Chevrolet Corvette

type

 * roadster
 * sports car

competition

 * grand touring

series

 * IMSA GT Championship
 * American Le Mans Series
 * WeatherTech SportsCar Championship
 * Trans Am Series
 * Pirelli World Challenge

legacy

 * The Corvette has been Chevrolet's vehicle of choice in IMSA racing ever since the seventies, also competing in the American Le Mans Series and today's WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. This is because IMSA has been based around endurance racing, featuring races such as the Twelve Hours of Sebring and the Six Hours of Watkins Glen. One of the first ALMS races was the Petit Le Mans, a ten-hour endurance race held at Road Atlanta.
 * Chevrolet recently revived the Stingray name as a special edition
 * While in the IMSA GT Championship, an IMSA GT Prototype was created powered by Corvette
 * Chevrolet's choice for today's Le Mans Prototype is powered by Corvette
 * The IMSA GT cars were also used in the Trans Am Series and later the SCCA World Challenge, now known as the Pirelli World Challenge

trivia

 * The Corvette was originally a six-cylinder introduced in 1953, but was quickly changed to a V8. This allowed it to be competitive in racing, especially endurance.
 * The Stingray, introduced in 1963, made the Corvette more aerodyanmic and thus more competitive. It also introduced the long-lasting popup headlights.
 * The 1963 model is rare because it is a one-year bodystyle, featuring a split rear window. Racers might prefer the 1964, however, due to greater rear visibility.
 * The 1961 and 1962 Corvettes were "transition models" due to having the "boat tail" rears which "previewed" the Stingray.
 * The third generation, known as the Mako, is the longest-lasting generation in Corvette history
 * The Mako is noted for its Indy Pace Car edition
 * America's first sports car
 * The Corvette was named after a type of Colonial warship
 * A mako is a type of shark
 * In 2006 the Corvette's long-lasting popup headlights were dropped due to safety concerns regarding mechanical malfunctions. This had also been applied to other models with popup headlights.