Legendary Corvette Adds Luster to Long Beach
Elated Corvette fans watched Jan Magnussen #3 C7.R shove Dirk Mueller # 66 Ford GT into the wall on the final lap, clearing the way for 2nd and 3rd place in the third round of the 2019 Weathertech IMSA GTLM Championship at Long Beach. Unintentional hit, no harm meant, no penalty, results affirmed.
Easily overlooked were two legendary C4 1988 “silhouette-bodied” tube frame Corvettes built by Protofab Engineering for Trans Am and IMSA GTO. With its original body panels still intact, the #88 Trans am is well preserved thanks to caretaker Mike Malone and preceded by Darin Brassfield.
It was April 1989, 30 years ago when Brassfield, then 28, piloted the #88 Corvette at Long Beach. Legend team owner Tommy Morrison helped make it happen via Mobil1. Legend Gary Pratt, principal of the GM Corvette Racing Team was part of Protofab Engineering at the time.

#88 appears in this 20 min video filmed at Mosport in 1988.
Racing on the streets of Long Beach began in 1975 in an effort to revive the downtrodden city. It flourishes today with celebrities, fans, tourists and support races like the Historic race for 1980-1991 IMSA GTO cars.  

A feature race for IMSA GTLM and DPi cars complemented an agenda highlighted by the NTT INDYCAR race.
After finishing a credible 8th in a 30-car field, Malone is considering offers from racers and collectors dedicated to preserving its heritage.
But wait there’s more. Call it serendipity in miniature. Pilot models of the C4 1988 #88 Trans Am and #5 IMSA GTO in 1/25 scale built from body and chassis parts custom printed in 3D (vs cast) by Greg Hansen. More details upon request.
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