Design Develop Build Race Win 1989-2009 contents With our successes come challenges, and 2009 was a hard year for the . We as a company 3 20 Years of Pratt & Miller had to tighten our belts and work harder, not only to survive and grow, but also to position ourselves to thrive 16 20-Year Timeline when the auto industry does make a comeback. By diversifying, Pratt & Miller has been able to develop 20 Corvette Racing 2009 Season – GT1 new areas of business with cutting-edge technology. We are proud to offer our customers everything from racing 24 GT1 and GT2 Corvette C6.R to rocket science. It’s what helps us stand out from the crowd. Following our motto – Design, Develop, Build, Race, 26 Corvette Racing 2009 Season – GT2 Win – we are applying the lessons we have learned on the 30 2009 Corvette Racing Team and Accomplishments racetrack to help us continue growing in new areas. BUILT OUT OF PASSION In this past season, the Corvette Racing program has 31 Thanks to Our Sponsors and Partners Looking back, it’s hard to believe that our company today presented new challenges, too, with the departure of the has grown from very humble beginnings. People make GT1 C6.R and introduction of the GT2 car. We did not 32 Pratt & Miller Engineering Today the company, though, and right from the start, everyone have much time to test, so we had to use the second half in this organization has been dedicated to achieving 35 Pratt & Miller in NASCAR of 2009 to prepare for 2010. It was a building year, and success, and passionate about their work. But who would a great way to stretch and test ourselves in ways we’ve 36 Corvid Technologies have thought that what was built out of passion would allow never experienced before. 39 Case Study: 2010 us to become competitive world-wide in so many areas? This upcoming year will provide a new set of challenges, SRX Competitive Test Program Well, that’s what happened. It happened because, but we have survived and grown in these tough times. 40 Case Study: Tactical Wheeled Vehicles along with our passion and dedication, we’ve always The dedicated, hard-working people of Pratt & Miller have 41 Motus MST-01 Sport Touring Motorcycle been – and always will be – committed to satisfying our brought us to where we are today, and kept us on track for 42 Case Study: ArvinMeritor Megalodon customers. That’s the essential ingredient for success. a successful future. It’s exciting to think about what we’re Flow Bench We are fortunate to be surrounded by so many talented capable of doing in the next 20 years. and motivated people who share that commitment. 43 Case Study: TOMCAR Data Acquisition Everyone we work with here has the satisfaction of knowing Gary Pratt and Jim Miller and CAE Analysis they make an important contribution. The result has been 44 Case Study: Aptera 2e Composite a profitable company every year for the past 20 years. Structural Analysis 45 Case Study: Corvette C6RS Active Wing

46 Pratt & Miller Customer Teams 46 DKR Engineering 47 Aventures 47 Selleslagh Racing Team 48 PK Carsport 48 AT Racing 49 Stevenson Motorsports 49 Banner Racing

50 From the Editor

51 Pratt & Miller Employees

2 pratt & Miller Engineering

OUT ONTO THE LEADING EDGE TWO COMPETITORS JOIN FORCES “While I was growing up messing with race cars Jim on the leading edge. The mix has been really good, and Gary Pratt and Jim Miller met at a race track. They was figuring out how to make money,” Pratt says. “So we’ve been fortunate to attract a lot of very good people.” couldn’t tell you which one, exactly, and it doesn’t matter. Jim also brought the financial backing that it takes to That also has always been one of the core ingredients They were competitors in the Trans-Am series in the mid- attract major sponsors – so they know you have the in Jim Miller’s recipe for success – the ability to attract 1980s. They both wanted and needed something to take resources to do what you say you’re going to do, even and keep good people, by creating an environment where their aspirations to the next level. And as they got to know if they’re not funding 100 percent of the program.” they enjoy working and know they have an opportunity one another and became friends, each recognized in the Gary credits Jim with being the visionary, but they both to grow and advance professionally. other that certain something that could make it happen. knew, even then, that the company needed to be more “We have to invest in our ability to do our jobs better, Jim saw in Gary the ability to not only build competitive engineering driven, and lead the motorsports industry in satisfy our customers, grow in the future, and ensure that race cars but also to organize and operate an efficient technology application, instead of just building race cars. we stay on the leading edge of our industry,” says Miller. and successful racing operation – to make things work “We’d been a cut-and-weld kind of shop,” says Pratt, They founded Pratt & Miller Engineering & Fabrication and get things done. speaking of his previous partnership in Protofab Racing. in the later part of 1989. On the race track, Miller was In Jim, Gary saw the good business head – the ability “We had a lot of experience and had been successful, but already out there on the leading edge, racing in a series for and savvy to operate at a profit. In fact right from the we were just going by historical things that had worked some of the most exotic, expensive, highly sophisticated beginning, one of Miller’s core requirements was to have well for us – not really leading edge. When you bring lots race cars on the planet. a profitable company – never take on a project that didn’t of experience and then add some good engineering and have good profit potential. young ideas and new technology – that puts you out there 3 pratt & Miller Engineering

989-2009 BEGINNING: Spice GT Prototype 1 , rs a e 20 Y

UP AGAINST THE HEAVYWEIGHTS Undaunted, Pratt & Miller challenged themselves against took over as Miller’s driving partner in When Pratt & Miller opened its doors, Jim Miller wanted an these heavyweights, armed with Miller’s -powered 1990. They continued to log decent performances – four organization that could field a competitive operation in the (but not sponsored) MTI Vacations Spice SE89P. in the top five – and once came oh so close to victory. International Motor Sports Association’s GTP (Grand Touring Jim drove it in 1989 with Bob Earl, and they notched a That was at , where they finished less than Prototype) class – no small undertaking. GTP represented respectable nine top-10 and five top-five finishes, including a second behind the winning Jaguar XJR-10. the pinnacle of prototype in America. a second-place showing at the 500-km Camel Continental In mid-season, Miller decided to step out of the driver’s The period from 1981 to 1993 was an era of unrelenting at Watkins Glen, and another runner-up finish on the streets seat and concentrate on the business side of the operation. development as manufacturers, engineers, and race teams of Tampa, where they finished just three-tenths of a second They already had attracted the attention of Chevrolet, continually raised the bar in technology. The series was behind the winning Jaguar XJR-9. and soon brought the GM division on board as a sponsor, being dominated by factory-backed efforts from the likes backing Pratt & Miller’s first start-to-finish race car develop- of , , Jaguar and Toyota. ment project, to be launched early in 1991.… 4 pratt & Miller Engineering 20 Y 20 e a rs

