1971

January 30

• At the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona, Florida, the Daytona 24 Hours race is held.
  • Finishing 1st in GT +2500 class and 4th overall is the Owens Corning Fiberglas #11 Corvette, driven by Tony DeLorenzo and Don Yenko. This finish is the Corvette's best placing at this race to date.
  • Finishing 2nd in GT +2500 class and 6th overall is the Dave Heinz Racing #57 1969 Corvette L88, driven by Or Costanzo and Dave Heinz.
  • Finishing 3rd in GT +2500 class and 10th overall is the John Greenwood #50 Corvette driven by John Greenwood, Allan Barker, and Dick Lang.
  • Finishing 4th in GT +2500 class and 18th overall is the Robert Luebbe #64 Corvette driven by Robert Luebbe, Bob Baechle, and John Orr.
  • Jerry Thompson and John Mahler race the Owens Corning Fiberglass #12 Corvette but do not finish due to timing chain failure.
  [35.37] [104.151] [175.84] [200.11] [212.12] [232.29] [263.277] [383.111] [423] [580.237]

(month unknown)

• Design work begins on project XP-987GT, as a possible successor to both the Corvette and the Opel GT. [580.258]

March 20

• In Sebring, Florida, the 12 Hours of Sebring race is held, round three of the International Manufacturers Championship.
  • Finishing 1st in Grand Touring +2500 class, 7th overall, is the John Greenwood #48 Corvette, driven by John Greenwood and Dick Smothers.
  • Finishing 2nd in Grand Touring +2500 class, 10th overall, is the Dave Heinz Racing #57 1969 Corvette L-88, driven by Dave Heinz, Robert Johnson, and Or Costanzo.
  • Finishing 7th in Grand Touring +2500 class, 26th overall, is the Troy Promotions #11 Corvette, driven by Don Yenko, Tony DeLorenzo, and Jerry Thompson.
  • Cliff Gottlob and Ed Lowther race Gottlob's #86 Corvette in Grand Touring +2500 class. After 108 laps, the car is out due to engine failure. They place 39th overall.
  • Allan Barker and Gene Harrington race the John Greenwood #50 Corvette L-88 in Grand Touring +2500 class. After 50 laps, the car is out due to an oil leak. They place 47th overall.
  • Jerry Thompson and John Mahler race the Troy Promotions #12 Corvette in Grand Touring +2500 class. After 42 laps, the car is out due to an oil leak. They place 48th overall.
  [104.151] [200.11] [202.56] [263] [348] [423] [580.237] [585.99]

April 18

• In Danville, Virginia, a 300-mile IMSA race is held.
  • Finishing 1st in GTO class and 2nd overall is the Or Costanzo #57 1969 Corvette L-88 driven by Dave Heinz.
  • Finishing 2nd in GTO class and 18th overall is the #15 Corvette driven by Mel Shaw and Cress Taylor.
  [200.12] [423]

May 1

• Warner Bros. Pictures releases the film Billy Jack to theaters in the USA. A Riverside Gold 1969 convertible Corvette appears. [794]

May 15

• In Talladega, Alabama, a 200-mile car race is held.
  • Finishing 1st in GTO class and 1st overall is the Or Costanzo #57 1969 Corvette L-88 driven by Dave Heinz.
  • Finishing 2nd in GTO class and 26th overall is the #72 Corvette driven by George Garcia and Daniel Vilarchao.
  • Finishing 4th in GTO class and 28th overall is the #88 Corvette driven by David Wolin.
  • Finishing 4th in Special class and 30th overall is the #44 Corvette driven by Pat Sundman.
  The Or Costanzo Corvette is painted like a Confederate flag, done to poke fun at the John Greenwood Corvette which was painted like an American flag. [200.12]

May 23

• In Charlotte, North Carolina, a 3-hour car race is held.
  • Finishing 1st in GTO class and 1st overall is the Or Costanzo #57 1969 Corvette L-88 driven by Dave Heinz and Or Costanzo.
  • Finishing 2nd in GTO class and 7th overall is the #27 Corvette driven by Jim Glazier and Don Haines.
  • Finishing 3rd in GTO class and 13th overall is the #51 Corvette driven by Mike Robbins and John Finger.
  [200.12] [423]

June 12

• In Paris, France, the 24 Hours of Le Mans race is held.
  • The Ecurie Léopard #1 1968 L-88 Corvette driven by Jean-Claude Aubriet and Jean-Pierre Rouget runs as high as 1st in GT and 14th overall, but the driveshaft breaks 15 hours into the race.
  • Henri Greder and Marie-Claude Beaumont race the Greder Racing #2 Corvette until the engine fails.
  [202.56] [263] [309.25] [423]

