U.S. Vice President of Marketing, Chevrolet, Chevrolet (General Motors)
Corvette Racing Seminar with Doug Fehan and Jim Campbell - 2018 NCM Bash
Corvette Racing Program Manager Doug Fehan was joined by GM's Jim Campbell to talk Corvette Racing at the 2018 Michelin NCM Bash held at the National Corvette Museum.
Doug and JIm talked to a packed house for just over an hour about Corvette Racing, the return this weekend to Mid-Ohio and other memories associated with the 20th Anniversary of the team.
Transcript (10 segments)
H
Host0:05
Good morning everyone. I know a lot of you came last night. Normally we have a racing seminar, but we have a surprise guest. We are honored and thrilled to have Jim Campbell join us today. He is in charge of Corvette Racing, and he flew in this morning. Welcome Jim.
J
Jim Campbell2:25
Well, thanks for having me. Thanks to all the Corvette owners here. As a kid, I was a fan of Corvettes and Camaros. I joined the company and worked my way up. I interviewed for a job at Chevrolet and got it. It was the most exciting moment of my career. On my first day, I saw a folder with a race program. We had a lot of preparation but needed final approval. We got it, and that was the beginning of my time in Corvette Racing. It's great to be with you all.
H
Host5:19
Let's give a round of applause.
D
Doug5:38
I first made that presentation for China in 1996. It was an unprecedented proposal. Corvette had never raced as a factory program. We drew a line and decided to start a full factory program. We spent two years designing and building the C5 Corvette. We announced it at the SEMA show in 1999. Our first race was at Daytona in 2000. We had a great run but had issues with oil consumption. We finished third, and it was a lesson learned. The support from Corvette owners has been incredible.
H
Host16:51
Tell us about the race two years ago where the cars were duking it out for the win and GM let them race.
J
Jim Campbell17:11
I give credit to the team. We have veteran drivers with respect for each other. It was a cool moment. That decision defined our team. We also went to Le Mans and changed the perception of Corvette in Europe. We embraced the French culture, wore berets and mustaches, and opened up our cars to the fans. It was a huge success.
H
Host27:27
Jim had a very generous program for those of us.
D
Doug27:41
I was born and raised in Detroit. My grandfather had car dealerships. I always loved cars. I never intended to do this job, but one thing led to another. I worked at Mac Tools and then got involved with GM. It's been a passion.
H
Host32:59
We have Harlan Charles here. Thank you.
J
Jim Campbell34:37
One of the things I love is getting to talk to Corvette owners at the track. Your feedback helps us improve the cars. Thank you for your support.