davidson’s Peugeot 908 LMP1 car in the Porsche Curves pushed Collard in 002 off the track and into the concrete wall.

002 suffered rear end damage, although Collard was able to get the car back to the pits and the Corvette Racing team. After repair, 002 rejoined the race 5th in class but suffered engine failure due to previous oil starvation in the accident. Having looked so decisively in control, it was a huge disappointment for Corvette Racing in the anniversary year.

Two weeks after Le Mans, ALMS resumed for 002 at Miller Motorsports Park where Gavin and Beretta were classified in 10th position at the finish. From there, results improved for 002. At Lime Rock it took 5th while a strong run at Mid Ohio in August saw 002 on the podium with 2nd place in GT.

At Road America a week later, 002 set the fastest time in qualifying to claim pole position. Gavin and Beretta carried the pace through to achieve another podium in 3rd place. The penultimate round of the ALMS was at Mosport in Canada where Gavin was joined by Jan Magnuessen. The duo set 3rd fastest time in qualifying before finishing 4th in the race.

The final ALMS race for 2010 was the Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta, the biggest race on the ALMS calendar behind Sebring.

Gavin and Magnussen were joined by Collard, returning to 002 for the first time since Le Mans. After only being 6th fastest in qualifying, the superstar trio climbed the order through the 1,000 mile epic to be running 2nd in the closing stages.

With close margins between the entire GT2 field, teams ran tight on fuel mileage to save pit stop time where possible. It turned out that the Risi Competizione Ferrari which lead the GT class onto the last lap cut it too tight, and the Ferrari ran out of fuel on the very last lap. 002 swept through to take the victory for an elated Corvette Racing. It too ran out of fuel, although crucially after the chequered flag!

002 was signed off from its frontline service with Corvette Racing after the Petit Le Mans victory and the conclusion of the 2010 race season. With the GT2 ruleset being refined into GTE for 2011, Corvette Racing built new cars for the new year. 002 remained in storage with Pratt & Miller until 2014 when it was bought by Selleslagh Racing Team, SRT, in Belgium.

SRT prepared their new 002 upon its arrival for the 2014 International GT Open series. Finished in the Corvette Velocity Yellow as from Pratt & Miller, SRT entered 002 with pro drivers Maxime Soulet and Nicky Catsburg. With race number 6, Soulet and Catsburg took 2 wins within the first four races at the Nurburgring and Portimao, with the other two finishes being 3rd places.

For Jerez and Hungaroring, Soulet was partnered by Isaac Tutumlu. A DNF and DNS characterised the Jerez weekend while at the Hungaroring, 2nd place was scored in the second race. At the remaining four race weekends, Archie Hamilton took over from Soulet and a further victory followed at Spa along with two more podiums. The results lead to the team taking 3rd overall in the 2014 International GT Open championship.

2015 saw SRT prepare 002 in a white with blue livery for Nicolas Vandierendonck to campaign in the Belgian Supercar Challenge. With rounds at circuits including Zolder, Spa, Zandvoort, Assen and Brands Hatch, Vandierendonck shared the driving with pro drivers Jeremy van Hooydonk and Archie Hamilton. Running very competitively against newer cars, 002 scored 3 victories and 8 podiums on course to finishing 2nd in the series.

Vandierendonck continued with 002 for 2016, this time racing in the Blancpain GT Sports Club series. Driving solo, Vandierendonck took 3 podiums on course to taking another 2nd overall in the championship.

2017 would be the final active year for 002 in competition with SRT and their affiliate team V8 Racing. 002 was prepared once more for 24 hour racing with outings at the Dubai 24 Hours and the COTA 24 Hours planned. With four-man driver line ups for both races, 002 was driven by Nathan, Huisman, Abresch and Pastorelli, taking 4th in class in Dubai. At COTA, it was Huisman, Abresch, Vandierendonk and Brahms who drove, improving on the previous result to take 2nd in class.

Having been stored since then by SRT, 002 was returned to their workshop and underwent a full rebuild and race preparation by the team. As part of this, the transaxle was rebuilt with a new clutch fitted along with new brakes front and rear. New safety equipment was also fitted, the seatbelts being valid until 2028 and the fire extinguisher until November 2024.

002 entered the current ownership in 2023 and has proceeded to compete in, and in fact dominate the GT races it has entered. With preparation by the Jordan Racing Team, the current owner ran 002 at the 2024 Spa 24 Hour support race by Peter Auto. While running as an invitation, 002 won both races outright on the road, beating all GT1, GT2 and GT3 opposition.

Following the Spa successes, the engine in 002 was changed for the fresh spare and in late 2024, JRT and the current owner took 002 to the USA where it competed at the Sebring Classic 12 Hour and Daytona 24 Classic events.

Upon its return to the UK, 002 has been thoroughly gone through at JRT with the fitment of new fuel cells valid to June 2030, and has not been run on track since. Today, 002 retains the latest C6.R GTE specifications while bearing the GT1 based LS7.R Katech built engine rather than the later and smaller capacity in-house GM version. The engine fitted in the car currently sits having only done the US events plus a test.

Another Katech LS7.R race engine accompanies 002 today, sitting at 40 hours and due a rebuild. Further to the spare engine is a huge spares package including 4 sets of wheel rims, extensive bodywork panels, suspension parts, gearbox parts, radiators, a steering rack, chassis parts, exhausts, brake spares, fuelling equipment, a pre-heater and even its laptop.

As 1 of only 2 Corvette C6.Rs built and raced by Pratt & Miller in the GT2 class, 002 is perfectly positioned for either the Endurance Racing Legends GT2 series or the new Legend of Le Mans series with GTE class by Peter Auto, both including the Le Mans Classic Legend in 2026.

If running in the popular GT2 based ERL2 series, the 1 of 2 C6.R is surely the most advanced and competitive option available, being sure to stand out from the sea of Porsche entries.

Another new addition to available series for the C6.R is Motor Racing Legends Endurance Icons grid which allows GT and prototypes up to 2012, and debuts at the BRDC Silverstone Classic in July 2026.

Further eligibility includes Masters Endurance Legends in both Europe and the USA, along with HSR’s Daytona 24 and Sebring Classic events, an opportunity to take 002 back to its home soil and experience the visceral V8 thunder.

While being a very select package, the new owner can benefit from support available from Pratt & Miller along with other C6.R figures including former Corvette Racing crew chief Dan Binks in the USA and both JRT and Foxcraft Racing in the UK.

There are few GT2 cars as evocative or select at the C6.R. Bred from the most successful GT1 programme in history, the C6.R GT2 is more a prototype than a production car and carries that GT1 DNA. C6.RGT-002 is ready to make a thunderous return to the track with a new owner with global possibilities for success.