June

• Production of 1971 model Corvettes ends. [148.56]
• A full-size fiberglass model of the XP-987GT Corvette prototype is completed, and shown to top management of General Motors. General Motors President Edward Cole approves construction of a complete running car. [47.57] [580.258] [774.102]

(month unknown)

• MPC supplies red 1971 Corvette T-Top promotional models to car dealers. [312.16]
• MPC releases model kit #1-7106 1971 Corvette convertible, in white plastic. [336.20]
• MPC releases model kit #1-7105 1971 Corvette T-Top, in white plastic. [336.20]
• MPC releases the 1/20-scale model kit #1-3071 1971 Corvette T-Top, in maroon plastic. [335.39]
• Toye English buys Or Costanzo's 1969 L88 Corvette convertible, which Costanzo had raced at Sebring in 1969, 1970, and 1971. [147.19] [200.12] [212.12]
• General Motors' president anticipates the upcoming Clean Air Act by ruling that all of General Motors' cars should be designed to run on no more than 91-octane gas, which would be lead-free. [6]
• Chevrolet Engineering completes a running prototype XP-895 Corvette, with body of mostly steel. [542.55] [580.254]
• Beginning with the 1972 model year, General Motors changes its engine power ratings from gross (engine only) to net (with other components attached). [3.76]
• Tony DeLorenzo sells his L-88 racing Corvette to Bobby Rinvler. [35.37]

July 4

• At the Michigan International Speedway, B.F. Goodrich and American Viscose sponsor three days of racing. John Greenwood and Bob Johnson win the 36-car four-hour endurance race in a Corvette. [224.80]

July 24

• At the Watkins Glen raceway in Watkins Glen, New York, the Watkins Glen 6 Hour endurance race is held.
  • Finishing 1st in GT+2.5 class and 5th overall is the John Greenwood Racing #49 Corvette driven by Robert R. Johnson and John Greenwood.
  • Finishing 2nd in GT+2.5 class and 7th overall is the Or Costanzo/Tri City Corvette Club #57 1969 Corvette L-88 driven by Dave Heinz and Don Yenko.
  • Finishing 3rd in GT+2.5 class and 8th overall is the Iroquois Racing Associates #41 Corvette driven by Bill Schumacher, Bob McClure, and Bob Kiefer.
  [104.151] [200.12] [263] [423] [580.237]

August

• Production of 1972 model Corvettes begins. This Corvette is designated model "Z". [148.58] [191.74] [453.86]

September 14

• The Corvette production line shuts down temporarily. [226.63]

(month unknown)

• At the Road Atlanta raceway in Braselton, Georgia, the American Road Race of Champions final races of the SCCA Club Racing series are held.
  • Finishing 1st in A Production class is John Greenwood, driving a Corvette.
  • Finishing 1st in B Production class is Allan Barker, driving the #80 1963 Corvette Sting Ray convertible.
  [3.124] [343.75] [394.4,12] [518.196]

November

• The Corvette production line resumes operation, after a nine-week shutdown. [226.63]

November 21

• In Daytona, Florida, the IMSA Daytona 250 is held for the first time.
  • Finishing 1st in GTO class and 1st overall is the Toye English #57 1969 Corvette L-88 driven by Dave Heinz and Don Yenko.
  • Finishing 2nd in GTO class and 6th overall is the #22 Corvette driven by Denny Long.
  • Finishing 3rd in GTO class and 12th overall is the #99 Corvette driven by Phil Currin.
  • Finishing 4th in GTO class and 13th overall is the #63 Corvette driven by Jim Jeffries.
  • Finishing 5th in GTO class and 27th overall is the #28 Corvette driven by Andrew Bach.
  • Placing 6th in GTO class and 39th overall is the #24 Corvette driven by John Floyd.
  • Placing 7th in GTO class and 44th overall is the #81 Corvette driven by Ron Stafford.
  • Placing 8th in GTO class and 51st overall is the #46 Corvette driven by Billy Coates.
  [200.12] [201.10] [423]

(month unknown)

• Car and Driver magazine's Readers' Choice Poll votes the Corvette "Best Sports/GT Car (Category III)", and "Best All-around Car". [43.61] [580.231]

1972

January 14

• General Motors ships the chassis of the XP-987GT rotary-engined prototype Corvette to Pininfarina, in Turin, Italy, for construction of the car's body. [47.64] [454.157] [580.258]

