CCRuisin’ For 60 years Official Newsletter of the Corvette Club of Richmond

September 2020

60th

Anniversary inside this issue:

President’s Letter 2

Calendar of Events 3

2020 Officers 3

Meeting Place 4

NCM Ambassador 5-6

New Members 7

Birthdays 8

Whatcha Doing 9-11

Upcoming Events 12-13

Going Back in Time –14

Tech Tips 15-16

Word Search 17

C8-R Racing 18-19

The CCR Store 20-23

Corvette Comics 24

Sponsors 25

Membership Meeting

September 11, 2020 7:30 PM at American Legion Post 354

Details and Directions - Page 4

Three for Three: No. 3 Corvette Gets Win No. 3 of

2020 in IMSA GT Challenge at VIR

A Message from the President

Page 2

Dear Fellow CCR Members,

We finally have good news! We are going to have a General Membership meeting on

September 11th, 7:30 PM at the American Legion Post 354, located at 4800 Welby Turn, Midlothian,

VA. This meeting was made possible thanks to the hard work of Mike Todd and board members. See

the page 4 of this newsletter and look for web blast.

There are special guidelines we must follow in order to make this meeting possible. We all must wear

masks and follow social distancing guidelines for a successful meeting. This meeting will be short-

er. One of our main purposes of meeting is to induct 15 new members.

Everyone has been patient and since we can’t meet at the Church or Markel, this was our best plan.

This is a Meet and Greet social event. No 50/50 or door prizes. We know some of you are still not

comfortable in large groups so if you have any concerns please do not feel any obligation to attend.

Our sponsors had been giving us donations during this restricted-meeting period, and we would appreci-

ate your continued support of them. With Ray Wells moving to Florida, Mel Rice is taking over as our

Liaison of Zip Products.

Some members went to Carlisle, Pennsylvania and hope they will share their experiences of their trip.

Most events are still on hold or cancelled.

The next Board Meeting will be September 24th at 7:00 pm. We are still keeping safe.

If you have any questions or concerns, please call me, Bubba Card, 804-356-8731, or email me at Hub-

baBubbaCarr@yahoo.com.

Remember to Save the Wave. Life is a highway of many roads. It is the road you choose, and I am

looking forward to driving my corvettes with my best friends.

Your CCR President,

Bubba Carr

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Sept. 11 Membership Meeting—American Legend Post 354

No After Meeting Social

Sept. 26 Hagerty Cars & Caffeine Car Show @ VIR

FYI—Not a CCR Event

October. 2,3 QCCC Corvette Show / Charlotte NC

FYI—Not a CCR Event

October 9 Membership Meeting - TBD

November 13 Membership Meeting - TBD

For event details, please see the website, www.corvetteclubofrichmond.com

Officers for 2020 PRESIDENT Bubba Carr (804) 356-8731 VICE PRESIDENT Walter Johnson (804) 737-5685

TREASURER Paul Murman (804) 748-7695 RECORDING SECRETARY Noël Woodward (804) 384-2511

NEWSLETTER EDITOR Mike Todd (804) 869-6836

CORRESPONDING SECRETARY Peggy Maloy (804) 794-4002 SERGEANT-AT-ARMS Bob Darling (804) 389-1380 HISTORIAN David Dolan (804) 346-5266 WEBMASTER Penny Johnson (804) 737-5685 EVENTS COORDINATOR Belinda Darling (804) 389-4865

Page 3

September Meeting

Friday September 11, 2020 at American Legend Post 354

Our next General Membership meeting will take place at 7:30 PM at the American Leg-end Post 354, 4800 Welby Turn, Midlothian Virginia , 23113. SPECIAL MEETING INFORMATION There is ample parking.

The meeting will be outdoors under a covered pavilion with ample seating around picnic tables. Bring your own chairs or cushions, if you like.

Participants MUST wear face coverings and maintain 6 feet social distancing (with the exception of the person you came with)

There is NO after meeting party planned but you can bring food and beverage if you like.

Just clean up and take all trash with you.

As we know some of you are still apprehensive about being in large crowds, and we un-derstand that, so don't feel obligated to come...it's really okay!

