Pratt & Miller 2002 Yearbook by Pratt & Miller Engineering

The Championship Team

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2002

The Championship Team CONTENTS Tribute to a Team of Champions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 The Team . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 The Photographers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18 2002 Season Statistics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22 Repeat Performance – 24 Hours of Le Mans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24 United We Stand – Persian Gulf Tour . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27 That Much Sweeter – 12 Hours of Sebring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34 ALMS, Sears Point to Miami . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38 Final Victory in a Remarkable Season – Petit Le Mans . . . . . . . . . . . . .40 Dreams and Legends, by Gary Young . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42 Awards, Celebrations and Fun . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44 Pratt & Miller: Design, Develop, Build, Race, Win . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48 A Word from Robin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54 Thanks to Our Sponsors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55

Photos courtesy of Peter Brock, John Brooks, David Noels, Robin Pratt, Richard Prince, René Tanner. Printed with permission.

PRATT & MILLER ENGINEERING & FABRICATION, INC. 29600 WILLIAM K. SMITH DRIVE, NEW HUDSON, MI 48165 PHONE: 248-446-9800 FAX: 248-446-9020 WWW.PRATTMILLER.COM

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Tribute to a Team of Champions S U C C E S S like we achieved in 2002 comes down to a team of really good people doing their jobs very, very well. In the following pages, we’re proud to present our team in photos from this season — doing what they do best. In 2002, their best surpassed even our remarkably successful 2001 season. We won 10 of 11 races, starting with the Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring in March, and finishing with the Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta in October. Those were two jewels of the GTS triple crown, and in June we added the big one, with our second consecutive victory in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Even more remarkable was the fact that eight of our 10 victories were one-two finishes. That shows how high the level of quality and commitment is throughout our team. It also represents a lot of hard work and resourcefulness. At Le Mans, for instance, Andy, Kelly and Franck took second place in spite of a setback as serious as a punctured oil pan. Ingenuity and great teamwork overcame that potential disaster in short order. Several times this year we beat faster cars simply because we have a highly skilled, experienced team that has been together a long time, and who work together really well. Thanks to you, we won another GTS Team Championship and Chevrolet added a second straight manufacturers’ title. A special salute goes to Ron Fellows, winner of the GTS championship for drivers, and to Bill DeLong, GTS Mechanic of the Year for the second year in a row. Those personal achievements highlight their own abilities, but Ron and Bill would be the first to say that their awards reflect the skills and hard work of everyone on the team. We are proud to be part of this extraordinary group of people. Congratulations to all for a job well done. — Jim Miller and Gary Pratt

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“We function as one team with two cars, and whichever car wins, Corvette Racing wins.” — Gary Pratt

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Gary Pratt

Jim Miller 5

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RON FELLOWS

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JOHNNY O’CONNELL

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OLIVER GAVIN

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BILL DELONG

DAVE ALBRIGHT

DOUG LOUTH

STEVE COLE

DAVID JAMES

GARY YOUNG

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MIKE ATKINS

RON CLAYTON

ROB COOPER

TOM MIKRUT

CHARLIE DEGENER JIM DURBIN

JR REDFIELD

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ANDY PILGRIM

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KELLY COLLINS

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FRANCK FREON

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JOE KIEFER

ROSS JEFFREY

RAY GONGLA

GREG HIATT

MIKE TANNER

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TOM DIEHM

RICH ELDRED

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LYNN BISHOP

DAN POLASKY

RANDY HUGHES

STEVE HARTSELL

DON MALE

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DAVE DECKER, PRS

JIM KELLY, PRS

MELANIE CORRELL, TIMING & SCORING

ROBIN PRATT

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FRANK PARKER, PARKER ENGINEERING

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SCOTT BENTHAM, BOSCH MOTORSPORTS

NICK OLSON, AP RACING

JOHN TAUBE, GOODYEAR

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GARY GRUBE, MOTOROLA

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KEVIN PRANGER, KATECH

RON HELZER, KATECH

DEAN PELLETIER, KATECH

WARREN FRIEZE & FRITZ KAYLE, KATECH

VANGIE BOSWELL, PROMOTIONS IN MOTION

DARYL CLASEN, COMPETITION GRAPHICS

RALPH SIMPSON, CATERING

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STEVE SHANNON, GM RACING

HERB FISHEL, GM RACING

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DAVE HILL, GM RACING

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GARY CLAUDIO, GM RACING

RICHARD BALDICK, GM RACING

DOUG FEHAN, GM RACING

STEVE WESOLOSKI, GM RACING

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JOE NEGRI, GM RACING

JOHN RICE, GM RACING

LISA STANICK, GM RACING

RICHARD PRIESTER, GM RACING

GARY DELEEUW, GM RACING

WALLY REESE, GM RACING

BENOIT FROGER GM RACING THE FRENCH CONNECTION

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The Photographers

RICHARD PRINCE 18

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PETER BROCK 19

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JOHN BROOKS

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AMERICAN LE MANS SERIES, RACE 4