(month unknown)

• Zora Arkus-Duntov convinces General Motors to donate the CERV cars to the Briggs Cunningham Museum. [21] [42.84]

February 6

• At the Daytona International Speedway, in Daytona, Florida, the 6 Hours of Daytona race is held.
  • Finishing 1st in GT +2500 class and 8th overall is the Dave Heinz #57 1969 Corvette L88 driven by Robert R. Johnson and Dave Heinz.
  • Finishing 3rd in GT +2500 class and 21st overall is the Phil Currin #99 Corvette driven by Robert Whitaker and Phil Currin.
  • R. Sheldon Stafford races the R. Sheldon Stafford #33 Corvette but does not finish.
  • Robert Spirgel and Arthur Mollin race the Warren Shiber #51 Corvette but do not finish.
  • Tony Adamowicz and John Greenwood race the John Greenwood #48 Corvette but are disqualified for reversing in the pits.
  • Don Yenko and John Cordts race the John Greenwood #50 Corvette but do not finish.
  • Charlie Kemp and Tom Fraser race the Bobby Rinzler #88 Corvette but do not finish due to an accident.
  • Jerry Thompson races the Daytona Beach Corvette Club #11 Corvette but does not finish due to a tire puncture and accident.
  • Michael Oleyar and Robert Luebbe race the Michael Oleyar #53 Corvette but do not finish.
  [172.51] [200.13] [232.29] [263] [423] [580.238]

February 16

• General Motors donates the CERV I and CERV II research cars to the Briggs Cunningham Automotive Museum, in Costa Mesa, California. [11] [17] [211.11] [314.46] [332.72] [579.165]

(month unknown)

• General Motors assigns responsibility of adapting the rotary engine to production to Chevrolet. Zora Arkus-Duntov asks engineer Gib Hufstader to develop a mid-engine Corvette using the rotary engine. [90] [580.256,260]

March 13

• Reynolds Metals Company, under contract to Chevrolet, begins building a body for the XP-895 Corvette prototype, duplicating the steel body in aluminum. [3.80] [88.49] [542.55] [580.254] [818.94]

March 25

• In Sebring, Florida, the 12 Hours of Sebring race is held, round three of the World Manufacturers Championship.
  • Finishing 1st in Grand Touring +2500 class, 4th overall, is the Dana English #57 Corvette, driven by Dave Heinz and Robert Johnson. For this race, the L-88 engine was replaced by a ZL-1 engine. This is the highest overall finish at Sebring for any Corvette to date.
  • Finishing 4th in Grand Touring +2500 class, 17th overall, is the Sebring Racing #47 Corvette, driven by Bob Gray and Terry Keller.
  • Finishing 6th in Grand Touring +2500 class, 24th overall, is the John Greenwood Racing #50 Corvette, driven by Don Yenko and John Cordits.
  • John Greenwood and Dick Smothers race the John Greenwood Racing #48 Corvette in Grand Touring +2500 class. After 179 laps, the car is out due to engine failure. They place 31st overall.
  • Charlie Kemp and Oscar Koveleski race the Rinzler Motoracing #23 Corvette in Grand Touring +2500 class. After 21 laps, the car is out due to an accident. They place 56th overall.
  [46.32] [104.151] [147.19] [200.13] [212.12] [263.278] [348] [423] [580.238] [585.100]

April 1

• At the Daytona International Speedway, in Daytona, Florida, the three-hour Daytona Starlight race is held.
  • Finishing 1st in GTO class and 1st overall is the #23 Corvette driven by Charlie Kemp and Wilbur Pickett.
  • Finishing 2nd in GTO class and 5th overall is the #18 Corvette driven by John Floyd.
  • Finishing 4th in GTO class and 16th overall is the #22 Corvette driven by Denny Long.
  • Finishing 5th in GTO class and 20th overall is the #67 Corvette driven by Dave Heinz.
  • Finishing 6th in GTO class and 29th overall is the #12 Corvette driven by Tom Nell.
  • Finishing 8th in GTO class and 43rd overall is the #81 Corvette driven by R. Sheldon Stafford.
  [104.151] [423]

April

• Gib Hufstader takes an XP-882 chassis, and inserts two RC2-195 rotary engines, creating a single 585-ci engine with about 350 bhp. [580.260]
• In Turin, Italy, Pininfarina completes the body of the XP-987GT, and ships the car back to the US. [454.157] [580.259]

