NBC Sports will preview the 2025 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season finale, Motul Petit Le Mans, with a special one-hour show on Sunday, Oct. 5 at 3 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock.
The network show will air the Sunday before Motul Petit Le Mans, which kicks off live on network NBC at noon ET on Saturday, Oct. 11. Peacock will stream the full race flag-to-flag (in the U.S.) with additional streaming via IMSA.TV and IMSA’s Official YouTube channel (internationally). The top-level, factory-supported production car-based class in American sports car racing has evolved through several names and technical specifications over the last 15 years. But there’s been one constant:
Corvette drivers Antonio Garcia and Alexander Sims will be fighting to win the GTD-Pro championship in this last IMSA race of 2025 season
Since the 45-year-old Spaniard joined Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports in 2009, he has excelled in every iteration of the premier GT category, through half a dozen technical regulation changes and three generations of Corvettes.
Garcia won his first championship in the GT class of the American Le Mans Series in 2013 with co-driver Jan Magnussen, the final year before ALMS and IMSA’s TUDOR United SportsCar Championship merged to create the modern-day IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. Teamed with Magnussen from 2014-’19, Garcia won a pair of IMSA Grand Touring Le Mans (GTLM) titles for Corvette Racing in 2017 and ’18 and added two more teamed with Jordan Taylor in 2020 and ’21.
Garcia has collected a total of 31 IMSA race wins along with his quintet of championships, including five wins since the most recent GT category realignment that created the Grand Touring Daytona Pro (GTD PRO) class in 2022. But whether with Taylor in ’22 and ’23 or his current co-driver Alexander Sims, Garcia has never achieved a GTD PRO championship.
That could change October 11 at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta. Sims and Garcia and the No. 3 Corvette Z06 GT3.R will carry a slim 18-point advantage into the season-concluding Motul Petit Le Mans over Albert Costa, who has shared DragonSpeed’s No. 81 Ferrari 296 GT3 for the majority of the year with Giacomo Altoè and endurance driver Davide Rigon. Mike Rockenfeller and Sebastian Priaulx sit third, 169 points back in the No. 64 Ford Multimatic Motorsports Ford Mustang GT3, with an outside shot.
Given his record, it’s surprising that Garcia has not won a championship to date during the GTD PRO era. What’s even more remarkable is that while Corvette Racing owns eight victories at Motul Petit Le Mans, Garcia has never tasted the champagne in Georgia a measure of how challenging and unpredictable the 10-hour day-into-night endurance classic can be.
Sims and Garcia achieved their only win of the ’25 season at VIRginia International Raceway with an aggressive undercut pit stop strategy from the Corvette by Pratt Miller team that vaulted them to the front of the field. At that point, they led Costa by 53 points, but the fellow-Spaniard cut the margin to 18 by finishing second ahead of the No. 3 Corvette in fourth at the most recent WeatherTech Championship race at Indianapolis.
“The last few races we’ve been always trying to cover different strategies coming from especially the No. 77 (the defending GTD PRO class champion AO Racing Porsche that lies fourth in this year’s standings) or the No. 81 (Costa),” Garcia said. “When people are probably not feeling very competitive or are not in contention at some point, that’s when they roll the dice and they kind of put everybody under the pressure.
“So, I think we really need to be very prepared on that before the races knowing what to do and how to react to people,” he continued. “Maybe there’s something we can do, like we did at VIR, be the first one to really make the move. You play it out from there and still go for the win.”
Garcia noted that fighting for a championship has become more difficult since IMSA aligned its GT classes to the worldwide FIA GT3 specification in 2022, mostly eliminating the performance disparity that existed between GTD class cars and slightly faster GTLM entries. GTD and GTD PRO now also use a standardized Michelin tire, whereas in the GTLM era, manufacturers worked with Michelin to develop tires for their specific car.
Corvette Racing had been a pure factory program since the early 2000s. However, the shift in regulations required Chevrolet and Pratt Miller Motorsports to create the first-ever Corvette GT3.R for customer sales. Ford Racing quickly followed suit with a GT3 version of the Mustang.
“GT1, GT2, GT Le Mans…they were really cool cars to drive, and we had a lot of fun with those cars during those years,” recalled Garcia. “The transition to GT3 was a little bit difficult, or different, because we had a transition year with a bit of a mix until the Z06 GT3.R was able to race. But I don’t see many, many differences, because there is always a superb level of drivers and good teams you’re fighting against.
“This is my 16th year with the team, and the approach has always been the same,” he added. “The Corvette Racing mentality has always been the same and the approach to every single race or championship has been the same regardless of the actual class of car we were running. This is just another year we are very happy and proud that we are in contention.”
Driving for IMSA’s most established and successful GT-class team, the No. 3 Corvette pairing has the championship-tested mettle going into Motul Petit Le Mans over Costa and the DragonSpeed Ferrari, which are in their first full season of GTD PRO competition. Chevrolet leads Ferrari by 46 points in the GTD PRO Manufacturer’s championship.
“The last two years, we came up short, but we are looking forward to showing and use all the knowledge we have to be in this position,” Garcia said. “Let’s see if we have enough of everything pace, race strategy, and I would say a little bit of luck. “Let’s hope everything falls in the right direction, and we can come up with another championship.”
No significant expansion of the customer base for the Corvette Z06 GT3.R is planned for next year, according to Corvette Racing program manager Jess Dane, who said their aim is to keep the car “boutique and bespoke” for its existing privateer squads.
Launched last year, a total of 17 of the Pratt Miller-built cars are in active service around the world in series such as the FIA World Endurance Championship, IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, European and Asian Le Mans Series as well as GT World Challenge America, Asia and Europe competition.
Dane stated they’re not expecting an increase in customer base for next year, but rather its existing customers purchasing additional cars for expanded programs.
TF Sport, for instance, recently announced an Asian Le Mans Series program for the 2025-26 season to join its WEC & ELMS campaigns, while U.S.-based customer DXDT Racing expanded to the WeatherTech Championship this year while continuing its GTWC America program. “I’m pleased to say that the majority of our car allocation is actually going to our existing teams,” said Dane. “Our existing teams are really keen to grow their fleet.
“Of the projected car allocation in the near future, we have more cars going to existing teams. We might have one or two cars crop up elsewhere but it will still be small and quite boutique and bespoke. “Nobody’s going to see a massive injection of cars around the world next year.”
Dane wouldn’t be drawn on the total number of cars sold, although she confirmed Pratt Miller has already built the 20-car minimum imposed by the FIA by the second year of the car’s homologation. “I honestly couldn’t be more proud of how all of our customers have done this year,” she added. “We have seven teams around the world now, and every single one has had at least one podium. “We have teams with multiple wins and the feedback from the customers has been really strong.
“What we’ve focused on as we’ve grown this program across the last couple of the years is maintaining a connection with each of those customers and treating it as a partnership as opposed to a customer and manufacturer relationship. “The results are one thing but the feedback and the relationships with the team are separate, but equally the relationships have formed part of that success. “I’m really happy where it’s at the moment.”
Dane said the influx of teams this year, which includes GTWC America and GT America powered by AWS entrant Chouest Povoledo Racing, as well as Steller Motorsport and Johor Motorsports JMR, have been able to collectively add to the database of knowledge with the car. “The transparency that we’ve run across the program has been a big part of that,” she said.
“If one of our customers experiences any kind of issue or has an idea for an improvement, the system, that we run with the level of transparency is that everyone can see that.
“Nothing is hidden; all issues are open and all updates and improvements are rolled out to the fleet as a whole. “Everything is completely equal, and having more cars in more places means that we are constantly making improvements. “The rate of finding things and the rate of improvement is impressive across the board, and I feel that’s had a good impact on our teams as well.”
Florida’s new super speeder law now has big consequences for those drivers with a heavy right foot. Exceeding the speed limit by 50 MPH or more, or are driving at 100 MPH or more is now a criminal offense with those first timers spending up to 30 days in jail.
The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office recently shared video to Facebook showing one of their traffic enforcement deputies pulling over the driver of a C8 Corvette Stingray Convertible after he was clocked at 107 MPH on the highway, and the driver’s excuse was BS.
“I have an appointment with my barber.”
The driver, 57-year-old Michael Stanek of Welaka was arrested for dangerous excessive speeding. He was transported to the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Center where he was book and then later released on a $150 bond.
A return to the podium, hopefully on the top step, is on the mind TF Sport as the Corvette Z06 GT3.R program heads to Fuji Speedway for the Six Hours of Fuji and the next-to-last round for the FIA World Endurance Championship.
Even better is that each lineup features at least one driver who has won a race at the 2.835-mile, 16-turn Fuji Speedway circuit in the past. That’s even more encouraging considering the pace that the TF Sport Corvettes showed a year ago plus the performance of the Corvette at Fuji earlier this year including a race win and pole position in GT World Challenge Asia competition.
The trio of Daniel Juncadella, Jonny Edgar and Ben Keating are third in the Drivers Championship and 29 points out of the points lead. A season-opening victory at Qatar remains the group’s only podium finish of the season, but the pace of the No. 33 Corvette has been strong the last three races. Experience at Fuji varies between the three teammates. Edgar won’t just make his first start at Fuji he’ll also make his first trip to Japan. Juncadella made his Fuji debut a year ago in a TF Sport Corvette that was running as high as fifth in class before a couple of mechanical issues forced the car’s retirement inside the final hour.