ROAD AMERICA 500 Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin • July 7, 2002 RACE: 1st, Andy Pilgrim, Kelly Collins, #4 Corvette C5-R, 109 laps 2nd, Ron Fellows, Johnny O’Connell, Oliver Gavin, #3 Corvette C5-R, 108 laps QUALIFYING: 1st, Ron Fellows, #3 Corvette C5-R, 116.305 mph 2nd, Andy Pilgrim, #4 Corvette C5-R, 115.651 mph

AMERICAN LE MANS SERIES, RACE 6

GRAND PRIX DE TROIS RIVIÈRES Trois-Rivières, Quebec, Canada • August 3, 2002 RACE: 1st, Andy Pilgrim, Kelly Collins #4 Corvette C5-R, 155 laps 2nd, Ron Fellows, Johnny O’Connell, #3 Corvette C5-R, 153 laps QUALIFYING: 1st, Ron Fellows, #3 Corvette C5-R, 86.235 mph 2nd, Andy Pilgrim, #4 Corvette C5-R, 85.875 mph

AMERICAN LE MANS SERIES, RACE 2

GRAND PRIX OF SONOMA Sears Point Raceway • Sonoma, California • May 19, 2002 RACE: 1st, Ron Fellows, Johnny O’Connell, #3 Corvette C5-R, 81 laps 2nd, Andy Pilgrim, Kelly Collins, #4 Corvette C5-R, 80 laps QUALIFYING: 1st, Ron Fellows, #3 Corvette C5-R, 99.452 mph 2nd, Andy Pilgrim, #4 Corvette C5-R, 99.259 mph

AMERICAN LE MANS SERIES, RACE 3

GRAND PRIX OF MID-OHIO Lexington, Ohio • June 30, 2002 RACE: 1st, Ron Fellows, Johnny O’Connell, #3 Corvette C5-R, 106 laps, 2nd, Andy Pilgrim, Kelly Collins, #4 Corvette C5-R, 105 laps, QUALIFYING: 1st, Ron Fellows, #3 Corvette C5-R, 1m22.066s 2nd, Andy Pilgrim, #4 Corvette C5-R, 1m22.196s

AMERICAN LE MANS SERIES, RACE 8

MONTEREY SPORTS CAR CHAMPIONSHIPS Laguna Seca Raceway • Monterey, California September 22, 2002 RACE: 3rd, Andy Pilgrim, Kelly Collins, #4 Corvette C5-R, 102 laps 5th, Ron Fellows, Johnny O’Connell #3 Corvette C5-R, 41 laps, QUALIFYING: 3rd, Andy Pilgrim, #4 Corvette C5-R, 95.499 mph 4th, Ron Fellows, #3 Corvette C5-R, 95.260 mph

AMERICAN LE MANS SERIES, RACE 1

MOBIL 1 12 HOURS OF SEBRING Sebring, Florida March 16, 2002 RACE: 1st, Ron Fellows, Johnny O’Connell, Oliver Gavin, #3 Corvette C5-R, 317 laps, 4th, Andy Pilgrim, Kelly Collins, Franck Freon, #4 Corvette C5-R, 306 laps QUALIFYING: 1st, Ron Fellows, #3 Corvette C5-R, 111.279 mph 2nd, Andy Pilgrim, #4 Corvette C5-R, 111.056 mph 22

AMERICAN LE MANS SERIES, RACE 10

AUDI PRESENTS PETIT LE MANS Road Atlanta • Brazelton, Georgia October 12, 2002 RACE: 1st, Ron Fellows, Johnny O’Connell, Oliver Gavin, #3 Corvette C5-R, 362 laps 3rd, Andy Pilgrim, Kelly Collins, Franck Freon, #4 Corvette C5-R, 357 laps Qualifying: 2nd, Ron Fellows, #3 Corvette C5-R, 113.14 mph 4th, Andy Pilgrim, #4 Corvette C5-R, 112.29 mph

AMERICAN LE MANS SERIES, RACE 7

MAIL2WEB.COM GRAND PRIX AT MOSPORT Bowmanville, Ontario, Canada • August 18, 2002 RACE: 1st, Ron Fellows, Johnny O’Connell, #3 Corvette C5-R, 113 laps 2nd, Andy Pilgrim, Kelly Collins, #4 Corvette C5-R, 112 laps QUALIFYING: 2nd, Ron Fellows, #3 Corvette C5-R, 116.15 mph 3rd, Andy Pilgrim, #4 Corvette C5-R, 115.45 mph

AMERICAN LE MANS SERIES, RACE 5

24 HOURS OF LE MANS Le Mans, France • June 15-16, 2002 RACE: 1st, Ron Fellows, Johnny O’Connell, Oliver Gavin, #63 Corvette C5-R, 335 laps 2nd, Andy Pilgrim, Kelly Collins, Franck Freon, #64 Corvette C5-R, 331 laps QUALIFYING: 2nd, Oliver Gavin, #63 Corvette C5-R, 3m54.903s 5th, Andy Pilgrim, #64 Corvette C5-R, 3m57.972s

THE CADILLAC GRAND PRIX OF WASHINGTON, D.C. RFK Stadium Circuit • Washington, D.C. July 21, 2002 RACE: 1st, Ron Fellows, Johnny O’Connell, #3 Corvette C5-R, 131 laps, 2nd, Andy Pilgrim, Kelly Collins, #4 Corvette C5-R, 130 laps, QUALIFYING: 1st, Ron Fellows, #3 Corvette C5-R, 86.870 mph 2nd, Andy Pilgrim, #4 Corvette C5-R, 86.187 mph

