GM Has Big Plans for the Brand New C8 Corvette Z06 GT3.R Racer

Only a handful of C8 Corvette Z06 GT3.R racers will be built for the first couple of years, but a big expansion will follow.

Following its debut not too terribly long ago, the C8 Corvette Z06 GT3.R race car will make its debut at the upcoming 2024 Rolex 24 at Daytona in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. Of course, that’s just the start for this brand new race car, as it’s still in the development phase and hasn’t begun the homologation process just yet. Luckily, GM has quite a bit of data it can utilize from the existing C8.R racer it’s been campaigning in for some time now, but it still must admittedly start out fairly slow with the C8 Corvette GT3.R racer, particularly since it’s part of a new customer racing program. Regardless, the automaker still has big plans for that new machine, as Laura Wontrop Klauser, GM’s sportscar racing program manager, recently explained to Motorsport.com.

“Our first focus will be the United States,” Klauser said. “That’s our home market and that’s where the majority of our production car sales are. And it’s home, so it’s a lot easier to figure out support when you’re in the same country. We’re not turning a blind eye to anything else. We know the big volume for GT3 is in Europe, and the Asian market is growing as well. So while you may see us primarily in the U.S. to start, there is a growth plan to get to Europe and eventually to Asia as well.”

For now, Klauser notes that GM will be building roughly 10 cars per year to satisfy regulations stating that 20 units must be produced in the first two years of such a program. Most will compete in the U.S., though a couple will likely wind up in Europe, though plans haven’t been finalized just yet. Regardless, the automaker expects to have multiple cars running at Daytona when the race kicks off in a little over a year.

Though it’s very similar to the existing C8.R racer in a number of ways, the Z06 GT3.R borrows heavily from the production C8 Z06, featuring the same 5.5-liter LT6 V8 that’s been modified for racing purposes, as well as the same aluminum chassis, the same silhouette, similar dimensions, and similar aerodynamic features.

Photos: Chevrolet

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