Keating’s past success at Fuji is one that TF Sport hopes will continue for this season. He’s finished on the class podium in each of his three previous race starts, including a win with TF Sport in 2022. His last race at the circuit came two years ago in a Corvette C8.R, and he finished second in the race as part of his GTE Am championship-winning season.
Charlie Eastwood, Rui Andrade and Tom Van Rompuy are back for their second shot at a race win or podium at Fuji in the No. 81 Corvette. Van Rompuy qualified second and led twice in his stint before Andrade continued the strong run at the front.
Eastwood was at wheel late and charging toward a podium or race win when he was hit and spun by a Hypercar with more than hour left. He made up seven spots in that span to fourth at the end. Like Keating, Eastwood has previously won at Fuji with TF Sport but back in 2019. Andrade captured victory in LMP2 in the 2023 race and made his first GT-class start at Fuji last year with TF Sport.
The No. 81 Corvette finished second at Le Mans and third at Sāo Paulo earlier this year, before finishing out of the points last time out at COTA. There’s still positive momentum within the 81 Corvette lineup, as Eastwood and Andrade were part of a third-place class finish at Silverstone in the most recent round of the European Le Mans Series.
The Six Hours of Fuji scheduled for 11 a.m. JST Sunday and 10 p.m. ET Saturday. Full, live television coverage is available on the MotorTrend in the United States. Live-streaming coverage of Free Practice 3, qualifying and the race will be available on the FIA WEC app and the MAX app in the United States.
TF SPORT PRE-EVENT QUOTES
DANI JUNCADELLA, NO. 33 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R:
“We’re coming to the last two rounds of the year so it’s going to be key to score some big points. We’re still in the hunt for the championship. We’re a little on the back foot because we are a few points behind in third. But I believe we will have a good chance in Fuji. It was a very strong weekend last year in terms of pace.
We couldn’t maximize it, unfortunately because of an issue on the first pit stop. I love the track, I love the Japanese fans. They’re always very passionate about racing. Let’s see if we can score some big points to be in the hunt for Bahrain. ” JONNY EDGAR, NO. 33 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R:
“It will be my first time in Fuji and first time in Japan. Last year the pace in the Corvette was pretty strong for the team, so that’s a good sign. I’m looking forward to driving the track for the first time. I’ve done it on a simulator before, and it looks like a pretty cool track. The simulator helps to get a general idea of the flow of a track. Figuring out the bumps, some lines and curbs can take some time. It definitely helped at COTA and after a couple of laps I felt pretty comfortable. Hopefully I can do the same at Fuji as I learn a new track.”
BEN KEATING, NO. 33 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R:
“I always enjoy going to Japan and racing at Fuji. I’ve never finished off the podium there, so I’m excited to go back in the Corvette after a year away and three years after winning there with TF Sport. So this is an event that has been very good to me.
Above all the results and success, what makes this event and trip special are the people of Japan and the fans at the racetrack. It’s an incredibly friendly and respectful atmosphere. I hope we can give the ones that are cheering for the Corvette a good result and gain ground in the championship.”
CHARLIE EASTWOOD, NO. 81 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R:
“Fuji was an excellent track for us last year. The Corvette felt phenomenal. We’ll be back on the medium tire for this one, which I think suits us a little bit better than the hard. We’re looking for a big result. In the last two races, we really need to finish on a high to put a squeeze on the championship side of things and finish as good as we can.”
TOM VAN ROMPUY, NO. 81 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R:
“We had good pace last year, especially in the last sector, and I think our car should be strong in the middle sector as well. The characteristics of the track suits the Corvette. We were in a good place and in contention last year, so I hope we are in the same position as last year to start the race, and I can only hope for a strong result in Fuji.”
A new refrigerant option for R-1234yf, known as R-444A, is now available for automotive professional use. R-444A has been thoroughly vetted for over a decade and is under consideration for first fill by leading vehicle manufacturers worldwide.
As an economical refrigerant option for R-1234yf for after market vehicle service providers, R-444A provides a boost to A/C system cooling performance and is more energy efficient. Why should R-444A be considered over R-1234yf?
There are four primary reasons for this: 1. Performance: R-444A will cool a vehicle up to four minutes faster than R123yf.
2. Energy efficiency: R-444A consumes less energy during a typical driving cycle, offering an advantage to improve a vehicle’s fuel (ICE) or battery (EV) range.
3. Cost: R-1234yf is both more expensive to produce and under patent protection. Both drive prices higher. In contrast, R-444A is made from common and “public domain” refrigerants for **lower relative cost.
4. Reliability: R-444A has no known conditions under which it can polymerize. It has also been fully tested for compatibility with system components and oils.
Amid the evolving landscape of vehicle thermal management systems and of regulatory pressure, it is worth noting that R-444A meets the low GWP100 <150 requirements with a CO2 equivalence of 93. In terms of PFAS (poly-fluoroalkyl substances), R-444A breaks down into substantially less TFA (trifluoroacetic acid) than R-1234yf during decomposition, making it an environmentally safe choice.
What is R-444a?
R-444A combines R-1234ze (83 percent), R-152a (5 percent), and R32 (12 percent) to create an azeotropic blend with a 7K glide. Glide is the difference between the lowest and highest refrigerant component boiling points. R-1234ze is the base contributing to its low GWP, while R-32 packs a performance punch and enhances the capacity that drives its excellent cooling performance.
I have attached below a PDF showing each GM vehicle and its battery rating
New 12V Battery Ratings Chart for the 2026 Model Year
The chart includes SAE cold cranking amperage (CCA), amp hours (AH) and reserve capacity (RC) ratings along with battery type specifications. The 2026 model year chart as well as charts for earlier model years can be easily printed using the browser’s print function.
Entering the correct battery CCA ratings and battery type when using the Midtronics Diagnostic Charger (DCA-8000P) or other approved chargers/testers is critical for proper test results. If the original/factory battery has been replaced, access the current battery label to view the battery type and CCA, as it may not match the OE specifications. Selecting the incorrect battery type or CCA rating when testing may result in battery damage or a “Replace Battery” result on a good battery, leading to a good battery being replaced unnecessarily.
TIP: There are two common types of 12V battery testing battery CCA ratings, EN CCA and SAE CCA. EN is a European standard and SAE is a North American standard. Be sure to use the SAE number when testing 12V batteries.
For more information on replacement batteries, refer to the Electronic Parts Catalog. For more details on proper battery testing, refer to the appropriate Service Information. Go to General Information > General Information > Specifications > 12 Volt Battery Usage for battery specs on 2019 and later model years.
Battery Testing Requirements
Keep in mind the following tips to ensure the proper processes are completed to support battery replacement and successful warranty claim submission.
Validate whether the battery in the vehicle is the OE battery or a replacement battery, and then proceed with warranty handling accordingly. Accurately enter job card and vehicle information using the appropriate battery tester. 6-digit BAC Last 8 or Full VIN (use VIN scan feature if available) Job card number Leading zero(s) must be added to job card numbers if needed in order to achieve the minimum character limit for the tester. Do not enter leading spaces or letters. For job card numbers with a leading prefix, input only the values after the prefix and add leading zero(s) to achieve the minimum character limit of the job card field. Example: If the job card number is 01-2345, the input would be 02345 in the DCBS. Disconnect the battery from the vehicle. On vehicles with two batteries, including stop/start vehicles with auxiliary batteries, each battery must be electrically isolated and charged individually. Select the correct battery information (located on the label of the battery being tested). Battery type (Flooded or AGM) CCA rating Perform the battery test in the correct diagnostic testing setting (Diagnostic Charge, Diagnostic Mode, etc.), connecting directly to the battery posts. Verify that the test result shows a 16-digit Warranty Code (DCA), 15-digit Warranty Code (GR8), or 20-digit Warranty Code (DCBS) prior to warranty battery replacement. Warranty code shown (Fig. 7) from the DCA showing the diagnostic test setting (#1), test result (#2) and warranty code (#3). Attach the printout to the job card.
TIP: The 12-volt lithium-ion battery in the Corvette E-Ray and ZR1X cannot be tested and does not require a warranty code.
For more information on battery testing and warranty replacement requirements, refer to Bulletin #20-NA-132.
It is crunch time for the 4 Chevy Corvette Z06 GT3.R with two long-distances left in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season The six-hour Battle on the Bricks is next up this weekend from Indianapolis Motor Speedway with championship hopes and potential race wins on the minds of the GTD PRO and GTD entries.
Corvettes will be in the thick of multiple season-long championship battles in the fourth of five races in the IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup with another long-distance victory on the minds of the quartet of teams. All will attempt to give the Corvette Racing program a first win at the 2.439-mile, 14-turn Indy road course and kiss the yard of bricks in the process.
Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports (GTD PRO)
• No. 3 Corvette Z06 GT3.R: Antonio Garcia/Alexander Sims • No. 4 Corvette Z06 GT3.R: Tommy Milner/Nicky Catsburg
The long-awaited first win of the season for Antonio Garcia and Alexander Sims at VIR couldn’t have come at a much better time for the GTD PRO championship picture. With the overall victory in the GT-only race, Garcia, Sims and the No. 3 Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports team increased their lead by 53 points in the Drivers and Teams standings with 770 points remaining in the season. The duo finished on the podium for the fifth time this season tied for the most in class but the first time in three races.