AMERICAN LE MANS SERIES, RACE 9

CADILLAC AMERICAN LE MANS CHALLENGE Miami, Florida • October 5, 2002 RACE: 1st, Ron Fellows, Johnny O’Connell, #3 Corvette C5-R, 119 laps, 2nd, Andy Pilgrim, Kelly Collins, #4 Corvette C5-R, 118 laps QUALIFYING: 2nd, Ron Fellows, #3 Corvette C5-R, 70.801 mph 3rd, Andy Pilgrim, #4 Corvette C5-R, 70.289 mph

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Repeat Performance Second Le Mans victory shows the team’s quality I n 2 0 0 2 , Corvette Racing joined the rare few teams who have climbed to the top of the Le Mans victory podium two years in a row, occupying the first- and second-place spots both times. The repeat performance made a resounding statement about the quality of the team. “The whole team functioned really, really well,” said Gary Pratt, team manager. “The people on our crews — and most of our drivers, too — have been working together for a long time, and that kind of continuity really pays off in a long race when clear, precise communication is critical. We couldn’t have asked for a much more trouble-free race if we had written the script ourselves.” Smoothly run 24 hour races don’t happen by chance, however. They come from hard work and meticulous preparation that reduces any bad “racing luck” to a minimum.

TEST DAYS: A WINING STRATEGY On the traditional pre-event test day, Sunday, May 5, teams had a chance to shake down their equipment and get re-acquainted with the 8.6-mile track … and also have a look at the capabilities of their competitors. Based on fastest laps, the Corvettes were third and fourth on the GTS timing charts, behind a Ferrari 550 Maranello and a Dodge Viper, but Pratt’s strategy didn’t require setting the fastest one-off lap time. “We’re actually not that concerned about the faster times by the Ferrari and Viper,” he commented. “We were focusing on long runs, not a qualifying setup, and those cars were running some sprints. Comparing long runs to long runs, I believe we had the best times, so we’re happy about that. When it comes to qualifying in June, we’ll give them a run for it. We may or may not get the pole, but we’ll be a lot closer than we were in this session.” One aspect of the Ferrari’s performance in particular got the Corvette camp’s attention. “The Ferrari has very impressive top speed,” noted Andy Pilgrim. “It was hitting 210 mph on the long straights. That’s up there with the Audis.”

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Le Mans 24 Hours, continued

NEW TWISTS A section of the track after the Dunlop bridge was changed from a straightaway to a series of fast left and right turns leading into the “esses.” This made the track about 275 meters longer — 13.880 km instead of 13.605. But even so the Corvettes were able to lap the circuit quicker than last year. “We were consistently about four seconds faster,” said Pratt. “So our development program definitely is working; the cars are getting better, which is the way it has to be. The competition doesn’t stand still for you.”

QUALIFYING: OLLIE IN THE DARK For the main event, June 15-16, Corvette Racing’s major competition was the Prodrive Ferrari, which had shown very high straightaway speeds in the May pre-qualifying session. The situation was no different when it came to the race. In qualifying, the Ferrari posted a blistering time of 3:54.091. The Corvette contingent could only hope to get close, but through most of qualifying all the other top GTS cars were in the 3:57s. Continued on page 28

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United We Stand Persian Gulf Military Tour May 6-11, 2002 After the Le Mans test, several members of the Corvette Racing team, including all six drivers, traveled to the Persian Gulf and spent five days visiting military installations. The goodwill tour was developed by GM Racing in association with the U.S. Navy’s Morale, Welfare and Recreation Division. At the various stops, the drivers signed autographs, met military personnel and toured the facilities. Gary Claudio, GM Racing group marketing manager, was instrumental in organizing the trip, which included visits to the aircraft carrier USS John F. Kennedy and the Los Angeles class attack submarine USS Jefferson City. “It gave me a whole new respect for the level of dedication of our military,” said Doug Fehan. “These are young people, 18 to 24 mostly, working 12- to 16-hour shifts … 110-degree heat in the daytime, noise, danger … and they really appreciated our visit. They are out there for sixmonth rotations, and they’re very excited and enthusiastic to have this kind of contact with home. It was just a very moving experience.” “I was truly impressed by the level of enthusiasm and dedication of these young people,” said Andy Pilgrim. “The way they accept responsibility, their focus, hard work … we just don’t get an appreciation for what these people are doing unless we see it first-hand. “The other thing we don’t get a sense of is the global scale of this operation,” Pilgrim added. “There were 30 or 40 countries represented out there. Oliver Gavin got to meet some Royal Marines, Franck Freon saw a French ship, Ron met Canadians. There is a real world purpose to this war on terrorism.” Ron Fellows summed up the sentiments of all his teammates regarding the people they visited: “It was an honor to meet them. We wish them well.”