Intrepid GTP , 1 989-2009

Breaking the Mold downforce – and it made nearly 10,000 pounds of third at Mid-Ohio, and Taylor won on the New Orleans street IMSA GTP was a showcase for advanced aerodynamics, downforce at 150 mph! The Intrepid’s steep nose angle, circuit. A high-speed crash at Watkins Glen injured Kendall exotic materials, and sophisticated suspensions. The extended front splitter, and an underbody shaped like a and prompted a redesign of the rear uprights to withstand arrival of the Pratt & Miller Intrepid in 1991 abruptly wing really worked well. The rear wheel covers were worth the car’s incredible downforce. Changes in racing’s changed the rules in road racing’s premier class. nearly two seconds a lap on the Sebring short course.” rules and the economic environment curtailed the GTP The GTP category had been dominated by The Intrepid GTP’s competition debut, at West Palm enterprise, and a lightning strike destroyed Pratt & Miller’s turbocharged engines from Europe and Asia, but Pratt Beach in March 1991, was remarkable. Wayne Taylor manufacturing facility. The GTP program concluded in & Miller’s MTI Racing Intrepid GTP was an American- drove the brand-new car to a second-place finish, and 1993 after four Intrepids had been constructed. made contender for the GTP crown. It was powered by along the way recorded the fastest race lap. “GTP racing is absolutely top level, and I want to excel,” a naturally aspirated 6.0-liter Chevrolet small-block unveiled the second Intrepid GTP at said Jim Miller at the Intrepid’s press introduction. “To V-8 with innovative splayed-valve cylinder heads. The Lime Rock Park. The two Intrepids finished second and accomplish that, we had to build a car that would serve Intrepid’s all-composite chassis emulated an F-17 Stealth as a magnet in attracting the best people to make it work. fighter plane, while its Bob Riley-designed body produced I think we achieved that.” unprecedented downforce. Pratt remembers the Intrepid GTP with affection. “The Intrepid GTP was designed specifically for “An opportunity to build a prototype from the ground American tracks and street circuits, not high-speed up only comes along about once every ten years,” he European road courses like Le Mans,” Gary Pratt observes. “I can’t wait for the next one.” explained. “We sacrificed top speed for increased

5 pratt & Miller Engineering

989-2009 RM-2 OLDSMOBILE 1 , rs a

e A SPORTS-RACING CUSTOMER CAR another Bob Riley design – a two-seat, open-cockpit car Jim Miller and Gary Pratt had early warning from Chevrolet on an aluminum monocoque chassis with fiberglass and 20 Y that the Intrepid project would be coming to an end. They Kevlar bodywork. Riley had a certain amount of design wanted to keep the manufacturing side of the operation busy freedom, but aerodynamic devices like wings and ground- with a product, and decided on another sports racer, though effects venturi tunnels were prohibited. The powerplant much less exotic than the Intrepid. Also, where the Intrepid for all cars in the series was a spec Oldsmobile 2.3-liter was a Chevrolet factory program, this would be a customer Quad 4 engine. car, for sale to anyone who wanted to race one. Pratt & Miller built seven or eight of these cars. They The Intrepid had been designated RM-1, so this car were fun to race, and Miller once again caught the bug. became RM-2, essentially a Sports 2000 car built to the He dusted off his helmet and piloted one of his own specifications of the SCCA’s Oldsmobile Pro Series. It was creations in selected races in the series. Pratt & Miller Camaro Trans-Am Transformation The Sports Car Club of America’s Trans-Am series was a 30-year war. What began in 1966 as the Trans-American Sedan Championships soon became a long-running battle for road racing supremacy between manufacturers and drivers. The competition between Chevrolet Camaros and Ford Mustangs that first propelled the Trans-Am to popularity in the ‘60s became even more intense in the ‘90s as the battle lines were drawn between Roush Racing, Ford’s factory team, and Chevrolet’s champion, Buz McCall’s American Equipment Racing. When Pratt & Miller developed a new tube-framed Camaro for McCall’s team in 1995, the tide turned. Chevrolet won the Trans-Am manufacturers championship by a two-point margin over Ford in one of the series’ tightest title races. AER driver scored a career-best five victories and finished second in the drivers championship. Fellows and Galles posted a 1-2 finish in program, with a combination of wind tunnel tests and championship, while his young teammate, Jamie Galles, Reno, and Chevrolet’s Camaro concluded the season with a extensive track testing. We focused our efforts on handling was fifth in the standings. record 87 victories in America’s longest running race series. and reliability, and it paid off.” In 1996, Fellows scored four wins on street circuits driving “The AER Trans-Am Camaros were cars designed and an AER Camaro carrying the iconic Sunoco colors made built in-house by Pratt & Miller and GM Racing,” Gary Pratt famous by Mark Donohue in the early days of the Trans-Am reports. “They went through an extensive development 6 pratt & Miller Engineering 20 Y 20 e a rs

GMC Envoy , 1 989-2009

Peak Performance racer Larry Ragland set the fastest time at 11:17.66 and “Our philosophy was apply road racing technology to On a clear day, you can see forever from the 14,110- dominated the High Tech Truck and SUV class with Herzog the hill climb,” said Gary Pratt. “The key was to maximize foot summit of Pikes Peak. For one week each year, Motorsports’ GMC Envoy. Ragland relied on a Pratt & Miller traction and maintain grip on the various road surfaces. We the 12.4-mile, 156-turn gravel road to the top of Zebulon chassis and a racing version of GM Powertrain’s DOHC learned valuable lessons over the three years, and improved Pike’s mountain becomes the world’s most spectacular Vortec 4200 inline six-cylinder engine to reach the top. the performance every time we went back. By the third year, raceway. The Pikes Peak International Hill Climb combines The Pikes Peak win was the culmination of a three- we had designed the GMC Envoy to use the same tires on breathtaking vistas with spellbinding displays of driving – year program by Pratt & Miller. The first expedition to the the front and rear – they were actually 14-inch wide rain without the reassuring presence of guard rails, curbs, mountain with a two-wheel drive pickup revealed the unique tires originally designed for an open-wheel car. Even though or pavement. demands of the course’s asphalt, gravel, and dirt surfaces. the inline six-cylinder made less horsepower than a V8, Pratt & Miller was the king of the mountain in the 2000 Pratt & Miller returned the following year with a four-wheel- the increased grip produced the fastest time.” “Race to the Clouds” with an overall victory. Off-road drive truck that won its class, and followed that up with the overall victory with the all-wheel-drive GMC Envoy.