DIRECTIONS From Route 288 head east onto Robious Road Turn Left onto James River Road Turn Right onto Riverton Ridge Drive At the traffic circle, take the second exit onto Welby Drive Turn Right onto Welby Turn The American Legend Post 354 is at the end of Welby Turn (Cul-de-sac)

Membership Meeting Page 4

Page 5

Revs & Rumbles @ the NCM by Barry Roper, NCM Ambassador / Lifetime Member #2415

NCM News

So many months have passed since we were last able to enjoy being with one another while gathering on the second Friday evening for CCR's monthly Club meeting. The missed meetings, cruises, car shows, and after meeting social events have deprived us all of the ever present camaraderie that is a hallmark of the Corvette Club of Richmond. We can't turn back the clock on the missed opportunities, but we can keep the faith as we continue to await, impatiently, some 'new abnormal' that will return us to our passion.

While we continue to wait and watch the 2020 calendar dissolve, there are some Cor-vette related happenings that beckon to us from the months ahead. We've previously al-luded to the disappointing C8 Corvette production that was thrown into total disarray ini-tially by the GM strike followed then immediately by the pandemic's arrival.

Page 6 NCM News

Only 2,700 Corvettes of the anticipated 20,000 were manufactured between Feb 3rd (1st day of production) and Mar 20th (when the Corvette Plant shut down due to COVID). Adjustments continue to happen as it has become clear that all of the 2020 Corvette pro-duction cannot be completed within the allotted time. Those buyers with an event sta-tus of 3000 or higher are expected to receive their cars by this November. Convertible production began August 3rd and will represent 17% of 2020 production.

Prospective owners with an event code of 1100 will need to have their model changed to 2021. GM indicates that the base prices of both coupes and convertibles will remain un-changed for 2021 but some option prices will be 'different' (read higher). Production of 2021 cars will begin in November once the 2020 orders have been completed. Note that the entire 2021 Corvette production run is expected to be shortened significantly.

NOW, some newer revelations are evolving ... the first C8 Z06 is currently scheduled to go on sale in early 2021 as a 2022 model with a price opening at about $85,000. The car is expected to have 600+ hp (?650) and will emit a 'Ferrari-like shriek' as it revs to 8500-9000 RPM. Options will include carbon fiber wheels (20" in front, 21" in rear) mounted with High Performance Michelin Pilot Sports Cup 2 tires with a tread pattern derived from race spec tires. The Z06 will also incorporate aerodynamic features to include an adjustable rear wing, front splitter, and even side flaps that will adjust themselves auto-matically during braking, cornering, and acceleration even up to V-max. These options may be bundled with a Z07 package to include other components.

Also of interest are comments that suggest center mounted exhaust pipes may make a comeback in an effort to improve the pitch of the exhaust note to be characteristic of the 5.5 Liter DOHC flat-plane crankshaft naturally aspirated V8, code named LT6. Such change would differentiate the LT6's exhaust from the sound of the pushrod V8 in the LT2 powered C8 stingray.

Finally, future iterations of the Corvette are said to include a new Grand Sport in 2023 that may offer a hybrid engine option, a 2024 arrival of a C8 ZR1, and, for 2025 and may-be most tantalizing of all, a Zora edition Corvette powered by a 1000 hp hybrid engine to be announced. The C8 saga has just begun; we can't wait to live it!

Welcome new Members !!!

Page 7

Becoming a Member of the CCR In 1960, a small group of Corvette enthusiasts began to gather on a regular basis for fun and fellowship. The first official meeting took place in July 1961. CCR is the oldest Corvette club in Virginia with a membership approaching 400. To be eligible for regular membership, you must be a person of good character and own a Corvette. You must attend at least one meeting or event. If you don’t own a Corvette, an “associate membership” is available. Associates can participate in all events and functions but have no voting rights. You’ll make good friends, have fun and learn more about Corvettes. Club meetings are at 7:30 p.m. on the second Friday of each month. After the meetings, there is a social where you can enjoy socializing with other club members. Annual dues are $25 for pilots or $35 for both the pilot and co-pilot (includes spouse or significant other). A membership applica-tion can be found on the CCR website: www.corvetteclubofrichmond.com.

There are a number of new members whose applications have been ap-

proved by the Board but await the vote of the membership for final approval.

