Photo Credit: Richard Prince for Corvette Racing
Four Corvette Z06 GT3.Rs set for annual sprint race in Monterey
DETROIT (May 6, 2025) – The two-race western swing for Corvette Racing in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship wraps up this weekend with the season’s first full-field sprint race for the three Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R teams.
The 36-car Monterey SportsCar Championship at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca will feature four of the GT3-spec Corvettes in the series’ two GT classes. After AWA and DXDT Racing contested a 100-minute contest in Long Beach for GTP and GTD, the GTD PRO field – including two Corvettes from Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports – rejoins the grid as the Corvette Racing program looks to extend its lengthy history of success at the 2.238-mile, 11-turn circuit on the doorstep of the Pacific Ocean:
- Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports – GTD PRO: Antonio Garcia and Alexander Sims (No. 3 Corvette); Nicky Catsburg, Tommy Milner (No. 4 Corvette)
- AWA – GTD: Matt Bell, Orey Fidani (No. 13 Corvette)
- DXDT Racing – GTD: Alec Udell, Robert Wickens (No. 36 Corvette)
WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca is one of three tracks – Sebring and Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta later this year are the others – to play host to Corvette Racing entries every season since the program’s debut in 1999. The track record in Monterey is impressive: eight class victories for Corvette Racing since 2004 and 12 total manufacturer wins for Chevrolet.
PRE-EVENT NOTES
Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports: The GTD PRO squad is making its 27th straight appearance at Laguna Seca in search of a ninth race win. Of note, Antonio Garcia and Tommy Milner each have three victories apiece in Monterey with Alexander Sims recording one. Garcia and Nicky Catsburg each have a pole position.
The PRO-class Corvettes qualified first and second in class a year ago, led by Catsburg’s pole run. He and Milner went on to finish third for the Corvette Z06 GT3.R’s first podium result. Garcia and Sims started the season strong with a runner-up GTD PRO finish in the Rolex 24 At Daytona. The pairing finished fifth a year ago at Laguna Seca after an unfortunate early-race yellow that cost the No. 3 Corvette track position.
AWA Racing: Matt Bell and Orey Fidani have the one Corvette victory of the IMSA season at the Rolex 24 in the No. 13 Corvette. This also is the team’s final race ahead of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, a berth the squad earned via Fidani’s Bob Akin Award – going to the top points-scoring Bronze driver in GTD – at the end of last season.
That road to Le Mans began a year ago at Laguna Seca with the first event Akin Award for Fidani, Bell and AWA. The No. 13 Corvette finished 11th in class and ran in the top-10 much of the race’s second half in AWA’s first race as a team at the circuit.
DXDT Racing: The Monterey SportsCar Championship marks the second race for Robert Wickens in DXDT Racing’s No. 36 Corvette equipped with electronic hand-brake controls. After a successful debut at Long Beach, Wickens will team at Laguna Seca with Alec Udell, part of DXDT’s endurance lineup for 2025 and the GTD pole-winner for the 2023 race and went on to finish third in class.
Although Udell has one WeatherTech start to his credit at Monterey and Wickens will make his first Sunday, they both have experience and success in the Michelin Pilot Challenge series – Udell was third in 2021 and Wickens was third in TCR during 2023 and 2024.
The Monterey SportsCar Championship is scheduled for 3:10 p.m. ET / 12:10 p.m. PT on Sunday. The race will air live on NBC with full streaming coverage also on Peacock. IMSA Radio will air Saturday’s final practice and qualifying plus Sunday’s race at IMSA.com along with XM 206 and SiriusXM Online 996.
SELECT CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R DRIVER QUOTES
ANTONIO GARCIA, NO. 3 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R:
“I’ve been coming to Laguna Seca for many years and it’s always a highlight for me. It definitely helps when you go there with a fast car, and I think we did last year for the first race there with the new Corvette. There are quite a few things we took away with the new track surface which should help us on the setup from the start. With passing being tough, we need to be fast right away from practice to give us the best chance to be up front in qualifying and the race.”
ALEXANDER SIMS, NO. 3 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R:
“It will be good to go back to Laguna Seca and see if we can right ourselves after some tough luck at Sebring. The Corvette has been strong so far this year so I’m confident we can turn around things in the championship with a good showing this weekend. Last year the race went away from us pretty early but I think we showed good pace, which is encouraging given that this is a tough track to get right, especially with a new car. Hopefully we can put what we learned last year to good use.”
