C7 GT3-R finishes 4th at Sears Point Sonoma Raceway

Mirco Shultis in his # 70 Callaway Corvette finished 4th Saturday & Sunday in the SRO Pirelli World Challenge GT America Class at Sonoma.

This is 1 of 7 special C7 GT3.R race cars that were designed and built from the ground up by Callaway Competition in Leingarten Germany.  It’s now in the USA with a chance for an extended life in the series formerly known as the SCCA World Challenge.

Several C5 and C6 WC Corvettes raced in the past on their own nickel. No US-built C7 has ever appeared.

GM chose instead to back the ATS-V Cadillac as a way to lure buyers in the market for a performance luxury car vs a Mercedes or Audi.

Laura Klauser who oversaw the ATS-V Cadillac is now in charge of all GM sports car racing which includes the mid-engine C8.R Corvettes in IMSA and the WEC.  A new C8.R GT3 version is being developed for sale to customers starting in 2024.  Callaway might well be among those customers.  

The time has come here and now to perform better against the Audi (Saturday’s winner) and the Lamborghini (Sunday’s winner) or risk becoming a “stranded asset”.    

Regardless of the outcome at VIR on June 18-19 and beyond, a home for this exotic Corvette seems assured in historic racing.

Photo credits to Mark Windecker & Jim Rij