New Corvette C8.R to Make Long-Awaited Racing Debut at 24 Hours of Daytona
The racing version of the new 2020 mid-engine Chevrolet Corvette — dubbed the Corvette C8.R — makes its official racing debut at the 24 Hours of Daytona this weekend. Two C8.Rs will take the track at Daytona in this inaugural effort: the yellow car #3 is being driven by Antonio Garcia, Jordan Taylor, and Nicky Catsburg, while the silver #4 car will have Oliver Gavin, Tommy Milner, and Marcel Fassler taking turns behind the wheel.
The new mid-engine Corvette C8 production car upon which the C8.R is based has already gathered a number of awards, including MotorTrend’s 2020 Car of the Year and the 2020 Free Press Car of the Year awarded by the Detroit Free Press.
The Rolex 24 at Daytona kicks off the 2020 IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship series, and can be watched at the times and networks provided below.
One thing to watch (and listen for): Unlike the production Corvette C8 — which is powered by a 6.2-liter LT2 V8, the C8.R race car will reportedly feature a new DOHC V8 engine design with smaller displacement (5.5 liters) and a flat-plane crankshaft, which should give it a higher-pitched / higher RPM engine sound than the production Corvette.