7 pratt & Miller Engineering

989-2009 Oldsmobile Aurora 1 , rs a e 20 Y

The Dawn of a New Age On November 1, 1994, Oldsmobile General Manager John Rock announced a major change in Oldsmobile’s motor- Prototype Design: Engineering Challenge sports programs. “Oldsmobile’s focus for the future will Prototype sports-racing cars are among the most be on world-class powertrains,” said Rock. “A motorsports exciting and challenging to design, build and race. version of the 4.0-liter Aurora engine is being developed After the Intrepid, Pratt & Miller was looking forward to compete in the International Motor Sports Association to another such project. Exxon Supreme GT Series.” Irv Hoerr pulled double duty in 1996 as both Brix Racing’s To be ahead of the game when an opportunity Two years later, Brix Racing’s twin Pratt & Miller-built team manager and lead driver. Hoerr earned his sixth career arose, they undertook creating what they thought Auroras utterly dominated IMSA’s Exxon Supreme GTS-1 IMSA championship with a dominant performance, scoring the most advanced prototype design should be. division, sweeping the 1996 manufacturers and drivers the most wins (seven--including a streak of six straight) and “It was kind of a research and development proj- championships. The team debuted its sleek Aurora race the most poles (five). He was runner-up in the three races ect,” says Gary Pratt. “We did a rendering, built cars with a victory in the season-opening Daytona 24-hour he didn’t win, and he ran the fastest race lap at three events. a quarter-scale model, and did some wind-tunnel race, and went on to win eight races and eight poles in the Hoerr’s teammate Darin Brassfield was runner-up in the studies with it, just to see how it would work.” ten-race series. GTS-1 standings. At that time they had not made the additions to “The Aurora chassis was based on our Trans-Am Pratt & Miller’s engineering staff that they enjoy chassis, but it was designed and built to meet the demands now, and they weren’t ready to invest a lot of of endurance racing,” said Gary Pratt. “Instead of running money in it, so the project never advanced beyond a one-hour sprint race, the cars had to be capable of the wind tunnel model. They hoped to generate racing flat-out for 24 hours. Our focus was on reliability and some interest from an automotive OEM, but GM, durability. Brix Racing’s win in the season-opening Daytona for instance, became interested in production- 24-hour race showed that the Aurora was up to the job. based “silhouette” cars for road racing. And “The Aurora GTS-1 race cars were a cooperative effort that’s the direction Pratt & Miller took. Big time. between GM Design and Pratt & Miller,” Pratt explained. “The rulebook allowed us to shorten the wheelbase so the Aurora race car looked more like a two-door coupe than the production four-door sedan.” With its shapely curves and sleek contours, the Aurora is still regarded as one of the most striking cars ever to compete in IMSA’s top production class. After dominating the IMSA GTS-1 championship, 1996 was truly the year of the Aurora – and Pratt & Miller. 8 pratt & Miller Engineering 20 Y 20 e a rs , , 1 989-2009

CORVETTE C5-R A REALLY GREAT RACE CAR year. Development and testing continued through 1998, During its six years of service with Corvette Racing, the The total program called Corvette Racing has been including long-distance runs, since the goal was to win high- C5-R proved to be one of the most successful race cars ever Pratt & Miller’s biggest, most extensive, most high-profile, profile endurance races like the , the produced: 35 wins in 55 starts; one and most successful project so far. And today, more than 12 , and the 24 Hours of Daytona. overall win; three 24 Hours of Le Mans GTS wins; three 12 years after development began, it is still going strong. Corvette Racing’s first season, 1999, comprised the Hours of Sebring GTS wins; four ALMS GTS manufacturer It started with the Corvette C5-R, and with Herb Fishel Rolex 24 at Daytona plus five selected races in the new championships; four GTS team championships; four GTS as the driving force. Fishel was GM’s director of racing, and . They didn’t win, but a pole driver championships. in 1997 he established a team designed to provide both for the 12 Hours of Sebring, and a couple of runner-up Fellows and Johnny O’Connell won the C5-R’s final race marketing support and technology transfer opportunities finishes were encouraging. – the ALMS series finale at Laguna Seca in 2004. Fellows for the Chevrolet and Corvette brands. Pratt & Miller would The C5-R’s first victory was logged by Ron Fellows and summed up the emotions: “It’s kind of sad to see the C5-R handle the development and racing operations. at Texas Motor Speedway in 2000, and it just go, but I’d say this is a fitting end for a really great race car.” Work began on a racing version of the Corvette C5 (thus got better from there. C5-R) in 1997, with the first on-track testing done late that 9 pratt & Miller Engineering

