Corvette Racing 2009 Review: Doug Fehan Q&A
The First in a Series of Conversations with Corvette Racing
DETROIT – Corvette Racing program manager Doug Fehan has seen it all in motorsports, and he had to rely on every element of that hard-earned experience to navigate through a tumultuous 2009 season. In the interior of a global scheme storm, Fehan steered Corvette Racing to the team's sixth win in the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the flourishing mid-year launching of the GT2 version of the Corvette C6.R in the American Le Mans Series.
Corvette Racing's 10th anniversary season was a assemblage of transition. The championship-winning GT1 Compuware Corvettes secured a seventh win in the season-opening Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring on March 21, and prefabricated their farewell appearance in the ALMS in Long Beach, Calif., on April 18. The curtain fell on the GT1 era on June 13-14 with a GT1 conclusion in Le Mans, France, as Johnny O'Connell, Jan Magnussen and Antonio Garcia stood on the crowning step of the podium. Seven weeks later, two new-generation Corvette C6.Rs prefabricated their competition debut in the GT2 class at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.
As the aggroup conducted a five-race test program in preparation for a unified GT collection in 2010, Corvette Racing posted fivesome podium finishes and notched its first GT2 win at Mosport International Raceway on August 30. In the series' test fivesome rounds, Corvette Racing scored more aggroup and concern points than any other GT2 entry, and O'Connell and Magnussen tallied the most points in the GT2 drivers championship. The flavour ended with fireworks at Laguna Seca as Magnussen walked absent from his battered race automobile after a high-speed break on the test travel of the season.
Under Fehan's leadership, Corvette Racing has become one of the world's execute creation sports automobile teams. An ardent advocate for the Corvette cause and an icon for legions of faithful Corvette fans; Fehan received the ALMS \"From the Fans\" honor in 2004, 2008, and 2009. In the following Q&A, he looks back at the 2009 flavour and looks ahead to 2010.
Q: Looking in the rearview mirror, what stands out in 2009?
Fehan: \"There were really two parts to the season – our final races in GT1 leading up to Le Mans, followed by the debut of the GT2 program. Our pore was and will always be the 24 Hours of Le Mans. When GM was feat through its restructuring, our greatest anxiety was that some might not wager the grandness and meaning of that event. It was a heartening time when we were able to get past that point.
\"In spite of some uncertainties, the aggroup convergent its energy on running the first ammo at Sebring, which we knew would be a great test of the engineering improvements we'd prefabricated in the vie cars. And then feat to Long Beach, we fulfilled the second half of our mission, which is marketing the Corvette and Chevrolet brands and representing our aggroup sponsors.
\"Everyone change the grandness of composition the final chapter of GT1 at Le Mans. They dedicated themselves to succeed, and it was absolutely amazing to wager them acceptation that idea. It oxyacetylene their fire because they knew the aggroup was undergoing its most significant challenge, and concurrently they were designing, planning and building the GT2 cars. The preparation was nearly as such recreation as the race.\"
Q: And the highlight of the GT2 portion?
Fehan: \"The win at Mosport. Watching the new cars' first laps at Mid-Ohio and knowing that we'd be combative was certainly exciting, but the conclusion at Mosport was overwhelming. It happened much sooner than we expected, and it showed ALMS fans what they have to look forward to in 2010 with rivalry between Corvette, Ferrari, Porsche, Jaguar, BMW, and Ford.
\"I think by any measure, the GT2 Corvette introduction was successful. Our objective was to focus on Corvette Racing's set strengths: preparation, permanence and reliability. We've scholarly that is what scores points – it's not ever the fastest automobile that wins races and championships. In five events, we had zero mechanical issues, and the cars were on pace. That was very encouraging.\"
Q: Surely digit of the highlights of 2009 was your stunning victory over Jan \"The Flying Viking\" Magnussen in the Tour de Road America Bike Ride to Fight Cancer?
Fehan: \"That sure ranks correct at the top, but in a different category (laughs). We had some fun, and the race benefited a good cause, the Lance Armstrong Foundation. I challenge the incurvature crews to meliorate continuously, and the cycle race demonstrated to our drivers that there is feat to be continuous transformation in their take of fleshly activity as well. I mean, they ought to be able to keep up with the information manager!\"
Q: On a serious note, what were the lessons learned in Jan's last-lap crash at Laguna Seca?
Fehan: \"Unfortunately the hardest lessons you learn in this sport are ever country related. You never want to put your country systems to the test, but when that time arrives, it's very reassuring to know that they are validated. That's what we learned at Laguna Seca.
\"Initially we had concerns most running an aluminum chassis, and we had concerns most how the listing detain was integrated into the chassis. The obligate of the impact exceeded 50 g's, and yet Jan walked away. When we analyzed the chassis after the crash, the country systems worked meet as they were designed, and the aluminum chassis did a marvelous job of absorbing the energy and protecting Jan from serious injury.
\"The extent of Jan's injuries was a busted tailbone, which we concept to the seat design. We have redesigned that part to prevent a reoccurrence in the future, so that is the face of the incident. Despite the rigor of the crash, the crew had the No. 3 Corvette restored and fully operational within a couple of weeks.\"
Q: What is the status of the GT-spec Corvette customer car program for 2010?
Fehan: \"We currently hit two customer cars under construction, but we don't still hit confirmed buyers for them. There has been tremendous interest in the GT-spec Corvette C6.Rs, and we think with continued improvement in the orbicular economy, the interested parties will be healthy to attain a commitment. We'd be delighted to wager more Corvettes racing in the ALMS or overseas.\"
Q: While there will be a single GT class in the ALMS in 2010, GT1 will continue in the FIA series and at Le Mans. What's your perspective on the two classes?
Fehan: \"A year ago, there was generalized agreement regarding a unified GT class, which we module wager in the ALMS in 2010. The intention at that instance was to base the FIA GT1 collection on GT cars, with restricted modifications to the engine and aerodynamics. Since then, however, Europe has encountered the same scheme issues that we hit visaged in the U.S., and many members of the racing accord understandably desire to retain their current cars for business reasons. Consequently whatever of the older GT1 cars module now be regenerate to the newborn regulations, including individual privately owned Corvette C6.Rs, and the ACO has invited these cars to participate at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. As the scheme climate improves, I hope that the selection makers module recognize the benefits of running one GT collection at Le Mans and other venues.\"
Q: Corvette Racing will introduce a production-based 5.5-liter small-block V-8 engine in 2010 in place of the 7.0-liter and 6.0-liter engines used previously. What's the outlook for the engine program?
Fehan: \"GM Powertrain has completed the initial dynamometer tests of the 5.5-liter small-block V8, and the race team has conducted the first road test with the newborn engine. We are quite satisfied with its performance take at this point. We plan to move development and inform the 5.5-liter engine package in rivalry at Sebring.\"
Q: What are Corvette Racing's goals for 2010?
Fehan: "The ALMS GT championship and victory at Le Mans."
Corvette Racing's incoming circumstance is the season-opening Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring at Sebring International Raceway in Sebring, Fla., on March 20, 2010. The classic 12-hour endurance vie will be televised live on SPEED starting at 10 a.m. ET.
