Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Richard Anderson Donates Race Car

Richard Anderson's race car started life as a 1972 Corvette frame with many lightweight replica body panels supplied by Greenwood Enterprises, with many of the invoices for special Greenwood produced body parts like the firewall, dash board, inside door panels and floors.  This was the second Corvette race car to use the Greenwood designed 5-link rear end suspension components supplied by APEX Engineering.
The #33 car was built in Florida, earning bragging rights as the 1978 SCCA Southeast Regional Champion and was the track record holder at Palm Beach Raceway with a 1st Place finish at Nationals at PBNR, and Sebring in 1979.

In 1980 the car was sold to its second owner and brought to Chicago where the body was converted to the ’78-’82 style, utilizing American Custom Industries "Duntov" removable body panels weighing a total of 72 lbs.  It was only raced occasionally during the ‘80s in SCCA.  The car was idle until 2000 when it resumed its career in SCCA National races around the Midwest, eventually moving to the Vintage Racing Circuit.  More recently the car placed 3rd at Road America's Vintage Car Race (it’s last race) in celebration of Chevrolet's 100th Anniversary in 2011.  This car can also be found in the Registry of Corvette Race Cars.

While the car was once white with blue stripes, today it is red with blue stripes.  The 605bhp/355cid car features a V8 engine; Jerico 4-speed transmission; MDS electronic ignition; Butler Built racing seat; oil, temp and PSI gauges; tach; Fire suppression system; belly pans; roll cage; and two sets of tires and wheels (including new Goodyear Eagles mounted on BBS Racing wheels).

Anderson wanted to give the car a good home where it would be respected and people would be wowed. "You think about vehicles as you move on in life... how you're not going to be here forever. The more I thought about selling it - I asked myself, 'what's that going to do for me?' Sharing it with people and letting them see what it was like made more sense... there's so much history."

Another factor for Anderson was the construction of the NCM Motorsports Park and that this car is very drivable for parade laps, rides around the track, etc. "I gave Harlan Charles a ride at the NCM HPDE at Autobahn and he was like, 'Wow, how did you guys ever race these things?'" Anderson added that this is an ideal vehicle for the track and the timing was just right, "You should have some of these types of things around."

Anderson’s #33 Corvette racer can be seen at the National Corvette Museum, open daily from 8am-5pm CT.  Additionally, the Museum’s Motorsports Park is slated to open late August 2014 with visitors being given the opportunity to ride in the vintage racer around the track during special events.  Learn more at www.corvettemuseum.org.