989-2009 STAYING ON THE LEADING EDGE 1 , rs a

e New Facilities For its first 12 years, Pratt & Miller operated out of

20 Y rented industrial park units in Wixom, Mich., including a manufacturing area and another facility that housed the race team operations. The company was quickly building its reputation, and its resume of successes. A fire in 1992 destroyed much of the manufacturing area, but they immediately rented new space, moved any equipment that had survived, and were back in operation with barely a missed beat. By the early 2000s, the Corvette C5-R program was in full swing and Pratt & Miller was operating on a world stage like never before. They had talked about the possibility of invest- ing in their own land and building, but nothing happened until an outside impetus helped prompt the decision. “Two things happened,” recalls Pratt. “Our lease came up for renewal and all of a sudden our rent skyrocketed. And also, for the first time we reached a contract agreement with GM that was longer than one year. So that gave us the confidence to invest in the new building.” They also discovered the Michigan Economic Develop- ment Board, and qualified for some of its programs and low- rate financing. “That really made a difference in how big we could make the building and what we could do,” Pratt says. The original New Hudson building was 35,000 square feet, designed specifically to meet the company’s needs. It looks like the nerve center of a top-line automotive engineering business, with spaces that work effectively for all the various engineering, manufacturing, and administrative operations. It’s right in line with their operating philosophy, because it has created a much better environment in which to work and to grow. Demand for their services grew quickly, and they were out of space in the new building within the first 12 months. So they built an even larger addition that brought the total square footage to about 100,000. It opened in 2004. Part of what drove the need for expansion was a dramatic increase in Pratt & Miller’s engineering capabilities. That began shortly after they moved, with a merger that launched them into the realm of, literally, rocket science. 10 pratt & Miller Engineering 20 Y 20 e a rs , , 1 989-2009

Expanding Capabilities ing capabilities. By providing world-class simulation and In 2002, Aletheon Technologies LLC, with operations computational support for aerodynamics development, in Ann Arbor Mich., and Mooresville N.C., joined the structural design, and vehicle analysis, Corvid adds a new Pratt & Miller organization, adding an extensive new dimension of advanced technologies for Pratt & Miller to set of engineering capabilities. Aletheon excelled in the offer its customers. application of advanced tools, including CAD, CAE, Vehicle “I can’t help but be unbelievably proud of the fact that Dynamics Simulation, Computational Fluid Dynamics, all our people are executing the way they are,” Jim Miller and virtual prototyping and development. says. “I can just walk around the place and say, ‘I work with The branch of Aletheon offered state-of- them!’ They help us deliver world-class results on a world the-art simulation technologies and high-performance com- stage. It’s a lot of fun!” puting resources to military and aerospace clients such as the U.S. Navy’s Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense program, in addition to supporting customers in the motorsport industry. At the time, Jim Miller was enthusiastic about future prospects that would result. “We expect that [Aletheon] will create other opportunities for the company,” he said, “whether it be in design or manufacture of parts, in testing, or other areas. Knowing our capabilities, and our ability to meet schedules, GM has already started to bring us projects from the production side. And then there are other ancillary, non-motorsport things like our defense department work. In 2004 the North Carolina operation was renamed and incorporated in North Carolina as Corvid Technologies. Today, Corvid’s expertise, its highly experienced engineer- ing staff and ultra-sophisticated computer hardware and software continue to complement Pratt & Miller’s engineer- 11 pratt & Miller Engineering

989-2009 CADILLAC CTS-V 1 , rs a

e Meeting the Challenge Pratt & Miller deployed an arsenal of high-tech tools Can a four-door Cadillac sedan beat legendary sports to turn the production CTS-V into a racing champion. 20 Y cars like Porsche and Viper on the race track? That Working within SCCA guidelines, the body was modified to was the challenge presented to Pratt & Miller when lower its center of gravity and accommodate wide racing Cadillac launched its Team Cadillac motorsports program tires. Sophisticated computer simulations analyzed engine in 2004. Competing successfully in the Sports Car Club cooling, aerodynamics, and chassis setups. Pratt & Miller of America’s World Challenge GT series was a key element fabricators fashioned an adjustable carbon fiber rear wing in Cadillac’s rebirth as a brand that delivered both with complex compound curves to balance the race car’s performance and luxury. aerodynamic performance. Cadillac dominated the World Challenge GT for the four The success of the Team Cadillac program changed years that the menacing black CTS-Vs competed in the perceptions of the Cadillac brand by demonstrating the production-based road racing series. Cadillac won manufac- marque’s performance capabilities. Working alongside turers championships in 2005 and 2007, and Andy Pilgrim GM Racing, Pratt & Miller made Team Cadillac the standard captured the drivers championship in 2005. The of excellence in the SCCA World Challenge GT series. scored 12 wins in 41 races (the most victories by a manu- facturer), 10 poles, 13 fastest laps, and 38 podium finishes. Pratt & Miller provided design, engineering, fabrication, and trackside support services from Day One. “The challenge of the Cadillac CTS-V program was to make a four-door sedan competitive with two-seat sports cars,” said Gary Pratt. “The Cadillac race cars were based on production bodies, so we had to fabricate the roll cage and structure inside the shell, like building a ship in a bottle. We had developed our in-house engineering capabilities to the point that the entire car was designed on a computer before we cut the first piece of tubing.”

12 pratt & Miller Engineering 20 Y 20 e a rs

CORVETTE C6.R , 1 989-2009

The Dynasty Continues challenge to Pratt & Miller engineers. By leveraging the The championship-winning Corvette C5.R was a tough design features of the C6, including flush headlamps and act to follow, but the Corvette C6.R was up to the task. a teardrop-shaped greenhouse, the Pratt & Miller team Unveiled in January 2005 at the North American Interna- produced a race car with low drag and exceptional stability. tional Auto Show alongside the production Corvette Z06, the Through a combination of computational fluid dynamics Pratt & Miller-built GT1 Corvette C6.R became the most suc- (CFD) studies and on-track testing, the end result was cessful race car in the history of the American Le Mans Series. an aerodynamically balanced package that could be tuned From its first race at Sebring International Raceway in to suit both the low-drag demands of Le Mans and the March 2005 to its farewell appearance at the 24 Hours of high-downforce requirements of a street circuit. Le Mans in June 2009, the Corvette C6.R was the dominant Continuous development by the Pratt & Miller team machine in the GT1 class. The twin Compuware Corvettes ensured that the Corvette C6.R remained on the leading scored 42 wins in 60 races, including three class victories edge of performance despite a series of rules-mandated in Le Mans, and claimed four straight ALMS drivers, team, performance adjustments. The impact of the Corvette and manufacturers championships. The Corvettes defeated C6.R was felt around the world of motorsports. Many of the , Maseratis, Aston Martins, Vipers, , and championship-winning machines campaigned by the factory Lamborghinis to earn a prominent place in ’s Corvette Racing team continued their success in the hands record book for Pratt & Miller. of independent teams competing in the 24 Hours of Le Pratt & Miller’s Corvette C6.R program combined years Mans, the , the FIA GT series, and of racing experience with the technical advancements of French and Scandinavian national series. the sixth-generation Corvette. The Corvette C6.R race car The close working relationship between Pratt & Miller and sprang from production roots: the same hydroformed frame the production Corvette group produced a world-class race rails used in production Corvette coupes and convertibles car. “There can be no doubt that the people who created provided the foundation for the racing version. With a these cars have learned from each other,” said Corvette chief shorter overall length and a longer wheelbase than the C5-R, engineer Dave Hill at the C6.R’s introduction. “Which way the sixth-generation Corvette presented an aerodynamic did the technology flow – from the race car into production, or from production to the race car? It went both directions.”

