The Corvette style and growth group was riding an emotional high. The Corvette was lastly beginning to be taken seriously as a performance-minded lorry, publicity surrounding the line had actually taken a favorable turn, and also it appeared that nothing can disrupt this momentum. This was, at the very least, until Jerome Earl, kid of Corvette enthusiast Harley Earl, introduced his strategies to race a Ferrari 250 MM competitively in the season to find.
Jerome, that was no stranger to racing as well as his auto heritage, had a fondness for European sports cars, citing their distinct and unrivaled efficiency features. Racing Initially, going into the 1956 racing season Jerome had no intent or wish to race a Corvette, for which his papa had actually battled valiantly to bring into the mainstream. Unsurprisingly, this did not sit well with the senior Earl, nor top Chevrolet brass.
To avoid an attention mess, as well as perhaps out of his very own displeasure, Harley Earl intervened. The offer, or demand, was made clear. Jerome would not lag the wheel of a Ferrari, rather piloting a race-specific Corvette that his papa would have developed for him. With the messy information out of the way, orders came down to prepare a racer that would be an awesome pressure on the track, and also to do so quickly.
To meet this due date, a team of 17 engineers were designated to operate in shifts around the clock to see the project via. A 1956 Corvette, showing off VIN # E56S002522, was drawn from the St. Louis production line, and sent out to the Warren, Michigan layout center, total with shop order 90090, which proclaimed intent for “race alterations as well as aesthetic enhancements”.
The appointed team of designers experienced every inch of the 1956 Corvette, in a quote to make it competitors worthwhile. Mechanically, the vehicle was built to mirror the mass of the prior SR Corvette’s specs. This consisted of the addition of heavy-duty suspension, efficiency brake drums as well as Bendix Cerametalix cellular linings, as well as Houdaille rotating dampers.
Under the hood, the new SR-2 racer, as it would become recognized, sported a supply 265 cubic-inch V8 with double four-barrel carburetors. Nonetheless, this engine would be fitted with the “Duntov” competing cam, for a sustained rise in result. The V8 was after that mated to a three-speed manual transmission.
A specialty body, developed by Robert Cumberford, was utilized in the manufacturing of the SR-2. This body featured an extended nose, aired vent hood, side cove cooling down air ducts, and aerodynamic front lights covers. To round out the SR-2’s look, a centralized stabilizer fin was included on the back deck.
Upon the conclusion of a Racing substantial push to complete all preparations, the SR-2, sporting number 144, was ready to hit the track. Its first trial occurred in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, at the SCCA’s inaugural June Sprints six-hour race. Unfortunately, the SR-2’s initial showing did not go off as planned. Jerome Earl, not accustomed to the feeling of the SR-2, drew out throughout practice, though no damages caused the procedure. In a last-minute turn of events, Dick Thompson was selected to pilot the SR-2, and completed the race, positioning respectively.