At 5 a.m. in Le Mans, there is a mix of emotions, mostly of the sleep-craving variety. I’ve been put to work cleaning tires and shuttling them between the Corvette Racing team and Michelin’s makeshift headquarters across the paddock. I knew it wasn’t going to be glamorous, but after catching a glimpse of myself in a mirror, I realized that I look like I’ve spent a day in a coal mine. Brake dust is on my face, in my hair, in my ears, and under my nails. Whether I like it or not, I’ll be bringing home a pound or two of Corvette brake dust as a souvenir.
Still, nothing re-energizes you more than stealing away for a couple minutes and watching the cars blast down the main straightaway at night. Lights ablaze and with brake discs glowing, a few cars shoot wicked-looking flames from their exhausts. Five minutes of this is better at waking me up than any triple-strength espresso. Unfortunately, there is some disappointment among the Corvette team. The No. 64 Corvette C6.R dropped out of the race after only two hours. It was a harsh blow. This marks the first time a factory-sponsored Corvette has not finished Le Mans since the team started coming here in 2000.
But with 10 hours to go, the No. 63 sister car, driven by Johnny O’Connell, Jan Magnussen and Ron Fellow, is in third place and within striking distance of the leaders. It should be an exciting morning.
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