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Le Mans 24 Hours, continued

Then, after dark when the track was cooler, the team sent Oliver Gavin out in the number 63 car with a set of soft-compound race tires. As Ron Fellows said, “Ollie held his breath for eight-and-a-half miles and laid down a number.” His time was 3:54.903, just under a second behind the Ferrari, but it moved the Corvette up three or four spots in the starting order. “Between Tertre Rouge and the end of the Mulsanne (what used to be the four-mile long Mulsanne straight, now broken up by two chicanes) that Ferrari was three seconds faster than we were,” noted Pratt. “We could go longer on a tank of fuel, and our pit stops were quicker, but that three-seconds a lap of straight-line speed was going to be tough to beat.”

STICK TO THE PLAN What ultimately won the race for Corvette was reliability. “Our strategy was to maintain the pace we had planned,” said Pratt. “The pace they set was faster than we wanted to go, and we stuck to our plan. We didn’t believe they could go 24 hours, and as it turned out, we were right.” The Ferrari dropped out with mechanical problems just past the 12-hour mark. “They were definitely on a different strategy from ours,” commented Fellows. “Maybe they were trying to get us to go faster than we wanted, or maybe they knew it wasn’t going to last 24 hours and were just running as hard as they could for as long as they could. Who knows? What I do know from following that car around is they were running a low-drag, low-downforce aero package but it still had a lot of grip. We were much better under braking, and that’s downforce.

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Le Mans 24 Hours, continued

SICK PUPPY “Credit goes to Dr. Greg Somerville, who’s with the TrackMed group

The only unforeseen circumstance that slowed the 63 car’s run to victory was a cut tire during one of Gavin’s stints. Fortunately, it did

that looks after us. He had me on an IV and taking anti-nausea medication,

little collateral damage and cost the team minimal time.

and that got me going again pretty quickly. Johnny and Ollie did a great job picking up the slack. The whole thing was just a great team effort.”

However, Fellows was put out of commission during the middle part

All told, the 63 Corvette completed 335 laps, four more than the 64

of the race with a bout of food poisoning.

car in second place. They were 11th and 13th overall, respectively.

“I was one sick puppy there for a while,” Ron said. “It kept me from driving two or three stints between midnight and about six a.m., and then I was fine.

“THE FRENCH PATROL” AEROBATIC TEAM WERE GUESTS OF CORVETTE RACING

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A LITTLE SWEAT AND EPOXY The 64 car’s run also was smooth, with two notable exceptions that

“It was a new transmission with very little mileage on it,” said Ray

account for the four-lap deficit.

Gongla, who was in his second race as the car’s crew chief. “There are

The first happened early in the race, when the transmission kept

a few places on that track where you’re doing seriously hard braking

jumping out of gear.

from high speed, so fourth and sixth gears are getting pulled on real hard. We just needed to put in stiffer détente springs, but that operation is a bit tricky because it’s mostly done by feel when the transmission’s in the car, and there are hot oil lines in the way, too.

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Le Mans 24 Hours, continued

“Once we got that done we got into a good rhythm and everything was fine until early Sunday morning. During a pit stop the rightfront wheel nut must have got kicked under the car. When it came down off the jacks we heard this crack. The wheel nut had punctured the oil pan.” Oil was gushing from a hole about an inch long, and if there ever was cause for a panic situation, this was it. However, the crew stayed calm and in control; they wheeled the car into the garage and came up with an ingenious solution. “We figured that, since the sump operates with a vacuum system, if we started the engine the oil would stop running out … and it worked. With the engine running we were able to get the hole cleaned up, then we used quick-setting epoxy and bits of paper towel to plug it up. We kept layering that stuff and got it sealed. We weren’t sure how long it would last, but it went the rest of the race, which was almost 10 hours.”

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A CAR THAT LIKES TO WIN The 2002 24 Hours of Le Mans was almost the last hurrah for the two race cars the team used. New, lighter and somewhat better handling Corvettes had made their debut at Sears Point, and would be used for the rest of the season, except Miami, in which the Le Mans winning cars would see service one last time. “This was the best race yet for that car,” said Fellows about the C5-R that had some 27,000 race miles on it. “Johnny, Ollie and I agreed that it had very driveable balance that always stayed the same, and that’s unusual. The brakes were perfect, and it was the best long-distance engine we’ve ever run. We couldn’t feel any difference between practice and the race. It was just a very strong piece, and real reliable.” “We’ve had great reliability in our last four 24-hour races,” commented Bill DeLong, talking about their runs that include three straight victories, including the overall win in last year’s Rolex 24 at Daytona. “I guess this car just likes to win.”

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That Much Sweeter Corvette wins 12 Hours of Sebring … at last! T H E 12 H O U R S O F S E B R I N G was run for the 50th time this year … 50 years of tradition as one of the premier events in road racing. And finally, Corvette Racing scored the one big victory that had eluded them. Now the team has won all three of the world’s most prestigious endurance races — 24 Hours of Daytona, 24 Hours of Le Mans, and the 12 Hours of Sebring.

BRUTAL HEAT At Sebring, endurance always is the key, because 12 hours on the old 3.7-mile airport circuit is a torture test — always has been. The track’s bumps and surface changes beat up on the cars and drivers, and sometimes the Florida springtime weather throws its own form of punishment into the ring. Sometimes it is torrential rain, sometimes heat, sometimes fog. This year it was heat, and it was brutal. The race ran from 10:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m., so the hottest part of the day was not long after the start. “The outside temperature was 98 degrees and it was humid,” said Johnny O’Connell, whose body core temperature was almost 104 degrees after his first driving shift, working in cockpit temperatures close to 160 degrees. “We had all prepared for it as best we could, but no matter what you do, your body just isn’t used to it. The first shift was the worst. Then it seems like you kind of get acclimated … and later in the afternoon it cools off a bit.”