That also extended Chevrolet’s lead in the Manufacturer’s Championship to 81 points. It would be the Bowtie’s 15th IMSA Manufacturers Championship and first in GTD PRO. Garcia is seeking to become a six-time IMSA Drivers champion and Sims is hoping for his second but first in GT racing. The pair was third in last year’s race, and Garcia set the fastest GTD PRO race lap.
Tommy Milner and Nicky Catsburg have contributed to the Manufacturer’s points haul this season and are coming off their second podium of the season with a third-place at VIR. Milner raced twice at IMS last year and was third in GT World Challenge America’s Pro class Catsburg, coming off a stunning drive and third-place finish alongside Sims and Scott McLaughlin at the Suzuka 1000K for Corvette team Johor Motorsports Racing.
AWA Racing (GTD)
AWA’s No. 13 Corvette is hoping for a second long-distance victory with three of the four drivers who won the Rolex 24 At Daytona in GTD to start the season. Matt Bell, Orey Fidani and Lars Kern have been excellent in the IMSA endurance races this year as they contended for additional race wins at Sebring and Watkins Glen they were in podium position inside the final three hours at Sebring and the last hour at Watkins Glen.
Fidani and AWA are in the proverbial drivers’ seat in the season-long Bob Akin Award standings heading into Indianapolis. Going to the highest point-scoring Bronze driver in GTD, the prize at the end of the season is a trip to next year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans, which Fidani and AWA earned last year. DXDT Racing (GTD)
DXDT Racing’s endurance lineup of Charlie Eastwood, Alec Udell and Salih Yoluc will try and fulfill the potential of the first-year IMSA team at Indianapolis. Like fellow Corvette GTD customer team AWA, the DXDT squad was in contention for race wins at Sebring and Watkins Glen with late-race mechanical issues preventing potential podium finishes.
Udell has been a constant in the DXDT long-distance and sprint programs this year, having teamed with Robert Wickens for the shorter races. The DXDT Corvette qualified second and contended for the victory at The Glen until the race was inside the final 15 minutes.
This will be the first of two races at Indianapolis inside a month for DXDT Racing with the team entering a Pro-Am Corvette in the Indianapolis Eight Hours for GT World Challenge America and the Intercontinental GT Challenge. The Corvette Racing program reached a significant milestone earlier this month with its 150th all-time victory. To date, six different entrants have recorded victories for Corvette Racing across six championships around the world.
Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports leads the victory count with 129, a total that includes the current GT3 era plus its 25 years as the factory team for Corvette Racing. Pratt Miller-run Corvettes have won 117 races in IMSA and 12 in the FIA World Endurance Championship including nine at Le Mans. Additional victories have come from DXDT Racing (14 wins), Johor Motorsports Racing (three wins), TF Sport and Chouest Povoledo Racing (two wins apiece) and AWA (one win).
The Battle on the Bricks from IMS is scheduled for 11:40 a.m. ET on Sunday, Sep 19 - Sep 21 The race will air live on NBC from 3 to 6 p.m. ET with live streaming on Peacock in the United States and IMSA.com outside the U.S. from 11:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET IMSA Radio will provide the audio call at IMSA.com, XM 206 and SiriusXM Online 996.
CORVETTE RACING BY PRATT MILLER MOTORSPORTS PRE-EVENT DRIVER QUOTES
ANTONIO GARCIA, NO. 3 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R:
“It felt really nice to really break through with how the last year or year-and-a-half has been going. I mean, we were very close to victory many times, but at some points we were kind of lacking that last part of the race we needed to. So to win that race I was so happy that we managed to do that and came up with a win at the last race.
“From now on, definitely the championship is the new target. And also winning at Indianapolis which is one of the few races that I haven’t won either. So I’m looking forward to next weekend and let’s see how we compare to every other manufacturer and how competitive we are.”
ALEXANDER SIMS, NO. 3 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R:
“It would be mega for our championship if we could get another result as we did at VIR. But we have to treat this race as every other race with equal points on offer. We’ll approach it the same way: try and maximize what we can with our Corvette, nail the strategy and minimize mistakes. We didn’t have great pace last year in the dry but we’ll see how it goes this time
. We’ll try and make sure we have a clean solid weekend again. That’s what we’ve tried to do every time so we’ll try and stick to that plan. Hopefully things break our way again this time and we can take a healthy points lead into Petit Le Mans.”
TOMMY MILNER, NO. 4 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R:
“I got to race twice at Indianapolis last year and looking forward to another endurance round this week. We showed good pace in the No. 4 Corvette a year ago. Nicky put it on pole and we looked good early before some contact in the traffic. That’s part of these Endurance Cup races with large fields and slow corners like we see at Indianapolis. This is the only track on the schedule where we haven’t won as a team, so that’s a big goal along with bringing home good points in the Manufacturers Championship.”
NICKY CATSBURG, NO. 4 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R:
“It was my first time racing the Corvette at Indianapolis and the results were quite mixed. We did achieve pole position but had some unlucky breaks in the race and some damage in traffic that cost us a good result. Hopefully our pace is similar but our luck is much better this time around. It was great for both Pratt Miller Corvettes to have strong runs at VIR. Let’s hope we can continue this at Indianapolis.”
AWA PRE-EVENT DRIVER QUOTES
MATT BELL, NO. 13 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R:
“The Indianapolis event in 2024 was one of our strongest performances as a team, so we are aiming to build on that for our return this year. It’s one of the most intense races of the season when you look at the amount of cars on the grid versus size of track itself, so anything can happen! We just need to keep our car free of scratches and out of trouble, while continuing to do the job we’ve been doing all year and we will be in the fight for the win.”
OREY FIDANI, NO. 13 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R:
“We’ve had some good results and strong momentum in the recent sprint races, and I’m looking forward to getting back to the endurance rounds for the last couple of events this season. It’s always special to come back to Indianapolis and we know we can deliver a great outcome here. We’re pushing as hard as we can for that Bob Akin award and it feels like we’re firing on all cylinders at the moment, and IMS is the perfect place to show what we can do as a team.”
LARS KERN, NO. 13 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R:
“I’m really looking forward to being back in our #13 Corvette Z06 GT3.R this weekend. We have had a very competitive package all year long and I truly can’t wait to jump back in. I’m hoping to be able to put in a lot of laps, not only because every lap is enjoyable, but it obviously helps to dial back in. We are leading the Akin standings, so it’s our main goal to extend this lead and go back to France for 2026 again.”
DXDT RACING PRE-EVENT DRIVER QUOTES
CHARLIE EASTWOOD, NO. 36 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R:
“The environment within this team is really nice. They’re going those extra miles to find those small, incremental changes. We’re testing at every track just to try to make sure we are as prepped as possible. They haven’t had the rub of the green, unfortunately. We had a great run at Sebring and Watkins but fell 15 minutes short both times. Even in the sprint events the pace has looked great. For one reason or another in the pits, out of the pits the team hasn’t gotten there yet. They all deserve a lot more for the effort they are putting in. I’m going into Indy confident that we can deliver a good result. I just want to get onto my first IMSA podium, maybe with my first IMSA win and the teams, and my first win in America.”
ALEC UDELL, NO. 36 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R:
“We go into this race one mechanic down and everyone’s heart is with Colten (Rybuck) as he continues to recover from a scary accident in testing recently. At Indy, it’s back to the endurance lineup with Charlie and Salih. All season we’ve had strong performance in the DXDT Corvette. We’re more than ready to capitalize on that and turn it into a result for the team. Most importantly, though, we keep in mind that the safety of everyone on the team and our competitors is paramount. I’m looking forward to welcoming Colten back at the track whenever the time is right.”
SALIH YOLUC, NO. 36 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R:
“It was nice to get some laps in the DXDT Corvette at Road Atlanta. I think it helped me a lot not just for that race but also Indianapolis coming up as well. A six-hour endurance race at this track with this many cars will be very chaotic but also very exciting. The team has been very close to getting its first IMSA podium over the last several races. I hope I get to be part of that this weekend.”
Also :
DXDT Racing program manager Bryan Sellers said the team is aiming to “strengthen and improve” its operations in the IMSA and SRO America paddocks rather than expand next year, with its programs likely to be determined by customer desires.
The David Askew-owned team, which currently runs a single GTD class Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R in the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, also competes in the GT World Challenge America powered by AWS with a Pro-Am class Corvette and is currently in the midst of filling out its driver lineups and, by extension, its race programs for 2026.
“We want to continue to try and continue to provide a good environment for customer growth,” Sellers stated “We’re not looking to expand. We’re looking to strengthen and improve where we are currently. “Ideally, we would continue on with a similar-looking program to what we have right now. We have availability on both sides. The budget is always a factor in all the programs.”
While DXDT is targeting a similar program next year, Sellers noted the team is examining the possibility of competing in VP Racing SportsCar Challenge, with GT3 cars having been made eligible for the IMSA-sanctioned support series for the first time this year. “There’s a lot of synergy that comes from running multiple cars in the same series, and for us, that would be a step to be able to run cars [in SRO America] and run cars in IMSA together,” said Sellers. “So we’re hopeful to find some clients in those areas.
