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Corvette Racing: Pride of New Hudson

(Courtesy of Michelin – enjoy the rest of the Detroit edition of ‘The Alley’ HERE)

When you think of the hometowns of premier teams in worldwide motorsports, New Hudson, Michigan may not leap first to mind like Maranello; Weissach; Indianapolis and Charlotte.

Yet, one of the most successful teams in international motorsports, the Corvette Racing team is New Hudson based and proud of it. The iconic Corvette Racing “Velocity Yellow” C6.Rs have legions of fans across North America and Europe. “While we compete on an international stage, our Corvette roots are right here,” said Steve Wesoloski, GM Racing Road Racing Group manager.

The Corvette Racing record is as powerful as the thundering V-8s that power them. Since their ALMS debut in 1999, the Corvette team has claimed 64 ALMS GT1 wins; seven consecutive ALMS GT1 manufacturers and team championships, six straight driver championships and five GT1 class victories at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. But, why New Hudson? “Corvette Racing’s roots run deep in Michigan,” said Wesoloski. “The team is managed by GM Racing from offices in the Renaissance Center, and Compuware, the team’s primary sponsor, is in downtown Detroit.

“The Corvette race cars’ LS7.R small-block V-8 racing engines are built and tested at Katech Engine Development in nearby Clinton Township. The team headquarters are close to the GM Proving Grounds at Milford, Michigan and just an hour away from the General Motors Technical Center in Warren and GM Powertrain in Pontiac.”

“We can draw upon GM’s resources and talent for special projects like E85 cellulosic ethanol and we have access to a lot of top talent and experience,” continued Wesoloski. “And, don’t forget, we are just 25 minutes from a major international airport that lets us fly nonstop or ship; and we are fairly centrally located for the ALMS races.”

The Pratt & Miller Engineering shops in New Hudson, which serve as home base for the Corvette Racing team, offer the ability to design, engineer and build sophisticated automotive hardware, including the new street legal Corvette C6.RS. With GM world headquarters in the Renaissance Center clearly visible from the paddock area, the New Hudson team knows what the hometown fans are looking for at the Detroit Sports Car Challenge. A Corvette Racing 1-2 finish would make the drive home a little sweeter for the home team.