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“My biggest problem was going to be letting

In the first half of the race it looked as though

them race each other at the end,” Pratt added,

the battle for the win was going to be

“but that wasn’t the way it worked out.”

between the two Corvettes. They ran together

The cars ran first and second for most of the

on their planned race pace, even letting a

first eight hours, until Andy Pilgrim’s throttle

Dodge Viper (3rd-place finishers Christophe

stuck and he ended up in a tire wall.

Bouchut and Vincent Vosse) lead for a time in the first hour. “We knew we were going to make up time

“I lifted off for the turn and it started to slow down, but the throttle stuck part-way open,” Pilgrim explained. “I got into the marbles and

on our pit stops,” said Gary Pratt, Corvette

then it was all over. There was nothing to do

Racing team manager, “and sure enough, we

but ride it out. The front end took some seri-

were 30 or 40 seconds ahead after the first stop.

ous damage when we hit the tire wall.”

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12 Hours of Sebring, continued

Pilgrim was able to limp back to the pits, where his crew replaced the front bodywork and associated wiring, plumbing and fluids. That put the number-4 car about 12 laps down. They raced hard the rest of the way, but had to settle for fourth in class.

CRUISING The number-3 Corvette’s race was virtually textbook perfect. “Our biggest obstacle was the heat,” said Fellows. “We had a good race going with the 4 car until Andy’s throttle stuck, and then we got a pretty big lead. For the last few hours we were just cruising. The car ran perfectly, Johnny and Oliver did great jobs, so did our crew, and the Goodyear tires were exactly what we needed. We ran some of our fastest laps near the end of our driving stints.” “When you get a clean race like that it says a lot about the crew guys,” noted O’Connell. “That’s where the credit goes. We just didn’t have any problems. “ Gary Pratt admitted that holding a comfortable lead presents its own kind of nervous tension. “You want them to take it easy on the equipment, but not go so slowly they get out of their rhythm,” he said. “That can get a driver into trouble. They also

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start hearing things that might turn into problems. Toward the end of

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“But the engines in both cars never missed a beat … Katech

this race they were reporting all kinds of little noises and vibrations …

did a great job,” Pratt added. “And those Goodyears were the

the sort of things they wouldn’t even have noticed if they’d been racing

best, most consistent tires we’ve ever had.”

hard for a position.

SWEET VICTORY In the end, the victory margin for Fellows, O’Connell and Gavin was eight laps, and they couldn’t have been happier. “The whole team has worked really hard to win this race,” O’Connell said, “and the hard work has paid off. This whole program is just getting better and better.” “We’ve tried three times before to win Sebring and we’ve come close,” said Fellows, “but there has always been something that set us back. Not this time. I said last year that we would win this race, and it would be that much sweeter when we did. Well, it is!”

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2002 RACE TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP

SEARS POINT: IMPRESSIVE DEBUT The Pratt & Miller team achieved an unqualified success in the competition debut of their two

ROAD AMERICA: 1-2 AGAIN, BUT DIFFERENT ORDER

new Corvette C5-R race cars. The newest gen-

On Road America’s fast, technically challenging four-mile circuit,

eration of C5-R started first and second in GTS

Corvette Racing chalked up a fourth consecutive 1-2 finish (including

and finished the same way in the Grand Prix of

the 24 Hours of Le Mans). This time, however, it was Andy Pilgrim

Sonoma, on Sears Point’s 2.52-mile road course.

and Kelly Collins on the top step of the podium after the four-hour, 15-minute race. Fellows, O’Connell and Oliver Gavin were relegated

Ron Fellows and Johnny O’Connell scored the win, with Andy Pilgrim

to second by a faulty window net fastener.

and Kelly Collins second after a lively duel with the Konrad Racing Saleen S7R. O’Connell rounded out a perfect weekend for Corvette Racing late in the two-hour, 45-minute event, when he posted the

WASHINGTON: A CAPITAL RACE

fastest GTS race lap.

The race in the nation’s capital was two hours and 45 minutes on the 1.66-mile temporary circuit that snaked through the vast parking areas

MID-OHIO: BEATING THE HEAT

of RFK Stadium. When it was all over, Corvette Racing had scored its

Mid-Ohio’s park-like circuit is a great place for Pratt & Miller’s “family

fourth one-two finish in the five ALMS races so far.

day,” and this year’s summer day was fine for picnicking in the shade

This time, Lady Luck smiled on the number 3 C5-R of Ron Fellows

of a hospitality tent. But, with temperatures in the low 90s, it definitely

and Johnny O’Connell, when a flat tire could have cost them the victory.

was on the hot and humid side for racing. In the end, though, Corvette

And, ever the elusive companion, she dealt Pilgrim and Collins a bad

Racing beat the heat and the competition, scoring its third consecutive

break with boiling brakes during a pit stop, putting them a lap down

one-two finish. After two hours and 45 minutes of racing, Fellows’ and

on their teammates.