13 pratt & Miller Engineering

989-2009 PONTIAC GTO.R 1 , rs a e 20 Y

EXCITEMENT DELIVERED In 2006 the number of cars expanded with the addition The genesis of Pratt & Miller’s Pontiac GTO development of Pacific Coast Motorsports, and the GTO.Rs were program, for racing in the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car dominant. They won eight of the season’s 15 races, and Series’ GT class, grew out of Pontiac Division’s ongoing work at least one GTO.R driver was on the podium at every race. in positioning itself as the exciting, high-performance car line Counting the last four races of 2005, GTO.R drivers were at General Motors. on the podium for 19 consecutive races. This would be a customer program, with the cars be- Pontiac won the GT manufacturers, TRG took the team ing fielded by independent racing teams instead of a title, and TRG drivers and Marc Bunting were the Pratt & Miller team like Corvette Racing. GT champion drivers. The Pontiacs went through months of development Due to a change in Pontiac’s model lineup, the GTO.R’s and testing before their first race, at Daytona International racing life was brief, but highly successful. And the next year speedway in June, 2005. The first of four victories in that a new car would pick up where the GTO left off. debut season came just two races later, at Watkins Glen, with Jan Magunssen and Paul Edwards driving for the TRG team. 14 pratt & Miller Engineering 20 Y 20 e a rs

PONTIAC GXP.R , 1 989-2009

A NEW GENERATIOn powertrain layout with a race-prepared version of GM’s Pontiac retired the GTO from its lineup after the 2006 LS2 small-block V-8 engine. Lightweight carbon fiber body model year, and introduced a new sport model, called the panels reduced overall weight, with muscular fender flares GXP. Since it doesn’t make marketing sense for an OEM to and a rear wing to give the GXP.R an aggressive appearance race a car that isn’t being sold, Pratt & Miller was already and improve its high-speed aerodynamics. busy developing its successor while the GTO.R was still Leighton Reese’s two-car Banner Racing team racing in 2006. campaigned the GXP.R in 2007. Reese and Tim Lewis Jr. Like the GTO.R, the next generation GXP.R was designed scored the car’s first victory at Lime Rock Park in and built to Grand-Am GT specifications. It combined May. Paul Edwards and Kelly Collins piloted the team’s a fabricated tubular steel frame and rear-wheel-drive second GXP.R to six poles, two GT class victories, and second place in the drivers’ championship. If the GXP.R’s first season was good, 2008 was fantastic. Three more teams came on board with Pontiac – Stevenson Motorsports, Autohaus Motorsports, and PR1 Motorsports. Of the 13 races, Pontiac GXP.Rs won seven – four by Banner and three by Stevenson. Pontiac won the champion- ship for manufacturers, and Banner the team title. Banner drivers Edwards and Collins were the GT champion drivers, with Stevenson’s Robin Liddell and Andrew David very close behind in second. As the company prepared to celebrate its 20th anniversary, Pratt & Miller’s prowess for creating winning race cars was proven yet again.

15 RM-2 Oldsmobile project begins 1992 fire destroys Wixom facility; doesn’t slow operations for long

1989 1990 1991 1992 1993

Chevy Intrepid GTP 1st win, New Orleans, Wayne Taylor

Spice GTP, 2nd at Watkins Glen Jim Miller, Bob Earl Spice GTP, 2nd at Lime Rock Jim Miller, Wayne Taylor Prototype design R&D Chevrolet wins Trans-Am Pikes Peak International manufacturers championship; Hillclimb project begins Ron Fellows scores 5 wins

Oldsmobile Aurora GTS-1 development begins

1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 Oldsmobile Aurora wins IMSA GTS-1 championships for manufacturers and drivers (Irv Hoerr)

Corvette C5-R development and testing begin

Pontiac Pro Stock wind tunnel model Corvette C5-R: 1st overall, Corvette Racing is 1st in GTS, Rolex 24 at Daytona 24 Hours of Le Mans, again

Chevy S-10 wins class Jim & Jane Miller at Pikes Peak 1st in GTS, 24 Hours of Le Mans Cadillac CTS-V program begins

Corvette Racing 1st win: Texas Motor Speedway New Hudson facility opens 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 Johnny O. bails at Laguna Seca Dale Earnhardt Sr. and Jr. join Corvette Racing for Rolex 24; Corvette Racing finish 2nd in class, 4th overall competition debut: Rolex 24 at Daytona

GMC Envoy wins overall ALMS CEO Scott Atherton (l) at Pikes Peak presents team trophy to Gary Pratt; Chevrolet wins manufacturer title; Johnny O’Connell and Ron Fellows are champion drivers Corvid joins Pratt & Miller

Corvette Racing wins ALMS Corvette Racing wins ALMS PANTONE 661 C GRADIENT championships for manufacturers championshipsPANTONE 535 C for manufacturers,PANTONE 7462 C @ 75% and teams teams and drivers (RonPANTONE Fellows)7541 C @25% Debut of Corvette C6.R: wins ALMS Corvette C6RS supercar project begins Corvette Racing wins 8th championships for manufacturers, straight ALMS team and teams and drivers (, manufacturer championships ) Corvette wins 3rd Le Mans in 4 years Corvette wins 5th Le Mans in 6 years and Johnny O’Connell take ALMS drivers’ championship Pontiac GTO.R project development begins

