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CORVETTE RACING BY PRATT MILLER MOTORSPORTS PICKS UP WHERE FACTORY TEAM LEFT OFF

But Wasn’t PMM Always Corvette Racing’s Partner?

Corvette Racing has been a motorsports entity for 25 years. Officially the factory sports car program for General Motors, it has long partnered with the motorsports division of Pratt Miller, a Michigan-based defense company. But GM’s racing ambitions for Corvette have outgrown a single team with two cars. As such, the new Corvette Z06 GT3.R that debuted at the 2023 24 Hours of Daytona in January won’t be kept to a single in-house team, but will be sold to qualifying customer teams for $735,000 apiece. This endeavor moves GM to a more managerial, customer support role, and will close the garage on Corvette Racing after the 2023 season.

Except, they won’t.

2023 2024 IMSA WEC Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3R GT3 GT3.R Race Car Racing Motorsport Daytona Le Mans
Image copyright Steven Pham, Muscle Cars & Trucks.

Without much explanation one way or the other, it was recently made official that Pratt Miller Motorsports will essentially inherit the Corvette Racing factory program. Officially called Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports, the team will field a pair of C8 Corvette Z06 GT3.R race cars for the 2024 season, and effectively marks the first official customer team for the new era.

Never mind that Pratt Miller Motorsports primarily developed and will build the Corvette Z06 GT3.R for GM. They’re the customer now, you see. And per the original report from Racer, there’s expected to be at least four Z06 GT3 cars entering IMSA competition next season, with PMM fielding two of them. Additional customer programs are expected in the coming weeks. GM has previously stated that it plans to sell at least 20 Z06 GT3.R customer cars.

“We couldn’t have a better representative than the same group that has been part of the development, build and testing processes for our new Corvette racecar,” said Z06 GT3.R manager Christie Bagnie. “The learnings we will take from testing and competition will flow to our other Z06 GT3.R customer teams to ensure that the Corvette brand is a championship contender around the world.”

Image copyright Steven Pham, Muscle Cars & Trucks.

The Corvette Z06 GT3.R is now undergoing final homologation testing in Europe after nearly 5,500 miles of testing since September 2022. Additional testing is planned through the summer and fall, which will evaluate the multiple brands of tires used in various GT3-based championships such as WEC, SRO GT World Challenge and the Creventic 24 Hour Series. It’s understood that Corvette Racing by PMM will compete in IMSA.

Through a quarter century, Corvette Racing has amassed 125 race victories to-date, the most recent coming at the 2023 24 Hours of Le Mans – the last one for the C8.R − for the team’s ninth class win and its first in GTE-Am. Taking the action back to the USA, the team recently took third at the conclusion of the IMSA Six Hours of The Glen on Sunday.

2023 2024 IMSA WEC Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3R GT3 GT3.R Race Car Racing Motorsport Daytona Le Mans
Image copyright Steven Pham, Muscle Cars & Trucks.

Written by Manoli Katakis

Muscle Cars & Trucks was founded by Manoli Katakis - an automotive media veteran that has been covering the latest car news since 2009. His journalism has uncovered dozens of major product changes, updates, plans, and cancellations long before automakers were ready to make things official.

Some highlights over the years of his reporting include the uncovering of the Zora trademark before anybody else reported on the coming of a mid-engine Corvette, as well as the dead-accurate reporting of the coming of the Chevrolet Colorado ZR2, two years before it hit the market, and even before the debut of the concept vehicle. This type of reporting has immediately continued here, with reports of the original seventh-generation Camaro plans being shelved, as well as what's in store for the Chevrolet Silverado.

Some of his work can be found on massive automotive media outlets, such as Motor1. He also has been a guest on the 910AM Radio Station with Detroit News auto critic Henry Payne, as well as the enthusiast-oriented Camaro Show podcast.

Over the years, Manoli has interviewed various automotive industry titans, leaders, and people that make things happen otherwise. These include figureheads such as GM CEO Mary Barra, GM President Mark Reuss, automotive aftermarket icon Ken Lingenfelter, Dodge firebrand Tim Kuniskis, along with various chief engineers of vehicles such as the Ford F-150 & Mustang, Chevrolet Camaro & Corvette, and many more.

At MC&T, Manoli is taking his journalism expertise, deeply planted sources, driving abilities, and automotive industry knowledge to new levels, covering more vehicles and brands than ever before. This is the place where you will continue to read groundbreaking stories about American performance vehicles, pickup trucks, and sport utility vehicles. Here is where you’ll also read insights and quotes from various automotive subject matter experts on the latest relevant products, as well as some of the latest official news from their manufacturers.

Fun facts: he also once beat Corvette Racing driver Tommy Milner in an autocross with a Chevrolet Bolt EV. The biggest vehicle he’s ever driven is a John Deere mining truck. Besides a go-kart, the smallest vehicle he’s driven has been a Hyundai i10. He’s also spent time in the cockpit of various American performance vehicle icons, including the fifth-generation Chevrolet Camaro Z/28, Dodge Challenger Demon, and Ford Mustang GT350R. He has reviewed dozens of trucks, SUVs, and performance vehicles over the years.

One of his favorite new vehicles on the market today happens to be the Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 Bison. He is also a card carrying member of the Sports Car Club of America, and regularly participates in Detroit Region autocross events.

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