“We are looking to come back [to SRO America]. We are looking at VP Challenge and seeing where all those pieces fit, and it’s pretty much driven by what the customer would want. If they want to go to VP Challenge, then that’s what we’ll do.” Sportscar365 understands that a move to VP Racing Challenge would not come at the expense of its current GTD program, which appears set to continue next year, although its driver lineup remains unconfirmed.
“We will stay undoubtedly with Corvette next year,” added Sellers. “It’s been a great relationship and partnership for us. “As this season’s progressed, we’ve really taken a step forward, not just in operating, but in performance. Starting to really unlock some characteristics in the car that have shown some speed for us, especially from mid-season onwards.
“We’re excited about continuing on with them and that relationship.” DXDT “Would Love” To Continue With Wickens; Budgets To Guide Driver Lineups
As previously reported by Sportscar365, Robert Wickens is aiming for a full-season GTD seat with DXDT, a sentiment which was echoed by Sellers, although nothing is confirmed at this stage. Wickens competed in the sprint rounds this year alongside Alec Udell, with Corvette factory driver Tommy Milner driving in the latter’s stead at the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach.
“I think it’s no secret that we’d love to continue our relationship with Robby and the Bosch and the hand control system,” said Sellers. “It’s been a very unique program for us and for everybody involved, and it’s been extremely rewarding to see all of these things progress. We have a lot of interest in being able to continue on in those environments.
“We do want Robbie to continue on. Our plans would be for him to continue on with us in GTD. We are very unaware of what the partnership of that would be like. It’s budget-dependent. “If you were to ask us what our pie-in-the-sky would look like, it would be we find a way to have partners fund the car, and Robbie is the person in it and with a driver of our choice, but we’re just not there.
“Alec has been a great team member and a great teammate, and we would love nothing more than to find a way for him to work into our plans for next season. If we find ourselves in the position where we have the budget to pick and choose who it is, he is undoubtedly on our list of people.”
Stingray Coupe (1YC07) Stingray Convertible (1YC67)
Z06 Coupe (1YH07) Z06 Convertible (1YH67)
E-Ray Coupe (1YG07) E-Ray Convertible (1YG67)
ZR1 Coupe (1YR07) ZR1 Convertible (1YR67)
ZR1X Coupe (1YS07) ZR1X Convertible (1YS67)
ZR1X Corvette New Features:
ZR1X Coupe (1YS07) and ZR1X Convertible (1YS67) Interior refresh with larger screens and updates to the instrument panel, door trim, console, cup holders, driver mode control and passenger assist handle (G4Z) Roswell Green Metallic exterior color (extra cost) (GKA) Blade Silver Metallic exterior color (H8T) Santorini Blue interior (EMT) Sky Cool/Medium Ash Gray interior with Habanero accents (EJH/EPX) Very Dark Atmosphere interior (HUC/HUB) Ultimate Suede Jet Black interior (HVZ) Asymmetrical Adrenaline Red/Jet Black interior (AUP) Competition Sport driver and GT2 passenger mixed seats (IVE) Infotainment system with Google Built-In,12.7" diagonal center console display, 14" diagonal Driver Information Center, and 6.6" diagonal auxiliary touchscreen (DY0) Carbon Fiber display hood, located above the Driver Information Center display (U5G) 5G vehicle connectivity (K7A) Wireless charging pad for phone and portable devices on 1LT/1LZ (K7B) Two wireless charging pads for phone and portable devices on 2LT/3LT/2LZ/3LZ (CF8) Electrochromic dimming, removable roof panel (DUK) Asymmetrical Edge Red/Carbon Flash Full Length Dual Racing Stripes (CBF) Body-color rockers and splitter (WKR) GT3.R fully rendered premium indoor car cover, LPO (Late availability) (R88) Front illuminated crossed flags emblem, LPO (Late availability) (5ZV) Carbon Flash Metallic-painted three-stanchion high wing spoiler, LPO (Late availability)
Changes:
(QEB) 19" front/20" rear 5-split-spoke Pearl Nickel forged aluminum wheels replaces (Q8P) 5-open-spoke Bright Silver-painted aluminum wheels as the standard wheels on Stingray models (EFR/EFY) Exterior accents on E-Ray models now include rockers (37S/38S/36S) Stitching options are now available on 2LT/2LZ with Jet Black interiors (U2K) SiriusXM is now SiriusXM 360L with a trial subscription (3A9) Tension Blue seat belt color is now Santorini Blue seat belt color (J6B) Blue-painted calipers now available on Z06 and E-Ray models (ZTK) ZTK Track Performance Package now includes (J59) carbon ceramic, 10-piston front, 6-piston rear brakes (Z51) Z51 Performance Package tires RPO code changed to (QUD)
Deletions:
(GMO) Rapid Blue exterior color (GXA) Sea Wolf Gray Tricoat exterior color (HTO) Tension Blue/Twilight Blue Dipped interior (HV2) Artemis interior and (255) Artemis seat belt color (IOK) Chevrolet Infotainment 3 Premium audio system (UE4) Following Distance Indicator (UDV) 12" diagonal color gauge cluster (K4C) Wireless device charging (PCH/PCK/PCI/PCJ) Stingray Accent Packages (C2Q) Body-Color Dual Roof Package (C2M) Carbon Fiber Dual Roof Package (Q8Q) 19" front/20" rear 5-open-spoke Carbon Flash-painted aluminum with machined edge wheels
Both the Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R and Callaway Corvette C7 GT3-R have been hit with weight increases ahead of this afternoon’s Suzuka 1000km.
Confirmed in a revised Balance of Performance table released on Sunday morning by SRO Motorsports Group, the factory-built Corvettes have been handed a 20kg increase, while the previous C7 generation Callaway model gets a 10kg increase.
It came after Nicky Catsburg, in the No. 2 Johor Motorsports JMR Corvette, set the outright fastest lap in qualifying, but will start ninth due to the combined three-driver average used to determine the grid.
The Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo, meanwhile, has been given a 10kg weight break ahead of the penultimate round of the Intercontinental GT Challenge season, with the Nissan GT-R NISMO GT3 able to now run 5kg lighter than its specification at the start of the weekend. Porsche’s Type-992 911 GT3 R has undergone a 5kg weight increase but countered with a 1.5mm larger restrictor that will result in a power increase.
The pole-sitting BMW M4 GT3 EVO has also received a slight power increase at mid-to-high RPM levels, while the Ferrari 296 GT3 receives a minor increase at the low-end but slight decrease at the high-end range.
The Suzuka 1000km gets underway at 12:50 p.m. local time (Saturday, 11:50 p.m. EST) with live coverage on SRO’s GT World YouTube channel.
A viral dash-cam video captures a heart-stopping pursuit as a C5 Corvette squares off against Arkansas State Police. Speeds top 120 mph, traffic is narrowly dodged, and the chase concludes in a dramatic crash that leaves the driver in handcuffs.
On the night of August 22, 2025, at approximately 9:33 p.m., troopers spotted a gray C5 Corvette speeding eastbound on Interstate 630 near Fair Park Boulevard. Radar clocked the Vette at 92 mph in a 60-mph zone. When the officer activated lights and siren, the driver refused to stop and accelerated into a dangerous game of cat and mouse at speeds exceeding 90 mph.
Exiting the freeway, the Corvette darted through tight commercial and residential roads. Dash-cam footage from several cars shows the action:
A cruiser closing in at the three-minute mark; the Corvette blasts through a red light and nearly clips another vehicle Police weaving through intersections, chasing at full throttle Around five minutes in, the Corvette accelerates head-on into oncoming traffic, forcing motorists to swerve out of its path with the trooper right behind.
At roughly six minutes, the Corvette crests a downhill left-hand bend and the rear end breaks loose. The driver slams the brakes; the Vette spins into the median and vaults over a concrete divider in a burst of steam and smoke. It comes to rest close to the sidewalk, where troopers immediately move in to arrest the driver.
Paramedics transported the suspect to Baptist Health Medical Center for evaluation. Upon release, the driver was booked into the Pulaski County Regional Detention Facility on multiple charges, including felony fleeing in a vehicle, speeding more than 15 mph over the limit, running a red light, improper window tinting, failing to transfer his driver’s license and vehicle registration to Arkansas, and improper display of license tags.
Not even classic car collector Jay Leno could convince California’s legislative Democrats to give an inch on what a critic called the state’s “regulatory hellscape.” The Assembly Appropriations Committee blocked Republican Sen. Shannon Grove’s Senate Bill 712, informally known as Leno’s Law, from advancing, according to KABC-TV. “SB 712, also known as “Leno’s Law,” offers a practical solution for owners of collector vehicles that have difficulty complying with the state’s smog check law,” according to a fact sheet issued by Grove.
“Leno’s Law is sponsored by renowned car enthusiast and television icon Jay Leno. The bill would exempt, on an ongoing basis, collector cars whose model year is 35 years or older from the state’s smog check law,” the fact sheet said. “The bill would also exempt classic cars from the smog check program upon transfer of a vehicle. These classic cars are infrequently driven, carefully maintained, and make up only a fraction of cars on the road,” the fact sheet said.
