- Corvettes at Carlisle Hosts Amazing Array of Historic Racers
- Special Display
- First One
- One Time Color
- Paying Tribute
- Big Winner
- Special Gathering
Corvettes at Carlisle Hosts Amazing Array of Historic Racers
Corvette Racing history was on fully display at this year’s show.
Special Display
Each and every year, Corvettes at Carlisle attracts some of the most amazing vehicles on the planet, whether they be owned by private individuals or General Motors itself. This year, that elite group included some pretty special vintage racers built by Pratt & Miller, which were honored as part of the “Chip’s Choice” display, named after the late Chip Miller, a co-founder of Carlisle Events, and MotorTrend was there to capture the special display on film.
Photos: MotorTrend
First One
The first car on display is quite special, as it’s the very first Pratt & Miller C5 racer every built, bearing VIN PM 001. Now in private hands, this historically significant machine is no longer competing on the track, as the new owners would prefer to preserve it as-is for future generations to enjoy.
Photos: MotorTrend
One Time Color
Next up, we have a pair of 50th Anniversary C5.R Corvettes that are owned by one private collector. What’s particularly notable about these two cars is their blue exterior hue, which only ever appeared in one race – the 2003 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Photos: MotorTrend
Paying Tribute
Aside from that distinctive hue, these two Corvettes paid homage to two other milestones in Corvette history – number 50 is a nod to the sports car’s 50th anniversary, while number 53 pays tribute to the very first 1953 Corvette. Those cars finished Le Mans with a second- and third-place class ranking, respectively.
Photos: MotorTrend
Big Winner
Next up, we have C7.R #004, which took home wins in the GT class at both the 2016 24 Hours of Daytona and 12 Hours of Sebring races, while also bringing home the 2016 IMSA GT Le Mans Championship. Impressively, the new owner left the car as-is, showing off the grime it accumulated during its last race.
Photos: MotorTrend
Special Gathering
Pratt & Miller’s long history with Corvette Racing is indeed something worth celebrating, and this curated list of former racers was a great way to do precisely that. It isn’t every day that we get to see this many historic racing machines in one place together, but then again, that’s precisely what we’ve come to expect from Corvettes at Carlisle.
Photos: MotorTrend
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