Corvette wins ALMS championships for manufacturers, P&M CFO teams and drivers Tom Mikrut Corvette wins 4th Le Mans in 5 years (Oliver Gavin, (r) with GM’s Olivier Beretta) Gary Claudio 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 Pontiac wins Grand-Am GT 10 Pontiac Solstice race cars are championships for manufacturers, prepared for SPEED TV’s show, SETUP teams (TRG) and drivers

Last season for Corvette C5-R; Corvette C6RS is launched wins ALMS championships for manufacturers, teams and drivers (Johnny O’Connell, Ron Fellows)

Cadillac wins SPEED GT GM Racing manufacturers’ championship Director Cadillac CTS-VR wins Speed GT Mark Kent manufacturers championship; Andy Pilgrim wins drivers’ title Pontiac GXP.R wins Grand-Am GT Corvette wins ALMS championships championships for manufacturers, for manufacturers, teams and drivers teams (Banner Racing) and drivers (Oliver Gavin, Olivier Beretta) (Paul Edwards and Kelly Collins) pratt & Miller Engineering 2009

g, n Corvette GT1 Season: ci a R The Farewell Tour orvette C

Jim Miller

2009 was a year of transition for Corvette Racing as the Fassler. The Corvettes finished sixth and seventh overall, team celebrated its tenth anniversary in international road Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring and the winning car set a record for the most laps com- racing competition. The Corvettes competed in the GT1 pleted by a GT car in ALMS competition in America’s most Sebring, Florida class in the season-opening Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring demanding endurance race. The No. 3 Corvette C6.R also March 21, 2009 and the in preparation for their won the inaugural Michelin Green X Challenge with the best 10th participation in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Following a 1. Johnny O’Connell, Jan Magnussen, Antonio Garcia, score in the GT classes based on performance, efficiency, #3 C6.R, 349 laps sixth victory in France, Corvette Racing moved to the GT2 and environmental impact. category to begin a five-race test and development program 2. Oliver Gavin, Olivier Beretta, Marcel Fassler, “I don’t know why this place has always been special for in preparation for an all-out assault on the unified ALMS GT #4 Chevrolet Corvette C6.R, 348 laps me, but a lot of it is that I’ve been here with good people,” class championship in 2010. said O’Connell after his historic victory. “This is how you The team had a new driver lineup for 2009 as Antonio Sebring want to start a year.” Garcia joined defending ALMS GT1 champions Johnny O’Connell and Jan Magnussen in the No. 3 Compuware History Made, Records Set Corvette C6.R for the Sebring 12-hour, Le Mans 24-hour, and 1000-mile endurance races. Marcel The season began at Sebring with Oliver Gavin winning the Fassler teamed with 2005-07 GT1 champions Oliver Gavin GT1 pole in the black Corvette C6.R, but it was O’Connell, and Olivier Beretta in the No. 4 Compuware Corvette C6.R Magnussen and Garcia who made history in the 57th for the three long-distance races. running of the classic 12-hour endurance race. O’Connell There was also a new look for the GT1 Corvettes as the No. scored his record-setting eighth Sebring class victory, 4 wore black while the No. 3 carried the traditional Velocity Magnussen notched his milestone 100th career victory, Yellow livery. The new graphics reflected the special GT1 and Garcia tallied his first win with Corvette Racing. Championship Edition Corvette produced by Chevrolet to The winning trio completed 349 laps in the No. 3 Corvette commemorate Corvette Racing’s success in the GT1 class. C6.R to take a one-lap victory over Gavin, Beretta, and 20 pratt & Miller Engineering C orvette Tequila Patron American Le Mans Series at Long Beach R Long Beach, California a

April 18, 2009 ci n

1. Oliver Gavin, Olivier Beretta, g,

#4 Chevrolet Corvette C6.R, 73 laps 2009 2. Johnny O’Connell, Jan Magnussen, #3 Chevrolet Corvette C6.R, 42 laps

Long Beach 41 Plus 32 = The Most

One month later, the American Le Mans Series at Long Beach marked the final appearance by the GT1 Corvettes on U.S. soil. The series saluted the GT1 Corvettes in a special ceremony in the Long Beach winner’s circle as several former Corvette Racing drivers joined the team for the celebration. “The best sports car teams in the world have competed in the American Le Mans Series over the last 11 years, but it is impossible to think of one that has generated more suc- cess than Corvette Racing – both on and off the track,” said ALMS President and CEO Scott Atherton. “The countless people at Corvette Racing, GM and Pratt & Miller who have made this program the most popular among our fans and dominant among its competitors have every reason to be proud as they have made history and rewritten the record book in GT1.” Gavin and Beretta had a trouble-free run in the 100- minute race through the streets of Long Beach. Beretta extended his record for ALMS victories with his 41st career win, while Gavin notched his 32nd ALMS victory. With a total of 73 wins, the pair affirmed their standing as the most successful driving duo in ALMS history. The No. 3 Corvette C6.R of O’Connell and Magnussen suffered a tire puncture while leading and then retired with a drivetrain problem.