O’Connell’s number 3 Corvette was a lap ahead of the number-4 car driven by Pilgrim and Collins. The margin, however, does not reflect how close the two cars are. It had everything to do with freak circumstances as the race played out, including Andy being hit and spun out by an LMP900 car.

TROIS-RIVIÈRES: ELATION AND FRUSTRATION Three hours on the narrow, bumpy, often greasy Trois-Rivières race track was bound to shake up the field, and few cars escaped unscathed.

LAGUNA SECA: THE STREAK ENDS

One that got through relatively trouble-free was the winning number-4

Corvette Racing was three races short of a full-season win sweep when

GM Goodwrench Corvette C5-R driven by Andy Pilgrim and Kelly

the team headed west for round eight. Everybody knew it wouldn’t

Collins. One that didn’t was its sister car, driven by Ron Fellows and

be easy. The Prodrive Ferrari that had been so quick at the 24 Hours

Johnny O’Connell, who took second and, given his close encounter with

of Le Mans would be there, making the competition tougher than ever. The way it played out, Fellows got punted into a gravel trap, escaped,

the barriers, were happy to get the runner-up spot.

but damage to the exhaust system set the bodywork on fire shortly

MOSPORT: CANADIAN SWEEP

after O’Connell took over. Collins took the lead after the last round

The American Le Mans Series drew Mosport International Raceway’s

of pit stops, but making it to the end on fuel was a gamble that didn’t

biggest crowd in 25 years. They enjoyed beautiful summer weather and

pay off, and the 4-car finished third.

cheered on local favorite Ron Fellows. Fellows and O’Connell gave the huge crowd plenty to cheer about, scoring victory number five in the

MIAMI: COMEBACK VICTORY

series and number six for the season, counting the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

The second-last race of 2002 was a brawl. The large field duked it out on the tightest course of the season — 15 turns crammed into

In a reversal of the Trois-Rivières result, teammates Pilgrim and Collins

a 1.57-mile downtown Miami track. It was narrow, bumpy, slippery

drove their number-4 Corvette to second in GTS.

in spots, and difficult to pass. Fellows and O’Connell put together a

Gary Pratt summed up a happy Mosport experience: “We had a

relatively trouble-free run to victory, but Pilgrim and Collins had to fight

flawless weekend, and another 1-2 result for the team.”

back from a stop-and-go penalty to take second. “We fell a little short,” said Collins. “We had close racing with the Ferrari all day and we took lots of chances, but the car was great on that rough track.” “I think the drive of the race goes to Kelly,” commented Fellows. “He was really hauling it, racing with the Ferrari, and when he needed to, he was able to pull away.”

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Final Victory in a Remarkable Season I N 2 0 0 2 , Corvette Racing won the 1,000-mile Petit Le Mans race

started to fade when the 4-car’s engine developed a high-speed miss

for the third straight year. The only difference this year was the number

and they began to fall back, ultimately to third in GTS.

on the car that scored the victory. In 2000 and 2001, Andy Pilgrim, Kelly Collins and Franck Freon won in the number-4 Corvette. In ’02,

TIRE CHOICE

the number 3 car, driven by Ron Fellows, Johnny O’Connell and Oliver

Fellows, O’Connell and Gavin kept soldiering steadily on. By the six hour

Gavin, finally made it to victory lane at Road Atlanta.

mark they were up to second place, but still a lap down on the Ferrari. Then it got interesting.

It was by no means easy. It took a tremendous effort by drivers and

First, the Ferrari made a longer-than-normal pit stop for suspension

crew, and the result was in doubt until the final moments of the race.

repairs, which put the 3-car in the lead by

MEMORIES OF ’01

more than a lap.

For the crew of the number 3 Corvette, the first order of business

Tomas Enge, driving the Ferrari, charged

was clinching the drivers’ championship for Ron Fellows. Memories

hard and passed Fellows to unlap himself.

of a year earlier were still haunting the team, when Fellows saw the

Fellows still was able to maintain a healthy

title vanish from his grasp. This time, after qualifying a close second to

lead of almost a minute, until he cut a tire

the Prodrive Ferrari, Fellows started the race and drove at a controlled,

with just under 30 minutes to go. The pit

careful pace for the first 25 laps.

stop put Enge back in the lead by about

“Those first 25 laps were critical,” said Gary Pratt, “because that’s

20 seconds, but Ron had a secret weapon

what Ron had to complete to score points and clinch the championship.

wrapped around his wheels.

It was a big relief when we got that over with. Then we could go!” Pilgrim, Collins and Freon were already going pretty well. They were battling the Prodrive Ferrari for the lead, and in fact led a fair share of the first three hours. “The Ferrari was the fastest car, but we had a better pit stop strategy. That gave us the lead and helped keep us up front,” Pratt explained. Andy Pilgrim was enthusiastic. “I had a wonderful first stint,” he said. “No problems. I hope it stays that way all day.” Unfortunately, it didn’t, and his hopes for a third consecutive victory

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Petit Le Mans, continued

Dreams and Legends

“Mike Atkins coordinates tires for us,”

What a way to finish off the year, with

Fellows explained, “and a little earlier he had

a down-to-the-wire victory by Corvette

called for a set of ‘310s’ to be mounted up.