That can not happen until we are able to hold our next general membership

meeting.

For those with pending memberships, please bare with us. We will resume

the induction process at the September 11, 2020 meeting..

September's Birthdays

Happy Birthday to those members celebrating birthdays.

May there be a shiny, new surprise in your driveway.

Page 8

Leslie Glover 9/01

Philip Orcutt 9/02

John Rhodes 9/02

Lawrence Gunn 9/03

Carrie Starr 9/03

Adolph Vasquez 9/03

Gayle Murman 9/05

Tony Nardone 9/05

Karen Gordon 9/06

Ronnie Maxey 9/07

Mel Rice 9/07

Benny Sheffield 9/07

Marc Morison 9/09

Lisa Moorer 9/10

Christopher Urynowicz 9/10

Thomas Boiden 9/13

Bob Carroll 9/13

Carolyn Matthews 9/16

Ken Nagle 9/16

Joe Redford 9/16

Randy Beeson 9/18

Sally Temple 9/20

Graham Wilson 9/20

Peter Dunn 9/21

Tyler Garrett 9/21

Doris Brody 9/22

Terry Knapp 9/22

Wayne Mahan 9/22

Peggy Todd 9/23

Susan Jaworski 9/25

Jim Kavalieratos 9/26

Bill Hardy 9/28

Charles Phelps 9/28

Page 9 Whatcha Doing

The following are the experiences of some our members as we shelter in place during this COVID-19 pandemic.

If you would like to share how you are coping with the situation with your fellow club members let us know. You never know how sharing what you are doing may help or inspire a fellow club mem-ber.

Send pictures and/or comment to Mike Todd, Newsletter Editor at mike67c2@verizon.net

August 21, 2020

Noel Woodward and Jeff Kleb

If anyone is interested, many car aficionados and their rides (which include a few Corvettes) gather on Sat-urday evenings (even post-pandemic with social distancing) in the parking lot in front of Brunetti Express in Mechanicsville at the corner of Chamberlayne Ave (301) and Atlee Road. It is near our house, and Jeff sometimes goes over there to hang out. . . like a kid in a candy shop!

Page 10 Whatcha Doing

Barry and Karen Roper's Takeout Recommendations -

We've continued to play life pretty close to home as we do our best to conduct our lives within the constraints COVID-19 has forced upon us. Here are three restaurants of several from which we have enjoyed takeout meals at least once or twice a week or so.

INTER CHINA 11512 Busy St, Richmond 23236 (804) 794-0866

This Asian restaurant opened in the early eighties and is still going strong after moving to the current location near Midlothian and Courthouse in 2015. I have dined there since 1985. Download the online ordering app BeyondMenu for a smooth experience with item selection, ordering, and pickup. Everyday deliv-ery service hours are 11:30AM-2:00PM and 5:00PM-9PM. Delivery is Free within 5 miles, with a minimum of $15 beyond that. Chinese, seafood, and vegetarian selections are featured. As is common, costs for midday orders are less expensive. We usually p/u before 3PM and $10 specials offer three cours-es and a fortune cookie!

SERGIO'S 4824 Market Square Ln, Midlothian 23112 (804) 744-0111

Recently enlarged, this Italian and pizza restaurant has also been a favorite for many years, particularly for families residing in the Brandermill neighborhoods. Market Square is on the NE corner of the Hull Street Road intersection with Old Hundred Road. Their preferred ordering mechanism is a phone call about 25-30 min in advance of your desired p/u time. Pizza sizes are 10", 14", and 16" with Mediterranean, American, White Pizza, and Meat Lovers options among many. Flights of craft beers are also availa-ble.

MADE IN ASIA 7302 Hancock Village Dr, Chesterfield 23832 (804) 739-8160

Located in Hancock Village, between Spring Run Road and the Woodlake Village Pkwy on Hull Street Road, MIA has become well known for Thai and Pan-Asian cui-sine but is also known for its sushi menu. After the online menu is consulted, or-ders are taken by phone (not online) and p/u is behind the restaurant where a masked and gloved employee will verify your order before it is placed in the vehi-cle. Small plates, noodles and fried rice, as well as curries and stir-fry entrees are all available for takeout. Vegetarian, vegan, and gluten free options are offered as well. Hours are 4:00PM-9:00PM Sun-Thurs, Fri/Sat 4:00PM-9:30PM.