21 pratt & Miller Engineering GT1: FAREWELL TOUR, continued to win four class titles in the 24-hour enduro. The winning Corvette C6.R completed 342 laps, racing to a six-lap 2009 margin of victory over the No. 73 Luc Alphand Aventures g,

n 24 Hours of Le Mans Corvette C6.R. The No. 64 Corvette C6.R retired from the

ci lead in the 22nd hour when a pinion bearing failed within a Going Out A Winner R sight of the pit entrance. The two Corvettes waged a fierce battle throughout 22 Corvette Racing went to Le Mans on a mission. After runner- of the 24 hours, never separated by more than one lap. up finishes in Le Mans in 2007 and 2008, the team was The pole-winning No. 63 Corvette C6.R led from the start orvette totally committed to winning its sixth Le Mans title in its final C for 18 hours and 52 minutes. Beretta then put the No. 64 race in GT1. Corvette C6.R in front, passing Garcia on a restart following Magnussen won the pole in the GT1 category for a safety car period. The 21st hour saw an intense duel the second straight year with a time of 3:54.230 on the between O’Connell and Fassler with the cars dicing around immense 8.47-mile circuit. Beretta was a heartbeat behind the entire circuit. at 3:54.702 to give the Corvette Racing team a one-two “It was a great race, but a shame that the No. 64 Corvette qualifying sweep. was not there at the finish,” said Garcia. “We raced really, O’Connell, Magnussen and Garcia brought down the really hard for 22 hours. We were racing fair, and we were curtain on the GT1 era with a victory in Le Mans, scoring all going 100 percent.” Corvette Racing’s sixth win in the world’s most prestigious This race marked the end of the Corvette Racing’s GT1 sports car race. O’Connell became the first American driver era that began in 1999 – a program that propelled America’s premier production sports car team to 77 victories and eight 24 Hours of Le Mans consecutive American Le Mans Series championships. “At the end of the day, today’s victory is emblematic Le Mans, France of what American teamwork and American spirit is about,” June 13-14, 2009 said program manager Doug Fehan. 1. Johnny O’Connell, Jan Magnussen, Antonio Garcia, #63 Chevrolet Corvette C6.R, 342 laps 2. , , Yann Clairay, #73 Chevrolet Corvette C6.R, 336 laps not classified: Oliver Gavin, Olivier Beretta, Marcel Fassler, #64 Chevrolet Corvette C6.R, 311 laps (retired) Luc Alphand, , Stephane Gregoire, #72 Chevrolet Corvette C6.R, 99 laps (retired)

22 pratt & Miller Engineering C orvette R a ci n g,

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23 pratt & Miller Engineering

The GT2 Corvette C6.R is built on the same aluminum frame as production Corvette Z06 and ZR1 models. The GT1 race cars use steel frames from the Corvette coupe and convertible. The GT1 car’s 2009

front fender louvers are not allowed in GT2. g, n ci a R orvette C

GT1 and GT2 Corvette C6R: Brothers in Arms There’s a family resemblance, fications presented a greater challenge to Pratt & Miller’s Pratt & Miller’s in-house composite shop. In accordance but similarities end with the name engineering team. with The GT1 and GT2 versions of the Corvette race car are both The GT2 Corvette C6.R is based on the Corvette ZR1 the aerodynamic regulations, the rear wing was reduced designated C6.R – Corvette 6th Generation, Racing – but supercar, while the GT1 version was homologated on the 25 percent in width, the diffuser became a flat panel without that is the end of their similarities. When Pratt & Miller set Corvette Z06 model. The GT2 Corvette C6.R utilizes the fences or strakes, and the splitter dimensions were defined out to design, build, develop and race the next-generation ZR1’s body design, aerodynamic package, aluminum frame by the production ZR1 component. Corvette C6.R, the project began with a clean sheet of paper and chassis structure, steering system, windshield, and “Integrating a steel safety cage that meets GM Racing’s – or, to be precise, a blank computer screen. other components. Building on this production foundation, stringent standards as well as the strength and durability The rules that govern international road racing are Pratt & Miller prepared the cars for the rigors of endurance targets required in racing is a challenge with an aluminum prescribed by the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile racing with safety and performance modifications as permit- frame,” explained Pratt & Miller engineering director Doug (FIA), the global motorsports sanctioning body, and the Au- ted by the GT2 rules. Louth. “Working in conjunction with the structure and chas- tomobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO), organizer of the 24 Hours of In place of the GT1 Corvette’s steel frame, the GT2 ver- sis engineers in the Corvette production group, we designed, Le Mans. The regulations for the GT2 category (simply called sion utilizes the production ZR1’s hydroformed aluminum built and tested numerous examples before we finalized “GT” in the 2010 American Le Mans Series) impose strict frame as the base for a fully integrated tubular steel safety the configuration. We went through a similar process with limits on modifications. Consequently the GT2 Corvette C6.R cage. Pratt & Miller developed a proprietary method using the production Corvette group on the body design and aero is much closer to the production Corvette than its predeces- both mechanical joints and aerospace adhesives to attach components. It was truly a collaborative effort between the sor, with virtually no interchangeable parts with the GT1 the roll cage. The GT1 version’s wide, louvered fenders production engineers and the race team.” version. Paradoxically, hewing closer to production speci- were replaced by flared ZR1-style fenders manufactured in Advanced technology tools enabled Pratt & Miller to meet 24 pratt & Miller Engineering C

The production Corvette ZR1 has wide carbon fiber front fenders with dual vents, which are orvette reproduced in the GT2 race car. The production-based ZR1 splitter extends 25mm, in contrast to the 80mm splitter allowed under the GT1 rules. The chord width of the GT2 rear wing was reduced 25 percent, from the GT1’s 400mm, to 300mm. R a ci n g,

2009

The GT2 car’s diffuser now starts at the back of the rear wheel opening rather than at the centerline of the rear axle. Strakes and sidewalls are not permitted, so the GT2 diffuser is a flat panel while the GT1 diffuser was effectively a tunnel.

GT1 C6.Rs are equipped with carbon brake rotors. GT2 rules require ferrous (steel) rotors. Wheel and tire dimensions are the same in both classes, but GT2 cars have aluminum rather than magnesium rims. the challenge and complete the project on time. “With the short development schedule, we relied on ‘virtual’ design and computer simulation more than ever before,” said Gary Pratt. “We made design, engineering and manufacturing simultaneous processes as much as possible. For example, while the first chassis was being built, we continued to run computer simulations on suspension geometry and refined the aerodynamics using CFD (computational fluid dynamics) because these areas didn’t have to be finalized until later in the production timeline. We have developed the capabilities to do finite element analysis and composite fabrication in- house, which accelerated our design and production cycle.” With less than a year from concept to completion, Pratt & Miller’s advanced technology and talented people propelled the GT2 Corvette C6.R from CAD screen to the ALMS winner’s circle in record time.