TOMMY MILNER, NO. 4 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R:
“Last year’s race at Laguna Seca was a little bit of a turning point in the first year of the Corvette GT3 car. We were able to put together a good weekend, get our first podium and put ourselves on a course where we could really compete for race wins in this class. Now is the perfect time to get on that roll again heading toward the busiest part of our schedule so we can pick up some points and gain ground in the championship.”
NICKY CATSBURG, NO. 4 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R:
“It had been a long time since I raced at Laguna Seca prior to last year. But I was happy to be back and to have a fast Corvette as well with pole position and a podium finish with Tommy. We need more of that this year to get back into the GTD PRO championship after the first two races. It’s encouraging that we have had good pace so hopefully things turn our way this weekend.”
MATT BELL, NO. 13 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R:
“I’m excited to get back in the AWA Corvette Z06 GT3.R at Laguna Seca. It’s a historic track and the team has done a great job with giving Orey and I a consistently fast car to race with this season, it’s been really enjoyable on that front all year. The last couple of results haven’t gone our way due to mistakes from others in the field, but we’ll be aiming for a clean run and to get back on the podium this weekend.”
OREY FIDANI, NO. 13 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R:
“I’m looking forward to returning to Laguna Seca. The whole team at AWA has been working so hard, and we’re determined to bounce back strong here. This is a track I really enjoy, it’s got so much character and it always makes for a good race. We’ve got a great car in the Corvette, and I’m feeling more and more confident and comfortable with it after each session. We’re ready to fight for a result that reflects the effort everyone’s putting in.”
ALEC UDELL, NO. 36 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R:
“Laguna Seca is an awesome place, no other spot that’s better to get in. The Corvette Z06 GT3.R was strong there last year, so I’m looking forward to see what it brings. Our primary goal is to come home with a win this season. Everyone on the team has been working super hard and we’re scratching at that. The step-up has been a challenge, which we knew it would be, and we’re all ready for it. The potential is there. In IMSA competition is so stiff so you’ve got to nail everything perfectly. That’s exactly what we’re working toward.”
ROBERT WICKENS, NO. 36 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R:
“Laguna Seca can’t come soon enough. After a lot of positives from Long Beach, it’s time to put it all to good use. I learned so much in my first race weekend with the Corvette Z06 GT3.R and DXDT Racing. I am really looking forward to getting back in the car and getting to work with Alec as my teammate.”
2025 WeatherTech SportsCar Championship Points
GTD PRO Drivers Standings
1. Christopher Mies/Dennis Olsen/Frederic Vervisch – 653
2. Alessio Picariello/Klaus Bachler/Laurin Heinrich – 636
3. Connor de Phillippi/ Madison Snow/Neil Verhagen – 628
4. Mike Rockenfeller/Sebastian Priaulx – 617
5. Alexander Sims/Antonio Garcia/Daniel Juncadella – 614
8. Nicky Catsburg/Tommy Milner/Nico Varrone – 510
GTD PRO Teams Standings
1. No. 65 Ford Multimatic Motorsports – 653
2. No. 77 AO Racing – 636
3. No. 1 Paul Miller Racing – 628
3. No. 64 Ford Multimatic Motorsports – 617
5. No. 3 Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports – 614
8. No. 4 Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports – 510
GTD PRO Manufacturers Standings
1. Ford – 689
2. BMW – 682
3. Porsche – 658
4. Chevrolet – 638
5. Ferrari – 618
GTD Drivers Standings
1. Philip Ellis/Russell Ward – 994
2. Parker Thompson/Jack Hawksworth – 903
3. Casper Stevenson/Tom Gamble – 899
4. Adam Adelson/Elliott Skeer – 895
5. Frankie Montecalvo – 873
7. Matt Bell/Orey Fidani – 790
28. Alec Udell/Charlie Eastwood/Pipo Derani/Salih Yoluc – 382
50. Robert Wickens/Tommy Milner – 183
GTD Teams Standings
1. No. 57 Winward Racing – 994
2. No. 12 Vasser Sullivan Racing – 903
3. No. 27 Heart of Racing – 899
4. No. 120 Wright Motorsports – 895
5. No. 96 Turner Motorsport – 835
6. AWA – 790
13. No. 36 DXDT Racing – 565
GTD Manufacturers Standings
1. Porsche – 1021
2. Mercedes-AMG – 1019
3. Lexus – 963
4. Aston Martin – 934
5. Chevrolet – 880
Source:
Corvette Racing
Related:
Corvette Racing at Long Beach: What Might Have Been…
Corvette Racing at Sebring: From Hopes to Heartbreak
Corvette Racing at Daytona: AWA Corvette Wins The Rolex!
Subscribe Now: