Tag Archives: Ayari

GT1 Class Winner – Chevrolet Corvette C6.R #004

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Gary Pratt and Jim Miller founded the New Hudson, Michigan based Pratt & Miller Engineering and Fabrication in 1989.

In 1999 their relationship with General Motors, which continues to this day, got off the ground with the development of the Corvette C5.R.

The success of the C5.R program led to the commencement of C6.R GT1 program which took to the endurance circuits in 2005 with 8 GT1 Corvette chassis being built between up until 2008.

Corvette C6R, Clairay, Jousse, Goueslard, Siverstone 1000km,

Today’s featured chassis #C6R-004 was built new for the 2006 ALMS season and was driven to three straight class victories at Sebring, Huston and Mid Ohio by Oliver Gavin and Olivier Beretta who were joined by Jan Magnussen for the longer 12 hour victory at Sebring.

The Sebring class winning trio then drove the car to a fourth class victory at Le Mans the same year after finishing 4th overall from 22nd on the grid.

Luc Alphand Aventures acquired the car for the 2007 European Le Mans Series season and Luc joined by Jérôme Policand and Patrice Goueslard guided the car to another class win first time out in the Monza 1000kms.

Corvette C6R, Clairay, Jousse, Goueslard, Siverstone 1000km,

Later in 2008 Bruno Hernandez and Soheil Ayari drove chassis #C6R-004 and recorded a pair of heat wins in French FFSA GT Championship events run at Albi and Magny Cours.

In 2009 Luc, Jérôme and Patrice drove the car to a class victory at Spa a month before Luc sustained injuries in an all terrain motorcycle event that forced him to retire from competition driving and riding.

Luc was replaced by Julien Jousse at Algarve where #C6R-004 recorded it’s final class victory in 2009.

Jérôme, Patrice and Julien shared the car at the 2009 Silverstone 1000kms, where today’s pictures were taken, to record a 22nd place finish from 23rd on the grid.

After taking part in a couple more FFSA and FIA GT events the car was retired from competition at the end of the season.

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Bookended With Class Wins – Dodge Viper GTS-R #C7

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Like the Forent Moulin’s Dodge Viper GTS-R #C30 I looked at last year today’s featured Chrysler example chassis #C7 was originally built for the French Oreca entrant.

Chrysler Viper GTS-R, Oliver Bouquet, Silverstone Classic,

In 1997 the Viper Oreca team entered the car in 10 events with Philippe Gache and Olivier Beretta as #C7’s principle drivers who achieved a season high 10th place overall, 1st In GT2, on the cars debut at the Hockenheimring in April.

Chrysler Viper GTS-R, Oliver Bouquet, Silverstone Classic,

For the 1997 Le Mans Prequalifying weekend the following month later Phillipe and Oliver were joined in the #61 Oreca entry by Soheil Ayari and between them they were classified 44th.

Chrysler Viper GTS-R, Oliver Bouquet, Silverstone Classic,

For the 24 Hour race at Le Mans in June 1997 Soheil was moved over to the #62 Oreca entry replaced in the #61 Oreca entry by Dominique Dupuy. #C7 started from 34th on the grid with a 37th fastest qualifying time of 4m 4.654s, but retired after an accident on it’s 264th lap.

Chrysler Viper GTS-R, Oliver Bouquet, Silverstone Classic,

#C7’s final two appearances were at Le Mans in 1998, Dominique Dupuy was joined in the car now renumbered #53 by Justin Bell for the Prequalifying Weekend during which they were classified 36th.

For the 1998 Le Mans 24 Hour race a month later Dominique was taken out of the car after the preliminary qualifying session and replaced by Luca Drudi and David Donohue who with Justin started 33rd on the grid with a time of 4m 05.648s.

They finished the race 11th overall and bookended the cars career with another GT2 class win.

The car is seen in these photographs taken at last years Silverstone Classic with Oliver Bouquet at the wheel.

Thanks for joining me on this “Bookended With Class Wins” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psychoontyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow. Don’t forget to come back now !

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