PHEW, WHAT A WEEK!

With GM, Pratt & Miller and team sponsor, Compuware, all being based in Detroit, race week for the Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix was always going to be a hectic one for Olly and his Corvette Racing team mates. And so it turned out. For a review of his week, see below.

“After the massive round of personal appearances, media work, charity and promotional events we had - which were all a great way to say thank you to and see many of the GM employees and fans who support Corvette Racing - it was actually quite a relief to get to Friday and start running, although racing on a street circuit is always a bit of a stop-start affair, with plenty of red flag interruptions.

“The baseball game was a great experience, as the stadium is huge and there were thousands and thousands of people. We then had a fairly constant round of things we had to do for the media, team, sponsors, and meetings with GM Executives which meant we hardly had a minute to ourselves all week. Luckily, Ron and Max were there as well so they could take up some of this area while the rest of us concentrated on the race ahead.”

The race itself wasn't the perfect result for Olivier and Olly as Jan and Johnny turned out to be on something of a roll in the American Le Mans Series. The pair backed up their Mosport win with a GT1 class victory in the inaugural Detroit Sports Car Challenge at the Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix. They scored their third win of the season in the No. 3 Compuware Corvette C6.R with a one-lap margin of victory over their teammates, Gavin and Beretta, in the No. 4 Compuware Corvette C6.R.

The two-hour, 45-minute race on the 2.0-mile Belle Isle Park temporary street circuit was slowed by four caution periods, but it was the first full-course yellow that was the key to victory for Magnussen and O'Connell. After winning the GT1 pole on Friday, Magnussen pulled out to a six-second lead over Beretta in the first 26 minutes of racing. When the yellow flag flew just as the Corvettes had completed 19 laps, the race leader was between the two yellow cars. Consequently when the wave-by was completed, the No. 3 Corvette gained nearly a full lap on its stable mate, and held that advantage to the finish.

"I had a fantastic car today," said Magnussen. "I was able to pull out a good gap in the first stint, and the way the safety car worked out we got almost a full lap. It seemed like I was bad luck for Johnny in the beginning of the year, but it's all changed now and we're starting a string.

"There is a lot going on around you all the time on this circuit," said the Danish driver. "It's a matter of trying to minimize the loss of time through traffic, not hit anybody, and stick to the plan. The Corvette C6.R car worked great and the Michelin tires were absolutely mega."

Beretta drove the first hour and four minutes and then turned over the No. 4 Corvette C6.R to Gavin. Two minutes later, O'Connell replaced Magnussen in the No. 3 Corvette C6.R. The cars then made simultaneous pit stops under caution at 1:47 into the race for fuel and tires only. Two subsequent caution periods made it difficult for the No. 4 Corvette to gain ground on its rival.

"We got a huge break when the caution came out; it worked against us in Elkhart Lake and it worked for us here," O'Connell said. "We've suffered through enough bad luck, so it's great to finally have things go our way. Jan got us going with a killer lap.

"It's sweet to get the first ALMS win for Corvette here in Motor City," added O'Connell, who notched his 28th ALMS victory. "I look forward to coming back here year after year. To be able to display the performance of these race cars and show what this race team does to all the important people at General Motors is a cool thing. There's nothing like driving a Corvette in Detroit!"

Although Magnussen and O'Connell won the battle in Detroit, Gavin and Beretta are winning the war for the GT1 Drivers' championship. They lead the title race by 32 points with two races remaining.

"In my stint I struggled a little at the beginning," Beretta reported. "The rear was light, and then we had the pace car. I didn't want to take any risks; I just wanted to bring home the points. I am looking for the championship now."

"There was plenty of bumping and banging throughout the race, but both Corvettes stayed out of trouble," Gavin noted. "Both cars were quick in and out on the pit stops, and Corvette Racing won the pit stop competition yesterday which proves we are the fastest team in the pit lane. My car ran faultlessly all day.

"Congratulations to the No. 3 Corvette for their win today," Gavin continued. "It was great to show off the C6.R's technology, and great to race here in front of so many GM employees and fans.”

Corvette Racing's next event is the 10-hour/1,000-mile Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta in Braselton, Ga., on Saturday, Oct. 6. Motors TV will televise the race live in the UK.