May 29

• At the Lime Rock Park raceway in Lime Rock, Connecticut, an IMSA race is held.
  • Finishing 1st in GTO class and 3rd overall is the #99 Corvette driven by Phil Currin.
  • Finishing 3rd in GTO class and 14th overall is the #46 Corvette driven by Craig Carter.
  • Finishing 4th in GTO class and 17th overall is the #98 Corvette driven by Harold Keck and Ken Beck.
  • Finishing 5th in GTO class and 21st overall is the #63 Corvette driven by Michael Oleyar and Robert Luebbe.
  • Finishing 6th in GTO class and 23rd overall is the #83 Corvette driven by Tom Felton and Lou D'Amico.
  • Placing 7th in GTO class and 24th overall is the #22 Corvette driven by Sam Posey and Denny Long.
  • Placing 8th in GTO class and 28th overall is the #2 Corvette driven by Bob Farrell.
  • Placing 9th in GTO class and 30th overall is the #42 Corvette driven by Rodney Harris.
  • Finishing 10th in GTO class and 33rd overall is the #23 Corvette driven by Charlie Kemp.
  • Placing 11th in GTO class and 35th overall is the #28 Corvette driven by Andrew Bach.
  [320.30] [423]

(month unknown)

• The XP-987GT car is fitted with a RC2-266 266-ci two-rotor engine. [454.157]

June 10

• In Le Mans, France, the 24 Hours of Le Mans race is held.
  • Finishing 7th in GT class and 15th overall is Luigi Chinetti's North American Racing Team #4 Corvette 427 driven by Dave Heinz and Bob Johnson.
  • The John Greenwood Racing #28 Corvette driven by Dick Smothers, John Greenwood, and Alain Cudini sets a Mulsanne straight-away record of 210-220 mph and leads GT class until a piston fails.
  • The John Greenwood Racing #72 Corvette driven by Bernard Darniche, Alain Cudini, and John Greenwood races until a cylinder head joint fails.
  • The Ecurie Léopard #71 1968 L-88 Corvette driven by Jean-Claude Aubriet, Depnic, and Sylvain runs as high as 20th place, but a cylinder head joint fails after 18 hours.
  • The Greder Racing Team #29 Corvette driven by Henri Greder and Marie-Claude Beaumont races until an accident takes it out.
  [42.99] [46.147] [79.72] [173] [212.12] [214.105] [224.56,81] [263] [309.25] [318.15] [325.60] [365.15] [423] (Heinz/Johnson clocked at 214-MPH [345.18])

June

• A fully-detailed steel-bodied XP-987GT prototype two-rotor Wankel-engined Corvette is shown to General Motors management. The car is based on the XP-882 mid-engined prototype. The body was styled and built by Pininfarina in Europe. [42.90] [47.62] [48.39] [580.259] (1973 [176.45])

June 21

• Reynolds Metals Company completes building an aluminum body for the XP-895 Corvette. Chevrolet Engineering replaces its steel body with the new body, with the resulting car weighing 500 pounds less. [454.143] [580.254] [818.95]

June

• General Motors Chairman Richard Gerstenberg puts a stop to current mid-engine Corvette projects, on the basis that the car is selling well enough without need for such a radical change. [5.164] [580.243]
• Hurricane Agnes hits upstate New York. Dave Erwin's garage loses two Ferrari GTOs, but his Grand Sport #005 is lodged between a refridgerator and the garage door, saving it. [534.47]

(month unknown)

• Chevrolet general manager John DeLorean explores putting the aluminum-bodied mid-engined XP-895 into production in the US or Europe, but finds it too costly, and abandons it. [454.143]
• At the Brainerd International Raceway in Brainerd, Minnesota, an IMSA race is held. Finishing 3rd is the Corvette driven by Phil Currin. [320.30]
• AMT releases model kit #T-366 1972 Corvette convertible, in white plastic. [336.21]
• AMT releases model kit #T-361 1972 Corvette T-Top, in white plastic. [336.21]
• MPC releases model kit #1-7206 1972 Corvette convertible, in white plastic. [336.21]
• MPC releases model kit #1-7205 1972 Corvette T-Top, in white plastic. [336.21]
• MPC releases the 1/20-scale model kit #1-7230 1972 Corvette T-Top, in white plastic. [335.39]