Page 11 Whatcha Doing

Please continue to share your current experiences in the “Whatcha Doing” section. In addition to sharing your current ex-periences, pictures from your past, etc. also please share your experiences with takeout food options during these weeks: good and not-so-good, curbside vs delivery, chain vs local res-taurants, and also the pros & cons of how you have obtained your groceries since this began in March? Have you ventured in-to a sit down restaurant? How was the experience? Thanks and stay safe.

Mike Todd @ Carlisle

Thursday morning I met Mark Francis at the Exxon at I-64 and Route 522 for our cruise to Carlisle. Peggy is still rehabilitating from her knee replace-ment and even though she is doing well her Physi-cal Therapist did not think it was worth the risk so I was on my own this year.

The trip was uneventful. Traffic even on I-81 seemed lighter than usual. We got to fair grounds early afternoon and I headed to the 63-67 registry to park and Mark was directed to another area on the “Fun Field”. I spent the afternoon checking out Vettes and vendors.

I saw a few of our folks on Friday. Graham Wilson, Vince Charity and his son TJ along with Al Vincent came up for the day. Bob and Belinda Darling made the trip with friends from Florida. I also ran into Jeremy Wel-born, a past CCR member, who made the trip from Oklahoma to make a You Tube video.

Heavy storms moved through late Friday afternoon which shut down most activities for the day. It was still raining Saturday morning so I cut my trip short and came home. Saturday afternoon turned out to be nice but I did see everything I wanted to see and did find some garage art.

I would estimate that the crowds and the vendors were about half to two thirds on a normal year. The Saturday night parade was also canceled this year. The guy that bought my C4 was there with some of his friends and sent me a picture from 8:30 AM Saturday morning and the strik-ing thing is just how few cars were on the Fun Field. I as-sume more folks showed up as the weather cleared up.

All in all still a good time but if you had to miss a year at Carlisle this was probably the one to miss. Already looking forward to 2021.

UPCOMING EVENT Page 12

FYI—Not a CCR event

UPCOMING EVENT Page 13

CCR has been well represented at this event for the past two years. Paul Murman was the OD for

those cruises but is not able to commit to doing it again this year. If someone would like to step up

and assume that responsibility please contact the events coordinator. Paul will be happy to share

information on hotels, restaurants, etc. from previous years.

If no one chooses to formally OD this event we will continue to share information here and on the

CCR website so individuals who want to participant can make their own plans.

Page 14 Going Back In Time

Going Back in Time

with CCR

(David Dolan, CCR Historian)

Hello, CCR Members and Web Readers! I am the historian of CCR’s archives and over the past few months you've been going back in time with me as I review the history of CCR in 5-year time blocks. Last month we covered 1996, and now let's travel back again.

The year was 1991…

Tyler Garret was president for his second of four terms. Terry Corbin was treasurer, Lori was newsletter editor and corresponding secretary, and Buddy Harris had my job (historian). Club meetings were held at the Celebrity Room Restaurant in the “Elvis Room.” Membership dues were $35 couple/$25 single (sound familiar?). Our January meeting had a total of 7 members present.

Events in 1991 include our first Crab Cruise to Robert-son Crabhouse (next to Capt. Billy’s – owned by Capt. Billy) with Aqua Creek Corvette Club’s (ACCC) Sandy Thompson. We had 9 Vettes in the Azalea Parade. We are in our 4th year of enjoying Corvettes at Carlisle with ACCC at the Rodeway Inn. We drag raced at Richmond Dragway, caravanned to the mountains to a winery for a wine tour & tasting, and in October had a Leaf Trip.

Because participation was so small at meetings and we had no business to discuss, we cancelled two meetings in 1991. Instead, we chose to do events like the Crab Cruise to bring members out. Our phone list for 1991 showed we had 14 paid members. Today 5 of those 14 are still paid members: Bob Clifton, Terry Corbin, Tyler Garrett, Norman Hayes and Lori & I.

Above shows us in 1991 Azalea Parade.

Super Chevy Tech Tips

Working on and maintaining your Corvette is supposed to be fun, but there are times when you run into a mechanical brick wall that seems almost insurmountable. Sure, you can throw $100 bills at the Corvette mechanic to overcome the obstacle, but that isn't always necessary. While there is no question that money and preparation are precariously linked on the path to improved Corvette performance, in many cases cubic dollars can be supplanted by ingenuity. That's where we step in. We've poked, we've prodded, and we've generally nosed around until we found 101 (Tips 86 thru 96) included this month ways to make your Corvette faster, easier to work on, and make the de-tails shine. Some of the ideas we discovered are safety-oriented while others are simply good, old fashioned "time savers"; but nonetheless, they all make life in the Corvette fast lane a bunch easi-er. Pick and choose the tips that suit your Corvette. We're positive that you too can work on your pride and joy without breaking the bank! 86. YANKING YOUR CABLE Speaking of the "old days" and ancient tricks, here's something you shouldn't do: It was once common to pull off a battery cable when a Corvette engine was running to check the charging system. If the alternator was working, the engine would continue to run. If it wasn't charging, the engine would stall. Some people think you can do that today. Not so! Those old Corvettes had relatively robust mechanical voltage regulators. Newer examples have internal voltage regulators, and if you yank the cable, you'll create a spike or surge in the system. Everyone knows what that will do to a computer. The modern automotive electronic voltage regulator has some of the same components as a computer. Pulling a battery cable while the engine is running will send a voltage "spike" through-out the electrical system of the automobile. This can, and often does, damage the voltage regula-tor. But it can also take out other electronic bits. Included in the mix are computers, ABS control units, electronic instrument clusters, sound systems, and so on. Bottom line? Don't mess with the electronics. They'll come back and bite you. 87. NEW MATH Here's a quick tip: In order to measure a wheel-bolt pattern, measure from the center of the No. 1 lug hole to the outside of the No. 3 lughole. The number you get is the bolt circle size. 88. JUST A WHINER Do you have an impossible-to-find whine originating from the underside of your Corvette? If you do, think about adding a small amount of grease to the splines on the transmission slip yoke. This eliminates the metal-to-metal contact from the splines in the yoke to the splines on the output shaft. 89. EXPLOSIVE FORCE Never add air to a tire-and-rim assembly that has been operated in a seriously underinflated or flat condition. Why? The condition just might provoke the tire to separate (often explosively). The result can be serious injury. The real solution is to have the tire deflated and carefully inspected by a professional. By the way, we're talking from experience here, folks. Be extra cautious.

Page 15 Tech Tips

Super Chevy Tech Tips (Cont.)

Page 16 Tech Tips

90. SQUEAL ON YOU Squealing Corvette disc brakes are a pain in the you-know-what. In order to stop the ordeal, try these two tips: * After resurfacing a rotor, hand-sand both sides smooth and flat, using 120 or 150 grit sandpa-per on a sanding block. * After sanding, clean the rotor thoroughly with detergent and water. This serves to demagnetize the rotor and remove all of the fine grit and dust that can cause chatter. 91. SCOUR & SCRUB Car wash sponges are cheap. Dedicate a sponge for tire cleaning only and don't use this pad for anything else. This way, the tire residue can stay in one spot, and you won't contaminate your car's paint with wayward tire dressing, small rocks, and so on. 92. PAIR THEM UP On vintage Corvettes, rear drum-brake wheel cylinders should be replaced as pairs. Why? Sim-ple. It will equalize the hydraulic pressure pulse. If you don't, you run the risk of replacing brake shoes that can be contaminated by brake fluid leakage from the cylinder. 93. FUEL FIXATION Have you ever had one of those moments when you're searching for that elusive problem on your Corvette only to find out it was a painfully simple fix? Here's one more to add to your col-lection: a crimped fuel line. The fuel line is important to fuel delivery but often overlooked. If it's crimped, your car will have no fuel (or much less than required). The maladies perpetuated by this can be numerous. Give it a look before ripping apart the car. 94. PULLEY STERILIZATION Don't you just hate a squealing fan belt? If the belts on your Corvette are tight and still squeal, try this: Buff the inside of the pulleys with green Scotch-Brite. The abrasive pad gives the fan belt a more positive surface and should eliminate the noise. It's also a good idea to use a new belt once the pulleys are "deglazed." 95. FOOT SOJOURN When bleeding Corvette brakes manually, be careful not to overextend the master-cylinder pis-ton. This can rip or tear piston-cup seals that, in turn, can result in master cylinder failure. It's simple to cure this problem: Just put your free foot under the brake pedal during the bleeding process to act as a stop. 96. BIG LUG Pretend you have aftermarket wheels on your Corvette (not a big stretch). And pretend they use different lug nuts from those fitted toy our car by the OEM manufacturer (similarly, not a big stretch). What about your spare? If it's stock, make sure you have a spare set of lug nuts that fit the spare. Otherwise, you might not be too happy if you're out in the middle of nowhere with a flat.