“Exempting them from the biennial smog check would strengthen California’s ‘car culture’ by helping preserve these historical treasures,” the fact sheet said. The fact sheet said forcing classic cars to meet current standards “is an overreach by the government.” “It targets a small group of people without providing any significant benefit or detriment to overall air quality in the state. In most other states, vehicles over 25 years old, considered classic cars, are exempt from smog checks,” the fact sheet said.
Writing about the demise of the law in an Op-Ed on Auto Wire, Steven Symes vented that potential passage “was too good to be true in the regulatory hellscape known as California, especially with so many politicians there deciding internal combustion engines are literally killing the planet.” “Everyone knows why this bill was killed: the party that controls California has waged open warfare on any car that burns gasoline. That means your classic ride is public enemy number one,” he wrote.
“We were skeptical this bill would ever be passed into law. After all, California is the same state which has been leading the charge with EV mandates and even talking about banning not only the sale of vehicles with internal combustion engines, but the operation of them on public roads,” he wrote. Symes said it is time for classic car lovers to hit the road.
“What this latest move signals is that if you’re a classic car owner and love the hobby, but you happen to reside in California, now is the time to make your exit,” he wrote. “Just remember, if you’re a gearhead, and you do leave the Golden State, don’t bring the political mess you left along with you. Vote differently if in the past you’ve supported the nonsense which has led to this aggressive push against your beloved hobby,” he wrote.
Multiple cars have been given Balance of Performance breaks ahead of the opening GT World Challenge America powered by AWS race of this weekend at Barber Motorsports Park.
Confirmed by SRO Motorsports Group on Saturday morning, the Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R, Ferrari 296 GT3 and McLaren 720S GT3 Evo have all been given 10 kg reductions in minimum weight.
Additionally, the Ferrari has been handed a slight increase in power, at the mid-to-high RPM range, with the Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo handed a similar boost, but at the low-end range.
The changes, the fourth BoP change made since the initial table was released pre-event, come ahead of Saturday afternoon’s 90-minute contest, which is scheduled to get underway at 3 p.m. CST with live coverage on SRO’s GT World YouTube channel, RACER Network and on Twitch.
This bulletin applies to 2020 Chevy Corvette and Blazer vehicles (as well as other models equipped with eBoost.) Performing a brake inspection or any repair that requires the caliper piston to be re-seated may cause DTC C05B0 to falsely set for eBoost applications.
Refer to diagnostic procedures for DTC C05B0 and verify that there are no leaks in any of the brake components before proceeding.
1. Disconnect the negative battery cable.
2. Ensure that the brake pads are fully seated to the rotors and that the brake pedal is firm. If the brake pedal is firm and the brake pads are fully seated, continue to Step 3. If the brake pedal is not firm and/or the pads are not fully seated, gradually apply the brake pedal to about 2/3 of its travel distance. Wait 15 seconds and repeat until the brake pedal is form and the pads are fully seated.
What is short-term fuel trim (STFT)? Short-term fuel trim is the short-lived and immediate response of the ECM to the changes in the exhaust gasses. This means that the STFT depends on the ECM response as it receives data from the O2 sensor.
The engine control module STFT ensures the engine maintains a balanced air-fuel ratio. It achieves this by constantly adjusting the duration of the fuel injection during different engine operating conditions, such as transient and warm-up periods.
As the engine is warming up, it operates in open-loop mode, meaning it depends on sensor readings and predefined fuel maps instead of relying on the oxygen sensor alone. As the car engine gets to its average operating temperature, it changes to closed-loop mode, making the STFT more active. At this point, the engine control module collects real-time data from the O2 sensor to adjust the air-fuel ratio, ensuring optimal combustion and less emissions.
The STFT values keep fluctuating as the engine temperature, engine load, the quantity of oxygen in the exhaust, and as other factors affecting the air-fuel ratio changes. As the changes happen, the ECM swiftly adjusts how long the fuel injectors stay open to balance the air-fuel ratio.
What does positive STFT mean?
As explained earlier, short-term fuel trim is expressed in percentages. A positive short-term fuel trim means that the engine control module (ECM) has detected that there’s too little fuel in the exhaust gas, and it is attempting to richen the fuel mixture.
Negative STFT is the opposite of positive short-term fuel trim. This means that when there’s a negative STFT, the car computer has detected too much fuel in the engine and it’s decreasing the amount of fuel that enters the engine to maintain a proper air-fuel mixture ratio. STFT, whether positive or negative, are adjustments made by the car computer to maintain a predefined air-fuel mixture ratio, which is approximately 14.7:1.
Is fuel trim rich or lean?
Fuel trims can be either rich or lean. If the powertrain control module (PCM) or car computer detects lean conditions and is attempting to add more fuel to rich out the fuel mixture, it can be said to be lean. Similarly, if it detects rich conditions (too much fuel and too little air) and is trying to decrease the fuel input, it can be said to be rich.
What causes high STFT levels?
The common causes of STFT B1 high are malfunctioning MAF sensors, faulty oxygen sensors, and faulty fuel injectors. These issues can also cause high long-term fuel trim issues. To address the issue, you have to diagnose and replace defective components.
Faulty fuel injectors
A dirty or malfunctioning fuel injector will not work well. It’ll not be able to deliver the right amount of fuel needed in the engine. As a result, the powertrain control module will compensate by adding more fuel whenever it detects injector issues.
Malfunctioning O2 sensor
The O2 sensor measures the amount of oxygen in the exhaust and tells the powertrain control module to adjust the air-fuel ratio whenever it detects too much or too little air. A malfunctioning O2 sensor can send inconsistent and incorrect signals, causing the PCM to add more fuel than necessary. Invariably resulting in high short-term fuel trims.
Bad MAF sensor
The mass airflow sensor measures the air that enters the engine and tells the powertrain control module to adjust the air-fuel ratio whenever it detects that too much air is entering the engine. A lousy MAF sensor can send inconsistent and incorrect signals, causing the car computer to add more fuel than necessary, resulting in high STFT.
What controls STFT and LTFT?
The LTFT B1 range refers to the percentage of fuel trim over a long period of time for cylinder bank 1. The normal LTFT B1 range should be 0 or numbers near 0 if all components work fine in a normal engine working condition. However, the value can fluctuate since vehicles don’t move at a constant speed. For example, while LTFT B1 normal range at idle could be close to 0, it should return to zero once the vehicle regains steady speeds.
More so, these fluctuations should not be too rampant; if the values fluctuate like a STFT, there is an issue. If the sensors work correctly, the LTFT B2 normal range should also be 0 or near 0.
Wondering what B1 and B2 mean? Here you go. B means bank and represents each cylinder in your engine. With B1 standing for bank 1, that is the number one cylinder bank, B2 stands for bank 2 cylinder. To therefore explain LTFT B1 meaning, it is the long-term fuel trim value on cylinder bank 1. What about the STFT B1 meaning? This indicates the short-term fuel trim value on cylinder bank 1.
What is the Normal STFT B1 range?
I mentioned earlier that the normal STFT B1 range of the ECM is -22% to +25%. But in actual sense, the range of the STFT to monitor is -10% to +25%, equivalent to +5% and +10%. The minus sign shows that the ECM is decreasing the fuel that enters the engine, while the plus sign shows that the ECM is adding more fuel to the engine.
Keep in mind that engine misfires may change the STFT values from +15 to +25. Plus, other parameters like the engine load, speed, and throttle lift-off may affect the values of the fuel trims.
Once the values go beyond STFT b1 normal range on Ford or your respective car model, it is a sign that there’s an issue with the sensors or the engine. Once the car computer detects this issue, it’ll log it as a trouble code. The ECM will log error code P0172 if the engine is running rich and P0171 if the engine is running lean.
Related Queries
What is STFT B1 S1 normal range? STFT B1 S1 is a short term fuel trim for bank 1, sensor 1, which is the upstream oxygen sensor on the catalytic converter. The normal B1S1 voltages are any consistent fluctuation between .1 to .8V. What is STFT B1 S2 normal range? STFT B1 S2 is a short term fuel trim for bank 1, sensor 2, which is the downstream oxygen sensor on the cat con. The normal range for short term fuel trims is 0, fluctuating from -25 to +25.
The default value for B1S2 is 99.2%. This value is for an O2 sensor that doesn’t contribute to the fuel control strategy. The scanner requests the value of the PID from the ECM, and the ECM is required to send something.
Final words
Short-term fuel trim is an essential parameter that ensures a balanced air-fuel mixture for optimal combustion. The STFT B1 represents the readings in engine cylinder bank 1. The only difference between STFT B2 normal range and STFT B1 is that B1 is talking about bank 1, while B2 talks about bank 2. The STFT B1 normal range should fall between -10% to +25% under perfect engine operation. This range allows for swift and minor adjustments in air-fuel ratio variations. If the fuel trim falls outside this range, it shows there are issues with the engine, O2 sensor, or the MAF sensor.