Racing in the Petit Le Mans … and

That’s a tire Goodyear developed to use at

by the number-3 car! This after the

Le Mans at night, but we weren’t sure how

disappointment of a year ago, when

long they would last on this track.”

Ron Fellows’ dream of a drivers’ championship was cut short in

“Mike, Bill DeLong and Steve Cole made

the opening laps. This time, it was reminiscent of the number-4

the call to put them on,” Pratt said. “I really

car beating the Viper, almost on the last lap, in 2000.

didn’t think they would last, but it was our only shot at running down the Ferrari.”

This year, the 3 car’s crew shrugged off the jinx from a year ago, won the drivers’ championship on lap 25, then battled it out with the Prodrive Ferrari to take the checkered flag at the end. I think every-

PRESSURE TACTICS

one agrees it was one of the most exciting races of the year.

Fellows took big chunks out of the Ferrari’s lead every lap. With 20 minutes to go, the

Actually, shrugging off the jinx started at Sebring, where historically we hadn’t had a whole lot of luck. Then we went on to a one-two

gap was 12 seconds. A lap later it was down

finish at the most prestigious road race in the world — the 24 Hours

to 9.8, two laps more and it was 6.9 seconds,

of Le Mans. The nearly perfect run by Corvette Racing continued for

then 3.9. With five minutes to go Fellows

the rest of the season, except at Laguna Seca. There we were hit

had the Ferrari in sight, the margin a little

with all our bad luck for the season, with one car catching fire due

over two seconds. “I saw what happened,” Ron said. “He went

to crash damage and the other having fuel pickup problems.

to pass a slower car and they made contact,

I remember Ron’s little speech at our team luncheon at the beginning of the season. He gave us a challenge, saying “let’s

and I guess that cut a tire. I saw his car do

win ’em all.” Well, with 10 wins in 11 races, we almost did that.

a little wiggle, then I saw sparks … and then

It’ll probably be more difficult next year, but that’s what makes it

I sailed on past.” “It was a great way to finish the day and

special. We’re building the legend, and making dreams come true.

the season. After the disappointment at this Gary Young

race last year, I have to say I appreciate what

Mechanic, number-3 Corvette

happened this time a lot more.”

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WHAT A RACE; WHAT A YEAR

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“I can’t say enough about our crews and the job they did all year,” said

“It was an amazing race,” said Johnny O’Connell, “with two teams

Pratt. “We had a lot of one-two finishes, and the competition only beat us

pushing as hard as they could. The most exciting moment of the

once all year. We function as one team with two cars, and whichever car

year was watching Ron put pressure on Tom.

wins, Corvette Racing wins. Now we have about one day to enjoy all

“I’m also very happy Ron won the championship,” Johnny added.

this, and then we get on with working toward next year.”

“He’s worked so hard for the Corvette team over the years. We have mutual respect, and even though he won the championship, I’ll feel my name is right there with his.”

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Awards, Celebrations, and Fun

2002 Awards ALMS GTS Team Championship: Corvette Racing ALMS GTS Manufacturers’ Championship: Chevrolet ALMS GTS Tire Manufacturers’ Championship: Goodyear ALMS GTS Drivers’ Championship: Ron Fellows ALMS GTS Mechanic of the Year: Bill DeLong

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Awards, Celebrations, and Fun,

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continued

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Design, Develop, Build, Race, Win At Pratt & Miller Engineering, automotive programs go all the way from a blank sheet of paper to victory circle. BASICS WORK BEST T H E B U S I N E S S operates on the leading edge of automotive technology. They have facilities where highly skilled and motivated people work with advanced equipment, including some of the most sophisticated computer engineering tools in the world. For all that, Jim Miller and Gary Pratt stick to some old-fashioned basics when it comes to the way they run their business. They have a simple credo that serves as an operating philosophy, guiding principle, and a set of goals rolled into one: First, satisfy the customers; second, create an environment where people enjoy working and know they have an opportunity to grow and advance professionally; and third, be profitable. “Those are the things that have proven to work,” says Jim Miller, the Chicago-based businessman who joined Gary Pratt to form Pratt & Miller Engineering in 1989. “And with diligent application of our talents, we have been very successful at what we’re doing.” continued

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Design, Develop, Build, Race, Win

continued

WHEN THE GREEN FLAG DROPS … Pratt & Miller’s racing programs are the ones that get high visibility. And that’s good, but it’s also risky. If you fail, there’s no place to hide. Success is measured in black-and-white numbers on the results sheet. And based on those criteria, it’s hard to overstate the success of Pratt & Miller Engineering. In 2002 they entered 11 races and won 10 of them, including the 24 Hours of Le Mans for the DAN POLASKY

second year in a row, the 12 Hours of Sebring, and completed a three-peat in the Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta. The company’s victories on the racetrack are tangible reminders of its success as a business enterprise, which has come through sound planning and investment, as well as the expertise and hard work of the team they have assembled.