WORD SEARCH Page 17

Auto Engine Parts Applied Academics Automotive

P X E E V L A V Z H O Y T I V A C T

N L T R I N G F L Y W H E E L V R F

M S A E U F M O T O R E O Q I P A A

O O L T C O M B U S T I O N H X G H

T Q P P E P O W N K E R U T X I M S

I T X I E A U T O M A T I C O N D M

O R E S L M G J E Y H B F Q I N T A

N A L T C Q E Q X Q E O U P X R P C

O N F O I D F T H T A L S C A Q T P

C S D N H I D R A S D T A N A M F A

I F G E E H E T U L C S S I R P A R

R E R W V B O H S L T M R E E E H T

C R L E M R R N T I I F D G T N S R

U B B A T A K G N S U N A F O I K E

L N H L E R Z G S E I G L L R G N T

A C E G O D A I L L N L U O Q N A F

R E I P O C O T Y E J Y R W U E R I

M H L R O N K C S C L O S E E A C L

AIRFUEL ENGINE PISTON

AUTOMATIC EXHAUST PLATE

BLOCK FLEXPLATE RING

BOLT FLOW ROD

CAMSHAFT FLYWHEEL ROTATE

CASTING GEAR SPIN

CAVITY HEAD STARTER

CHAMBER LIFTER TORQUE

CIRCULAR METAL TRANSFER

CLOSE MIXTURE TRANSMISSION

COMBUSTION MOTION VALVE

CRANKSHAFT MOTOR VEHICLE

CYLINDER OPEN

ENGAGE PART

Corvette Racing—C8-R Page 18

Three for Three: No. 3 Corvette Gets Win No. 3 of 2020 in IMSA GT Challenge at VIR

As Corvette celebrates Bill Auberlen becomes IMSA’s all-time winningest driver with GTD triumph.

BY JEFF OLSON AND MARK ROBINSON, IMSA WIRE SERVICE

At first, Antonio Garcia didn’t know what was causing the vibration that was buzzing through his car. He knew only that he had to make the car reach the finish line before the competitors bearing down on him. “It took me a little bit (to know what was wrong), but the whole car was shaking a lot,” he said. “About 200 kph, the whole car was shaking a lot. It was coming from the rear.” The issue was a broken rear diffuser, and Garcia carefully directed his rattling, wound-ed Corvette C8.R to the finish line Saturday for an unexpected victory in the Michelin GT Challenge at VIRginia International Raceway. It was the third win of the 2020 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season for Garcia and co-driver Jordan Taylor. Garcia took the lead unexpectedly when Nick Tandy was forced to pit with a cut left rear tire with 18 minutes left in the two-hour, 40-minute race, then held off a charge from Bruno Spengler and Tandy to score Corvette Racing’s fourth consecutive victory – the No. 3 teammates won on July 4 at Daytona and earlier this month at Road America, while teammates Tommy Milner and Oliver Gavin won last month’s race at Sebring in the No. 4 C8.R – in the GT Le Mans (GTLM) class. But nothing about this one was easy. For a moment after he took the lead, Garcia didn’t think he’d be able to maintain it. “I thought it was terminal because it was vibrating really bad,” Garcia said. “But once I got used to it and knew it wasn’t interfering with the performance, I knew I could handle it. With the gap I could manage to the BMW. It was stressful not knowing what would happen if the rear diffuser would have fallen off, but the C8.R held on.”