You can go here and then move further down that page and select which model you want, including the ZR1 and then build the way you want it and either see what the total cost is and also if wanting to select to buy C8 the way you built it
For 2026 C8s is a new electrochromic dimming glass roof panel, which allows users to control the level of ambient light entering the cabin with the touch of a button
Tagged with RPO code CF8, the electrochromic dimming and removable roof panel can instantly alter the level of tint via an electrical voltage, thus changing the level of ambient light in the cabin. Chevy also says that the panel includes a body-color surround. The new electrochromic dimming glass roof panel is exclusive to the Coupe body style and will be available on 2LT / 2LZ and 3LT / 3LZ trims for the C8 Stingray, Z06, E-Ray, and ZR1. Pricing for the new roof option has yet to be announced.
The new electrochromic option effectively replaces the standard body-color roof (RPO code CF7) offered for Stingray, Z06, and E-Ray models, as well as the visible carbon fiber roof with body-color surround (RPO code C2Z) offered for ZR1.
However, buyers still have access to three other roof choices, including the transparent and removable panel (RPO code CC3) on Stingray, Z06, and E-Ray models, priced at $995 for 2025; the visible carbon fiber panel with body-color surround (RPO code C2Z), included as standard on ZR1 and optional for $2,495 on other models; and the CF7 and C2Z roofs mentioned previously, with availability depending on the trim selected.
As such, there are now four distinct roof options on offer for the Stingray, Z06, and E-Ray Coupes. Notably, the electrochromic roof cannot be paired with Full Length Dual Racing Stripes, unlike the other roof options.
Beyond the new roof panel, the 2026 Corvette also sees significant infotainment changes, with a new three-screen display layout that envelops the driver in a horizontal arc. The 2026 model year also adds an asymmetrical Jet Black and Adrenaline Red interior colorway, along with a few new symmetrical options and two new exterior paint choices.
DETROIT (September 2, 2025) TF Sport is bringing its pair of Chevy Corvette Z06 GT3.Rs home to the United States at Circuit of the Americas for the FIA World Endurance Championship’s lone race in North America. The six-hour Lone Star Le Mans is the sixth of eight rounds in the FIA WEC this season, and the first since mid-July. Both TF Sport entries sit in the top-five in both the LMGT3 Drivers and Teams championship standings heading to the Lone Star State.
This year’s race at COTA is the second for the TF/Corvette combo with one of the team’s Z06 GT3.Rs finishing in the points last year. TF Sport’s Ben Keating will be front and center as he races in his home state for the first time in a Corvette. Keating, Jonny Edgar and Corvette factory driver Daniel Juncadella enter COTA third in the LMGT3 championship and searching for their first podium since a season-opening victory at Qatar.
Juncadella was part of the TF Sport lineup last year that finished eighth in class, driving the No. 82 Corvette lineup. He made up seven positions during his 2.5-hour stint to cap his debut race at Circuit of the Americas. Keating was also part of last year’s Lone Star Le Mans in LMGT3 and has four GT-class victories at the circuit to his credit in IMSA competition from 2013-2017.
Edgar is making his first career start at COTA and is coming off a strong run at Sāo Paulo in the previous WEC round. He drove the final two hours and was the fastest Corvette driver in the race as the No. 33 trio finished seventh in class.
No. 81 TF Sport Corvette Z06 GT3.R
No entry in LMGT3 has the momentum of TF Sport’s No. 81 Corvette. The trio of factory driver Charlie Eastwood, Rui Andrade and Tom Van Rompuy arrives at COTA on the heels of a third-place finish at Le Mans and a runner-up result at Sāo Paulo to vault up into fifth place in the Drivers Championship standings.
The No. 81 Corvette was on course for a similar result in the second half of the year’s Lone Star Le Mans. Running second at the time, the Corvette suffered heavy contact from another competitor, which knocked it down the order and eventually into the garage for a heart-breaking retirement. Eastwood and Andrade already have been part of a winning TF Sport effort this year with a victory in the ELMS in their No. 82 Corvette. Van Rompuy, who made his COTA debut last year along with Andrade, hopes to keep his strong season going with what would be his fifth Hyperpole appearance in six races.
The six-hour Lone Star Le Mans is scheduled for 1 p.m. CT on Sunday, September 7. Full, live television coverage is available on the MotorTrend in the United States. Live-streaming coverage of Free Practice 3, qualifying and the race will be available on the FIA WEC app and the MAX app in the United States.
TF SPORT PRE-EVENT QUOTES
DANI JUNCADELLA, NO. 33 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R:
“Being back in the U.S. is always pretty cool. COTA is actually a track that surprised me quite positively last year. With these tracks that have a lot of asphalt runoffs, it can be misguiding sometimes when you think it’s an easy track. But COTA has a lot of technical corners; it’s a very cool Sector One with a lot of high-speed, flowing corners.
This is also a challenging race with the heat. Last year was super-hot, but I like the big challenges like that. It makes the racing harder and more exciting for everyone. We’re coming off a couple of difficult races with some unlucky situations that were out of our control, but we are still third in the championship.
There are three rounds to go and considering the success weight that the leaders are carrying, I think we are in a good position to fight for big points. That should play in our favor to fight in the championship for the last few races. I’m hoping for a strong result in COTA, especially as a home race for Corvette and Ben. The car was good last year as well, so I expect that we will be strong.”
JONNY EDGAR, NO. 33 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R:
“I am looking forward to racing at COTA for the first time, as this looks like a great track to drive. The last two races have been quite difficult, and our results haven’t reflected the pace we have had, so hopefully we can have an issue-free race and score good points for the championship. On top of all that, it would be nice to have a good result for Corvette and Ben’s home race.”
BEN KEATING, NO. 33 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R:
“I love racing all around the world, but there is no place like home! I am excited to help host the WEC in Texas. This is home for Corvette and home for me. I have a lot of great results at COTA from the past years. Our No. 33 Corvette needs a great result to stay in the championship hunt for 2025. So this race is extremely important, but I believe we are up for the challenge!”
CHARLIE EASTWOOD, NO. 81 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R:
“COTA was a good event for the Corvette last year. On our side, we didn’t have a good run, but the sister car was super strong, as were we; we just got caught up in a few incidents that pretty much did us in.
From my side, there are a couple of question marks with the hard-compound tire. In the Corvette, we’re so good on tire deg, especially on the Goodyear, that the hard tire at COTA and Bahrain will probably bring the others a bit closer to us toward the end of the stint, but hopefully we still will have a bit of a delta to work with. So I’m looking forward to it. It’s a tough track, you know, especially in that heat.
Everything’s screaming, the tires are screaming, drivers are screaming with the heat. But we’re on a good momentum swing with TF Sport and the Corvette. Even if you look back at 2024, we were excellent in these last three events toward the end of our first season. We’ve been much stronger up to this point this year, so hopefully then we can be stronger still in these last three.”
The on-track sessions will begin with free practice on Friday, 5 September. Qualifying and the all-important Hyperpole top ten shootout starts at 15:00 local time (22:00 CEST) on Saturday, 6 September, with the race getting underway at 13:00 local time (20:00 CEST) on Sunday, 7 September.
For further information, including the full event timetable and entry list, click HERE.
Tickets all of which include access to seating in a permanent grandstand can be purchased here, starting from $79 USD. Children aged 12 and under will be admitted free of charge with an accompanying adult.
Watch FIA WEC live or on-demand via the official FIA WEC TV app your full-access pass to the FIA World Endurance Championship, including the iconic 24 Hours of Le Mans. Don’t miss a moment. For further information, check out the app.
2025 FIA World Endurance Championship Points
LMGT3 Drivers Standings 1. Riccardo Pera/Richard Lietz/Ryan Hardwick – 89 2. Alessio Rovera/Francois Heriau/Simon Mann – 76 3. Ben Keating/Daniel Juncadella/Jonny Edgar – 66 4. Clemens Schmid/Jose Maria Lopez/Petru Umbrarescu – 57 5. Charlie Eastwood/Rui Andrade/Tom Van Rompuy – 56
LMGT3 Teams Standings 1. No. 92 Manthey 1ST Phorm – 89 2. No. 21 Vista AF Corse – 76 3. No. 33 TF Sport – 66 4. No. 87 Akkodis ASP Team – 57 5. No. 81 TF Sport – 56
The center console compartment release button on some 2023-2025 Corvette models may become stuck in the depressed position or may extend out of the console compartment. If these conditions are found, the console compartment release button should be replaced. It’s not necessary to replace the complete console armrest latch assembly.
Push-button Available as Separate Part
The spring-loaded push-button (PN 85133773) is available as a separate part without the latch assembly and can be ordered through the regular GM CCA parts process. Use the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), Service Information (SI) and the GM Electronic Parts Catalog (EPC) to determine the correct part number to order. To release the console compartment door when the push-button is inoperative, insert a plastic trim tool behind the button. With the compartment door open, use the trim stick to release the push-button from the latch assembly
Check that the spring remains with the push-button. If it does not, use a suitable tool to remove it from the armrest latch. The spring and latch slider should be transferred to the new push-button.
Use Correct Labor Code
Different labor codes are available for replacing only the center console push-button and replacing the latch assembly. Be sure to use the correct labor code that most closely matches the repair. Labor code 1036140 has been released for replacing only the console push-button.
For more information, refer to Front Floor Console Compartment Door Latch Push-button Replacement in the appropriate Service Information.
