1967 Corvette Le Mans Racer Inspiration for Monterey Reunion Poster

A 1967 Corvette that has a special place in the history of the 24 Hours of Le Mans has been chosen to be the poster art for this year’s Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion poster.

That car is the 1967 Corvette No. 9 raced by Corvette legends Dick Guldstrand and Bob Bondurant at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, where it hit speeds of 170mph-plus down Mulsanne Straight to take a big lead before mechanical woes forced it off the track. Despite that disappointment, the two drivers had already become folk heroes to the locals by driving the car from the airport near Paris to the track.

The poster was unveiled last week by Laguna Seca’s official artist, Bill Patterson, at the Long Beach Grand Prix with race enthusiasts and motorsports media watching.

This year’s Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion is special since it will help mark the 60th anniversary of the Corvette, which will be the featured marquee for the event that features 550 period-correct race cars in 16 groups from nearly every era of motorsports.

There are very few marques that have that particular combination of power, proven performance, edgy styling and raw sex appeal as does the Corvette,? Patterson said.

When he was growing up overseas, he said he was proud to be an American “because, after all, Americans were flying to the moon and driving Corvettes! The painting is of the start of the 1967 Le Mans race, and it’s a continuing source of pride that Corvettes go back year after year with a legitimate shot at victory.?

Patterson’s rendering will grace the cover of the souvenir magazine and appear on limited-edition posters sold exclusively through the Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca souvenir store.

Source:
Racer.com
Photo Credit: CorvetteRepair.com

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