Corvette Racing—C8-R Page 19

Tandy had a sizable lead late in the race when the No. 911 Porsche GT Team Porsche 911 RSR-19 be-fore his late, unscheduled pit stop. That gave the lead to Garcia’s No. 3 Corvette Racing Chevrolet Corvette C8.R he shared with Jordan Taylor. With the vibration causing him to back off, his lead over Spengler’s No. 25 BMW Team RLL BMW M8 GTE and Tandy’s No. 911 Porsche GT Team Por-sche 911 RSR-19 began to evaporate. As soon as Tandy drove to the pits, Garcia noticed the vibration. “I saw him pull in the pits and I went by the front straight the whole thing started to shake a lot,” Garcia said. “So, the C8.R is also good with almost no rear diffuser or rear splitter. I’m very proud of that. Very proud that everything stayed in one piece even though it was very challenging to drive there at the end.” From start to finish, the race threw unexpected challenges at drivers and teams. The No. 911 Por-sche twice had flat tires. Just 22 minutes into the race, Fred Makowiecki experienced the first punc-ture, but pitted and regained the lead under caution just 13 minutes later. Then, just when it looked as if Tandy would bring the No. 911 home to victory, he limped to the pits, then roared back to challenge Spengler for second place with a late charge that included the fastest lap of the race. In the end, Spengler, who teamed with Connor De Phillippi in the No. 25 BMW, held on for second, 3.521 seconds behind Garcia. “For sure, it felt like an endurance race with all the issues people were having,” Taylor said. “Mistakes, going off the track, damage issues, tire issues. It was about minimizing mistakes. It’s not like an IMSA race to have that many issues. For us, we had the least amount of mistakes and that’s why we won.” The victory allowed Taylor and Garcia to extend their WeatherTech Championship GTLM points lead to 19 – 165-146 – over the defending GTLM champions Earl Bamber and Laurens Vanthoor, who finished fifth in class today in the No. 912 Porsche. In GTD, Bill Auberlen put the crowning touch on a legendary career Saturday, taking sole posses-sion of the all-time lead in IMSA race wins. Finishing off the effort that teammate Robby Foley started in the No. 96 Turner Motorsport BMW M6 GT3, Auberlen took the checkered flag in the GT Daytona (GTD) class at the Michelin GT Challenge at VIR. The IMSA WeatherTech Sports Car Championship win in the GT-only race at VIRginia Internation-al Raceway gave the 51-year-old Auberlen his 61st IMSA victory in a career that spans more than three decades. Auberlen had been tied with Scott Pruett at 60 wins. “It’s amazing,” Auberlen said. “I said my best career win was Petit Le Mans last year (win No. 60); I think this one has to top it. … It is probably the best win of my career. To do it with Robby, Turner, BMW, everybody, I’m super happy.” Win No. 61 came 27 years after Auberlen’s first, earned at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin in July 1993. And while the closing minutes in Saturday’s record-setter weren’t pressure-packed from the outside, he admitted to big-time jitters as the laps wound down. “This was the most nerve-racking hour of my life,” Auberlen said. “When I got to about 35 minutes, every little calculated mistake or whatever I was making, I would talk to myself: ‘Don’t blow this!’ This time it was all in my head, trying not to screw up, get this monkey off my back. Now we can put our head down for the season and try to win this championship.” The WeatherTech Championship season resumes Sept. 4-6 with the Michelin Endurance Challenge Weekend at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta in Braselton, Georgia. The six-hour TireRack.com Grand Prix headlines the weekend on Saturday, Sept. 5.

Page 20 The CCR Store

The CCR Store

Page 21 The CCR Store

Page 22 The CCR Store

Page 23 The CCR Store

CORVETTE COMICS

Page 24

“Thank You” to our Corporate Sponsors

Zip Liaison:

Mel Rice

(804) 730-9624

Note from the Editor :

Please be mindful of the deadlines we must meet in order to keep the distribution of the newsletter

running smoothly. Please make sure all articles, event recaps, and any other information is sent to

the Newsletter Editor by the 25th of each month to mike67c2@verizon.net

Page 25

Colonial

Chevrolet

Liaison:

Bubba Carr

(804) 356-8731

Sponsors