Practice starts today 8/22/25 for the IMSA race at VIR race this weekend
For IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship drivers have weighed in on the new-for-2025 class split between the GTD Pro and GTD categories, with most having admitted to just being a “different” element to races. In a change for this season, all GTD Pro class cars start each race ahead of the GTD pack, even if some of the Pro-Am driver-enforced entries end up quicker in qualifying, which is now run in separate 15-minute sessions.
Additionally, GTD Pro cars are cycled to the front of the pack while under most full-course cautions, helping provide direct on-track battles between cars in their respective classes. This has led to mixed feelings within the paddock, particularly with GTD competitors, who had previously been able to leverage slower GTD Pro cars while fighting for positions in their own class.
“The intermingling of the two classes is interesting from the GTD field,” said Triarsi Competizione driver Kenton Koch. “I’m sure a lot of the GTD competitors are kind of frustrated with that, but the GTD Pro guys are really, really happy about that, but that’s just kind of how the nature of the beast works.
“It’s something different that you have to adapt to, and it’s neither bad nor good. It’s just the way it is and what you have to do to make the best of the situation. It’s no complaints, it’s just different.” Vasser Sullivan Lexus ace Jack Hawksworth, meanwhile, admits the new procedures are “pretty different” to what was in place since the launch of the GTD Pro class in 2022.
“I like it in the sense that you’re always racing the guys in your class off the start but where it does become confusing is you end up with much faster cars behind slower cars,” he said. “For instance you look at Road America, the fastest car was the Mercedes-AMG, and they qualified on pole overall, and they had to start behind cars which in qualifying, and they were two or three seconds a lot faster than. “So it definitely makes it interesting because you end up with a set of faster cars kind of stuck behind a set of slower cars, which bunches the field up.
“From a GTD perspective, if you were able to then get one or two of the GTD Pro cars between you and the other GTD cars, as long as another caution doesn’t come out, it’s quite a big advantage, and you can obviously then pull out a big gap artificially because you’ve got cars from the other class slowing down the front-runners in your class.
“It’s different. It makes it at the end of a race, if you’ve got a [late] restart or something, it’s kind of re-rack and kind of turns it into a shootout, which is exciting for everybody. “Like Kenton said, it’s just different. I don’t really have an opinion on an opinion on it. It’s just different.” When asked if it will be any different this weekend, being a GT-only race, Hawksworth said it could add a new dynamic. “If you’re the GTD leader, you would probably want to leave a gap to the GTD Pro cars on a restart. But IMSA has been very inconsistent in the way that they call this gapping rule.
“Like sometimes you get a penalty, if you leave more than a 10 or 15-car length gap and then another time you can jump the start or be way behind and get a big run, and they allow it. So, it’s hard to know, really. “For the GTD Pro guys, it will make a big difference because they won’t have to worry about the P2s or the GTPs in front of them, so they can time their own restart.
“But for the GTD guys, they still have the same situation [of being] held up behind the GTD Pro cars off the start and off the restart, and it becomes a kind of game of how much of a gap do you dare leave on one of these restarts.”
Koch added: “It can be frustrating for the GTD guys but by the same token, if you are buried in a pack of GTD cars, and you don’t have the pace, but you have got craft and your savvy, I think it gives those guys opportunities to potentially get track position because that backed half of the GTD Pro field on a restart that might hold up the fast guys. “It can actually add a whole other [element that’s] maybe good for the guys in the middle of the GTD field, but, frustrating for the top half of the GTD field.” Ford Multimatic Motorsports driver Mike Rockenfeller, a front-runner in the GTD Pro class, meanwhile, says he prefers the new system IMSA introduced this year.
“For me, personally, last year I raced the first year in GTD Pro and the restarts, we didn’t have a class split,” he said. “I preferred much more like it is [now]. When you wanted to race the guys you are racing [in class] and sometimes there were ten cars in between you and your next GTD Pro and there’s obviously no way that you make it back to your GTD Pro guy or GTD, it doesn’t matter whoever you race or which category.
“I think it’s a lot better, the way it is. I prefer it, but of course, like Jack said, basically, if the pace difference is as big as it sometimes has been, then it’s not so much fun sometimes… for both. “I have been in the GTD Pro [car] not being able to be fast enough compared to the quickest GTD. That is something you don’t like for sure. “And I guess the guy in the GTD [car] is kind of not happy if he’s held up.
“It’s not like a different category, really; the cars are the same. In prototype, it’s different, you just go through, and you race your guys, but here it’s sometimes it’s tough. “But it’s part of the game, and it sometimes plays in your way and sometimes not, but I think in general the racing, it’s a lot of fun in your own category, for sure. “I think this year it’s much cleaner in that respect that people understand, which category you are in, because the cars are the same. I think for the fans, it’s a lot better that we see the battles in-between each GT category. That’s my opinion.”
On Thursday, GM announced that it was issuing a voluntary recall on all 2023-2026 Corvette Z06s and 2025-2026 Corvette ZR1s over an excess fuel spillage issue that can happen during refueling. Additionally, any 2025 and 2026 Corvette Z06s and ZR1s that are currently for sale at dealers were also issued a stop sale until the issue is resolved.
An official statement from a Chevy representative
General Motors is voluntarily recalling model year 2023-2026 Chevrolet Corvette Z06s and 2025-2026 Corvette ZR1s in North America to resolve an excess fuel spillage issue during refueling. This is a rare occurrence, and malfunctioning filling station pumps appear to be a contributing factor.
The safety of our customers is the highest priority for the entire GM team, and we’re working to remedy this matter as quickly as possible.
As for some background info, there is a document from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (posted below) that goes into more depth with the issue. Excess fuel that spills into the vehicle’s fuel-filler pocket has the potential to contact an ignition source, leading to an increase risk of fire. That NHTSA document says that dealers will install some sort of insert or shield to divert spilled fuel.
We spoke to a dealer about it tonight as one of his customer’s cars burned at a gas station. What he said is that the fans on the left side of the car will run even when the car is turned off, and if any gasoline that spills into the fuel-filler pocket and hits an ignition source like hot brake rotors, it can ignite the gasoline, leading to a car fire.
The Z06 & ZR1 are the only models currently being produced that have the left side radiator/fan set-up. They are on the ZR1X as well, but that car hasn’t entered production yet, which is why this Recall/Stop-Sale doesn’t impact it
We also saw that GM thinks that malfunctioning or damaged pumps could also be to blame for excess fuel spillage. The NHTSA says never to overfill the tank or attempt to add more fuel after the pump’s automatic shutoff clicks the first time.
Looking at the production stats to see how many cars may be impacted from the recall. For the ZR1, it’s only 108 for 2025 and no 2026s have been released from the plant yet. But looking at over 25,000 Z06s subject to the voluntary recall. The 2025 and 2026 numbers are unofficial, but are probably close to these numbers:
Corvette owners that are subject to the recall will be notified when they have the proper fix for this issue in place, You can also check the GM Recalls website for USA owners, or at GM Canada for those in the Great White North.
For decades, Ford & Chevy have been going at it. The Ford Mustang GTD and the Chevrolet Corvette ZR1X are their latest punches, and what a fight it’s been. First, Ford claimed bragging rights at the Nürburgring with the fastest American production car record. Then Chevy fired back with the ZR1X, setting its own time without the help of pro drivers, showing off just how insane the most powerful 'vette ever really is.
But now? Ford just landed a possible knockout uppercut that Chevy won’t recover from anytime soon. That's because Ford now owns the fastest van in the world. Yep, the new record-setter is a full-on race-spec Ford Transit van, and it's quicker around the "Green Hell" than the Corvette ZR1X.
Yes, we will admit that the Ford Transit SuperVan 4.2 EV is not a production car. Yes, it's a full-blown non-road legal race car. But still... it's a van! And, in the hands of racing legend Romain Dumas, this 2,000-hp electric monster just ripped around the Nürburgring in 6 minutes, 48.393 seconds. That not only makes it the fastest van around the Nurburgring, it’s also now the 9th fastest lap ever recorded at the Nürburgring. Faster than a Porsche 911 GT3 RS. Faster than Chevy’s shiny new ZR1X. Faster than the fastest supercars in the world.
Ford dropped the lap video for all to see, watching a Transit van fly past corners at speeds that’d make Corvettes cry is peak car culture craziness. It’s like seeing your dad’s work van show up at a drag strip and smoke everything in sight. Sorry Chevy fans, but that's straight facts!
"Our electric vehicle demonstrator program has become an integral part of our broader Ford Performance racing portfolio, and for good reason. It is here that we can give our super-talented engineers, designers and aerodynamicists a clean sheet of paper and tell them to dream big. This is our chance to see what is possible far beyond any rule books for any race series. Here, we can explore the boundaries of what is possible, all with the aim of bringing these learnings back in to both our race programs and our road programs. And it is already bearing fruit for us.
I can’t be specific just yet for competitive reasons, but suffice to say that a number of our future race programs will see the benefits from vehicles like SuperVan This van is by no means your plumber’s Transit. Ford Performance quite possibly gave their engineers a blank check and told them to go wild. This van was specially developed to carry Ford’s racing legacy into EV territory. And while Chevy is busy fine-tuning the ZR1X for production bragging rights, Ford just proved they can strap a lightning bolt to a cargo van and make supercars look like amateur track machines.