July 9

• At the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, near Mansfield, Ohio, the Camel GT six-hour race is held.
  • Finishing 1st in GTO class and 4th overall is the Greenwood Racing (BFG Radial) #48 Corvette driven by John Greenwood and Marshall Robbins.
  • Finishing 2nd in GTO class and 5th overall is the Greenwood Racing (BFG Radial) #50 Corvette driven by Denny Long and Jim Greendyke.
  • Finishing 3rd in GTO class and 9th overall is the R.E.D., Inc. #57 Corvette driven by Dave Heinz and Bob Johnson.
  • Finishing 4th in GTO class and 11th overall is the ALTO Eng. #83 Corvette driven by Lou D'Amico and Tom Felton.
  • Finishing 5th in GTO class and 12th overall is the #60 Corvette driven by Bob Kiefer and Tom Swindell.
  • Finishing 6th in GTO class and 13th overall is the #4 Corvette driven by Craig Carter and Darrell Carter.
  • Finishing 8th in GTO class and 23rd overall is the #15 Corvette driven by Ron Weaver and Jerry Thompson.
  • Finishing 9th in GTO class and 24th overall is the #3 Corvette driven by Don Axtmann and Buzz Fyhrie.
  • Finishing 10th in GTO class and 25th overall is the Eland Racing #28 Corvette driven by Andrew Bach and William Schuldt.
  • Placing 11th in GTO class and 27th overall is the #99 Corvette driven by Phil Currin and Bill Bean.
  • Placing 12th in GTO class and 28th overall is the #10 Corvette driven by Bill Schumacher and Ed Lowther.
  • Placing 13th in GTO class and 29th overall is the #66 Corvette driven by Mike Murray and Ike Knupp.
  • Finishing 14th in GTO class and 32nd overall is the R.E.D., Inc. #54 Corvette driven by Dana English and Bob McClure.
  • Finishing 15th in GTO class and 34th overall is the #94 Corvette driven by John Floyd and Dan Doughtry.
  • Placing 17th in GTO class and 36th overall is the #93 Corvette driven by Larry Ross and David Shook.
  • Placing 19th in GTO class and 46th overall is the #38 Corvette driven by Silas Allen and Michael Wiernicki.
  • Placing 20th in GTO class and 48th overall is the Holiday Inn #23 Corvette driven by Wilbur Pickett.
  [214.105] [224.81] [423]

July

• An experimental XP-882 bodyless Corvette with a rotary engine is running. Gib Hufstader started with an XP-882 chassis, inserting two RC2-195 rotary engines. Total engine capacity is 585-ci, the largest Wankel engine installed in a car. [580.256]
• Production of 1972 model Corvettes ends. [148.58] [191.74]

July 16

• At Croft in Yorkshire, England, a British Modified Sports Car series race is held. Finishing 1st is the #101 1968 L89 Rally Red convertible Corvette, driven by Rhoddy Harvey-Bailey. [605.32]

July 22

• At the Watkins Glen raceway in Watkins Glen, New York, the 6 Hours of Watkins Glen race is held.
  • Finishing 2nd in GT+2.5 class and 10th overall is the Velvetouch GT #35 Corvette driven by Fred Kepler and John Orr.
  • Finishing 4th in GT+2.5 class and 12th overall is the Weaver Chevrolet #64 Corvette driven by Bob Baechle and David Laughlin.
  [214.105] [263] [391.138] [423]

(month unknown)

• At the GM Technical Center in Detroit, GM shows the Two Rotor Corvette to the automotive press. Project name is XP-987GT. The design was supervised by Clare MacKichan, with the car built in Italy by Pininfarina. The engine produces 180 horsepower. [330.50]
• General Motors orders the XP-895 mid-engined Corvette test car scrapped. [175.28]
• Jim Prather begins the Vette Vues newsletter. [69.S3-29]
• Chip Miller buys a 1953 Corvette with under 9000 miles, in original condition, for US$5000. [316.18]

August

• Production of 1973 model Corvettes begins. [148.60]

(month unknown)

• In Mexico, the 5 Hours of Monterrey race is held. Finishing 4th is the Corvette driven by Phil Currin and Wilbur Pickett. [320.30]
• At the Road Atlanta raceway in Braselton, Georgia, the American Road Race of Champions final races of the SCCA Club Racing series are held.
  • Finishing 1st in A Production class is Jerry Hansen, driving a Corvette.
  • Finishing 1st in B Production class is Allan Barker, driving the #80 1963 Corvette Sting Ray convertible. This is his fourth consecutive national class title.
  [3.124] [343.75] [394.4,12] [518.196]
• At the end of the IMSA race season, Phil Currin is 1st in the GTO Championship. [320.30] [331.16,46]
• The Owens Corning Fiberglas Corvette team disbands. [42.97]

November

• Toye English sells his 1969 L88 Corvette (originally owned by Or Costanzo) to Alex Davidson. [200.13]