INVESTMENTS FOR SUCCESS Early in 2002, Pratt & Miller moved its headquarters from a local industrial park site into a new, 35,000-square-foot, purpose-built facility designed to meet the company’s needs for the foreseeable future. It’s a place that looks like the nerve center of a top-line automotive engineering business, where they can showcase JEFF OLDHAM, BILL DELONG

their achievements and, more important, have effective spaces for all the various engineering and fabrication operations. It’s right in line with their operating philosophy, because it has created a better environment in which to work. “We’re investing in our ability to do our jobs better, to grow in the future, and to ensure that we stay on the leading edge

MARK SALICE

LLOYETTA ATKINS, PAM PRINCE, ROBIN PRATT

of our industry,” says Miller. continued

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Design & Engineering Staff

Machine & Fabrication

DOUG LOUTH, LYNN BISHOP

VINCE CIARAVINO

BRIAN WADE

BOB PAYTON, TOM DIEHM

DAVID ROBINSON, JIM CARPENTER, ANDREW ATTARDO, CHRIS GILLIGAN

JOE KIEFER

BRAD BUENTING

SAM VALDEZ

RON CLAYTON BEN BRADY

ROB COOPER 52

ADEM JAKUPI

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Design, Develop, Build, Race, Win

continued

Another such investment in 2002 was the integration of Aletheon Technologies into the Pratt & Miller organization, adding an extensive new set of core engineering capabilities. With a highly trained and experienced engineering staff, and sophisticated computer hardware and software, Aletheon excels in the application of advanced engineering tools, including CAD, CAE, Vehicle Dynamics Simulation, Computational Fluid Dynamics, and virtual prototyping and development. The new facilities include a damper and hydraulics lab in Ypsilanti, Michigan, and a Mooresville, North Carolina office housing a 170-processor super computer used to simulate missile systems for the U.S. Navy, in addition to other aerodynamics work. The talents and expertise provided by Aletheon complement the capabilities Pratt & Miller already has in place. They add a new dimension to the services Pratt & Miller has to offer its customers, which presently include all of Detroit’s big three automakers — General Motors, Ford and DaimlerChrysler.

A WINNING MIND-SET Pratt & Miller now is positioned among a very small group of North American companies, with proven capabilities to design, develop, build, race, and especially to win. It sounds exciting, but any racer will tell you that the glamour and excitement are the tip of the iceberg. The rest is hard work, and a lot of it, with time and quality demands that are intense. A nine-to-five job it most definitely is not. The green flag is going to drop on a certain time on a certain day; delays and excuses simply aren’t part of the deal. The skills and can-do attitude it takes to win at the upper levels of professional racing transfer well to non-racing automotive projects, too. “We approach our work with much more intensity than a company that doesn’t have a racinginspired mind-set,” says Miller, “and we apply that same level of intensity to every project in which we are engaged.” That approach adds a vital element to Pratt & Miller’s formula for success, whether a customer’s goal is to win on the racetrack or in the automotive marketplace — or both.

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A Word From Robin For the past three years it has been my

Our people truly are a team of champions!

good fortune to put together this Pratt

I would like to give special thanks and appreciation to all the wives

& Miller/Corvette Racing Team Yearbook.

and families who support us. The schedule is sometimes very hectic

I started it because I felt our team was

to say the least, and family time sometimes is sacrificed.

doing something significant, which needed

I also want to thank everyone who helped with compiling and

to be documented. I was lucky enough to

producing this book. The list is so long we’d never fit everybody in,

find the right people—namely Chuck

so, plainly and simply, thank you!

McLaren and his team—to take my photos and those of a few

I hope everyone enjoys this book as much as I have enjoyed putting

great photographers, and create this book.

it together for you.

I believe that everyone on the team appreciates having this yearbook Sincerely,

to look back on, and really see what champions they all are. One

Robin Pratt

amazing thing I have discovered is the camaraderie of the crew. I’m sure you’ve heard the term ‘one for all and all for one.’ Well, even though we run two cars, and there is—and should be— competition between the cars, when the going gets tough everyone stands together.

THE PRODUCTION TEAM:

What makes our team the champi-

Chuck McLaren, writing, editing, direction

ons they are can easily be seen on the

Ray McAllister, design

faces of every Pratt & Miller employ-

Kate McLaren, production coordination

ee. I call it pride. As you look though

Dan Kelly, Colortech Graphics, Inc., printing

this book you will see what I mean.

Alleyne Kelly, proofreading

When we go to a race, every person on our team — at the track and back

THE PHOTOGRAPHERS:

at the shop — has an active interest in

Peter Brock

achieving success. From fine tuning

John Brooks

every part we need for the race cars,

David Noels

to making sure the flights and rooms are booked,

Robin Pratt

we are a team. That, my friends, is the difference.

Richard Prince René Tanner 54

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Thanks To Our Sponsors GM Chevrolet Corvette GM Goodwrench GMAC Goodyear AER Katech AC Delco UAW Mobil 1 Motorola Tehama Hella OZ Wheels Eaton Fab You make all this possible!

The Pratt & Miller team extends a special thanks to Doug Fehan (r), Corvette Racing Program Manager, and Gary Claudio (l) GM Racing Manager, Motorsports Marketing, for their hard work and dedication.

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PRATT & MILLER ENGINEERING & FABRICATION, INC. • 29600 WILLIAM K. SMITH DRIVE, • NEW HUDSON, MI 48165 • PHONE: 248-446-9800 • FAX: 248-446-9020 • WWW.PRATTMILLER.COM