This monster van is running on pure electricity and still cranking out a face-smashing 2,000 hp. The drivetrain is a one-off EV setup that delivers so much torque it could probably yank your garage (and your house with it) straight off its foundation. Aerodynamics? For A Van?
Think less “designed for the rules” and more “designed to make the laws of physics cry uncle.” It’s also got full-on racing slicks that stick harder than your buddy clinging to his VTEC dreams, and thanks to all of this awesome engineering, it's rewriting the record books. Bathurst? Conquered. Pikes Peak? Owned. Nürburgring? Absolutely dominated now.
Chevy fans, we get it, the ZR1X is incredible. In fact, it's extraordinary. We aren't ragging on it. But unless Chevrolet builds a 2,000-hp delivery van (maybe call it the AstroVan ZR1?), they’re going to be sitting this round out. For now, Ford owns the title of fastest van in the world. And let’s be honest, that might be the pettiest, funniest, and most legendary flex in the Ford vs Chevy saga
I have posted on two different concepts C8s - Here is the last one for street and track
Chevy gave car enthusiasts and racing fans a glimpse of the high-performance future. Two Corvette concept cars, the Corvette CX and CX.R Vision Gran Turismo, debuted at The Quail, a Motorsports Gathering. While not intended for production, the pair will serve as inspiration to inform Corvette design language for years to come. Drawing on more than 70 years of performance innovation, these Corvette concepts honor the heritage of America’s sports car1 and propel it into the future.
The CX and CX.R Vision Gran Turismo are the latest and last of several Corvette concepts to be revealed this year, as part of a GM design exercise which involved multiple GM studios globally. The CX concepts were designed and fabricated at the Chevrolet Performance Studio in Warren, MI.
“While the shape of a Corvette has always been expressive and forward-looking, each crease and line has its roots in the generations that came before it. It is aspirational, it is cultural, it is the reason people want to come and work at Chevrolet,” said Phil Zak, executive design director for Chevrolet. “The CX and CX.R Vision Gran Turismo demonstrate our design teams stepping away from the constraints of production vehicles and unleashing their creativity. Through this exercise, we’ve added to Corvette and defined the design direction for Corvette moving forward.”
Corvette CX Concept: Unmistakably Corvette, made for street and track Imagine a future Corvette designed from the ground up to provide the ultimate high-performance driving experience on the open road or the racetrack. This was the inspiration behind the Corvette CX concept.
The CX concept design starts with quintessential Corvette hallmarks. The forward-lunging nose, the pronounced horizontal “chine” line delineating the upper and lower bodywork, and the dual-element taillights are all signature features of Corvette models past and present. The proportions are long, low, and sleek, with a roofline less than 41 inches high.
Aggressively futuristic, yet unquestionably a Corvette, the CX concept shows what an uncompromised future sports car can be. The athletic exterior design, highlighted by the fighter-jet-inspired cockpit canopy, isn’t just about looking powerful, it was shaped in collaboration with the GM Motorsports Aero Group. Every angle was designed with ultimate performance in mind.
The innovations continue underneath the skin with the Vacuum Fan System. Built-in fans draw air through the open-channel bodywork, generating massive downforce and adjusting the airflow over the rear diffuser to refine aerodynamic balance in real-time. The front diffuser and rear wing are both active, adjusting automatically in response to the driver’s inputs to generate maximum grip. The integrated understructure of the CX concept is visible through the aero channels in the bodywork, and the suspension A-arms are wing-shaped to enhance airflow and reduce front-end lift.
The CX concept’s propulsion system was chosen to provide maximum design freedom, plus ultimate straight-line performance to complement the corner carving enabled by fan-driven downforce and active aero.
The CX concept is an all-wheel-drive electric supercar with a propulsion system worthy of the Corvette name. Four motors, one powering each wheel, generate more than 2,000 horsepower, with four-wheel torque vectoring for maximum grip and cornering performance. The 90-kWh lithium-ion battery is mounted in the chassis for a low center of gravity and ideal front-rear weight distribution.
On the inside, every aspect of the CX concept was designed to provide an unmatched driving experience. The forward-opening fighter-jet-style canopy automatically raises as you approach. Driver and passenger settle into seating finished in Inferno Red ballistic textile, bolstered to help hold occupants in place during high-g cornering maneuvers. Premium silicone leather, milled aluminum, and low-gloss forged carbon fiber accents give an elevated feel to the driver-focused cabin.
The digital windscreen transforms the windshield into an immersive surround display with real-time performance data. Every major control is elegantly integrated into the steering wheel, keeping the driver’s focus on the road ahead.
Corvette CX.R Vision Gran Turismo: Future-focused, and inspired by racing pedigree
For more than 25 years, the Corvette road car program has been accompanied by a championship-caliber Corvette Racing competition program. This close relationship between road car and racecar isn’t just a source of pride for Corvette fans, it helps further the technical learnings that can be shared across both realms.
True to Chevrolet’s performance DNA, the design team created a Corvette CX concept exclusively for track competition. The CX.R Vision Gran Turismo imagines the future of Corvette GT racing, a future gamers will be able to drive in Gran Turismo 7.
The CX.R VGT racecar embodies Corvette’s history while looking to the future of automotive performance. The familiar yellow and black color scheme honors the Corvette GT racecars of the past 25 years. Designers took CX’s athletic exterior and ramped up the aggression for CX.R VGT with more prominent active aero features and a lower ride height for racetrack-dominating downforce and grip. Weight has been reduced across the car to further emphasize the all-out focus on performance.
Inside, the touring-inspired surfaces and materials of CX have been replaced by functional, high-performance appointments. The dashboard consists of lightweight raw carbon fiber weave, and the seating uses suede-wrapped foam inserts for grip and support where the driver needs it. The seats themselves have larger, much more aggressive shoulder and headrest pads to provide the head and neck support necessary with the intense handling capabilities CX.R VGT could deliver.
Building off the propulsion template set by the Corvette CX concept, the CX.R VGT combines electrified performance with the thrill of a high-revving V8 engine. The mid-mounted 2.0-liter dual-overhead-cam twin-turbo V8 makes up to 900 horsepower and revs to 15,000 rpm.
Powered by renewable e-fuel, this V8 drives the rear wheels through an 8-speed dual-clutch transmission. Three electric motors, one for each front wheel, plus a third incorporated into the 8-speed gearbox – provide instant torque for jaw-dropping acceleration and contribute to a total system output of 2,000 hp. Experience the future vision of Corvette in Gran Turismo 7
The Corvette CX and CX.R VGT aren’t just inspirational stage displays. In partnership with Chevrolet performance engineers, the Corvette design team created detailed blueprints for the chassis, drivetrain, and aerodynamic features of both the CX and CX.R VGT concepts. Working with Polyphony Digital Inc., a subsidiary of Sony Interactive Entertainment, Chevrolet will make both the road going CX and the CX.R VGT racecar concepts available for fans to drive virtually in Gran Turismo 7 later this month, giving new and familiar audiences a chance to experience firsthand the future of Corvette design.
During the late evening hours on Friday, August 8th, it’s being reported that two Corvettes were stolen from the Corvette Assembly Plant. These were two ZR1s according to plant spokesperson Rachel Bagshaw. Both cars have been recovered.
“The Kentucky State Police, Bowling Green Police Department, and Warren County Sheriff’s Office were swift in their response and successfully located both vehicles,” Bagshaw said. “We are grateful for the support and partnership with all law enforcement involved.” The Bowling Green Police Department said one Corvette was recovered in Bowling Green, while the other was located three hours away in Martin County, Indiana. Neither car was damaged, but the one in Bowling Green was spike stripped during the pursuit.
Police also confirmed the arrest of 20-year-old Daedrin Cool who was booked into the Warren County Regional Jail at 3:45 am Saturday. His charges include engaging in organized crime, first degree fleeing or evading police, first degree wanton endangerment, theft by unlawful taking of an automobile, first degree criminal mischief, tampering with physical evident and obscuring the identity of a machine of $10,000 or more.
An accomplice who drove the Orange Corvette ZR1 was being sought by the Martin County Sheriff’s Office. They posted this on Facebook:
***** UPDATE 11:15 AM ***** It is believed that Smith is no longer in the Loogootee/Martin County area. We ask that you check all garages and out buildings to confirm that a vehicle or mode of transportation was not stolen from your property.
*** ATTEMPT TO LOCATE ***
ATTEMPT TO LOCATE: DENNIS T. SMITH, A 26 YEAR OLD BLACK MALE, 5’8″ TALL, 155 POUNDS, LAST SEEN WEARING A BLACK SKI MASK.
The Martin County Sheriff’s Office is asking for the public’s assistance in an attempt to locate the black male described above. He was last seen in the Loogootee area near Pizza Junction after a vehicle pursuit and crash. He is considered to be armed and dangerous. If located, do not attempt to approach him, call 911.
Having read through the different reports, the two Corvettes stolen were painted in Sebring Orange and Arctic White.
The White ZR1 was recovered in Bowling Green, and a Michigan man in a black Cadillac has been detained as part of the pursuit. She mentions at one point that speeds from the Orange Corvette reached 180 MPH which again seems to confirm that they were ZR1s that were taken.