25 pratt & Miller Engineering 2009

g, n Corvette GT2 Season: ci a R This Is Only a Test orvette

C in the hard-fought GT2 category. The No. 3 Corvette C6.R Sports Car Challenge of Mid-Ohio crossed the finish line 21 seconds behind the class-winning Porsche 911 RSR while the No. 4 Corvette C6.R finished Lexington, Ohio one lap down after getting caught out by the safety car August 8, 2009 during a full-course caution. 1. Jorg Bergmeister, , “Today was such an impressive debut for the new GT2 Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, 108 laps Corvettes, but I wouldn’t expect anything less from this 2. Johnny O’Connell, Jan Magnussen, team,” O’Connell said. “We’ve gained so much experience #3 Chevrolet Corvette C6.R, 108 laps in GT1 over the years, and Corvette Racing sets the 3. Dirk Mueller, , BMW E92 M3, 107 laps standards for car construction and preparation.” 4. Oliver Gavin, Olivier Beretta, #4 Chevrolet Corvette C6.R, 107 laps Split Decision Mid-Ohio Corvette Racing opened a new chapter in racing history with the debut of the GT2 Corvette C6.R at the Mid-Ohio Sports First Time Out, Second The high-speed Road America circuit in Elkhart Lake, Car Course on August 6. With the prospect of a single GT Wis., was the next test for the new Corvettes. The Corvettes class in the American Le Mans Series in 2010, Pratt & Miller qualified fourth and fifth, and O’Connell and Magnussen Magnussen and Gavin qualified the GT2 Corvette C6.Rs returned to the podium with a third-place finish. An used the final five rounds on the 2009 calendar to test and third and sixth respectively in the team’s GT2 debut at Mid- develop the next-generation Corvette C6.R. inopportune safety car period essentially decided the race Ohio. “Ordinarily we wouldn’t be very happy with third, but after only 15 minutes when the gained a lap on the “We’re not running for a championship this year, so we’re I’m quite pleased,” said Magnussen. “The cars worked well looking at the upcoming races as preparation for 2010,” rest of the GT2 field. Series officials subsequently revised the and the team has built a fantastic car with real potential.” safety car procedures to prevent splitting the GT2 entries. said Gary Pratt. “Our only testing from this point on will be Magnussen and O’Connell realized that potential with at the races, and we’ll be doing it in the public eye. Certainly a runner-up finish while Gavin and Beretta finished fourth we hope to achieve the same level of success that we did in GT1, but the caliber of the competition we will face in GT2 Time Warner Cable Road Race Showcase is very high. When we started in GT1 in 1999, it took a while Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin to win; now we have 10 years of experience that should help August 16, 2009 us to become competitive in a new category. Everyone at 1. , , #90 BMW E92 M3, 69 laps Corvette Racing is looking forward to the challenge.” It was a speedy transition as Corvette Racing posted 2. Dirk Mueller, Tommy Milner, #92 BMW E92 M3, 68 laps five podium finishes and notched its first GT2 win at 3. Johnny O’Connell, Jan Magnussen, Mosport International Raceway. In the series’ final five #3 Chevrolet Corvette C6.R, 68 laps races, Corvette Racing scored more team and manufac- 6. Oliver Gavin, Olivier Beretta, turer points than any other GT2 entry, and drivers Johnny #4 Chevrolet Corvette C6.R, 67laps O’Connell and Jan Magnussen tallied the most points in the GT2 drivers championship. 26 pratt & Miller Engineering C orvette R a ci n g,

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The final 30 minutes of the race featured a fast and Mobil 1 Grand Prix of Mosport furious duel between Magnussen and driver . When Magnussen rejoined the race after his final pit Bowmanville, Ontario stop, the two cars went side-by-side into the fast downhill August 30, 2009 section following the pit exit. Magnussen held the inside line 1. Johnny O’Connell, Jan Magnussen, through Moss Corner and took the lead for good going into #3 Chevrolet Corvette C6.R, 117 laps the Andretti Straight. The Dane then withstood intense 2. Jamie Melo, Pierre Kaffer, Ferrari 430 GT, 117 laps pressure from Kaffer to take the checkered flag. 3. Oliver Gavin, Olivier Beretta, “That was one of the finest drives I’ve ever seen,” said #4 Chevrolet Corvette C6.R, 116 laps O’Connell. “It was mistake-free, and knowing what he had to do with that car, today was all Jan. He was a rock star, and the crew had a killer to get him out in front Mosport of the Ferrari.” First Win! So Sweet

The Grand Prix of Mosport was a milestone for Corvette Racing as O’Connell and Magnussen scored the team’s first GT2 victory. Gavin and Beretta finished third to give Corvette Racing two places on the podium. It was an emotional win for O’Connell and Magnussen, who shared their first ALMS victory at Mosport in 1999. O’Connell scored his record- setting seventh win at Mosport in his milestone 100th ALMS start, while Magnussen celebrated the birth of his second son earlier in the week. 27 pratt & Miller Engineering GT2: THIS IS ONLY A TEST, continued 2009

g, n ci a R orvette C

Petit Le Mans

Braselton, Georgia August 30, 2009 1. Jamie Melo, Pierre Kaffer, , Ferrari 430 GT, 170 laps 2. Dirk Mueller, Tommy Milner, Jorg Mueller, BMW E92 M3, 169 laps 3. , , Splish Splash Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, 169 laps 4. Oliver Gavin, Olivier Beretta, Marcel Fassler, #4 Chevrolet Corvette C6.R, 169 laps The GT2 version of the Corvette C6.R faced its first test of endurance in the 1,000-mile/10-hour Petit Le Mans at 6. Johnny O’Connell, Jan Magnussen, Antonio Garcia, #3 Chevrolet Corvette C6.R, 168 laps Road Atlanta. Beretta and O’Connell qualified third and seventh respectively in hot and humid conditions, but rain was on the way. The two Corvette C6.Rs dominated the first three hours of the race, running first and second consis- tently until a flurry of pit stops mixed the running order just as heavy rain arrived. The deluge forced officials to red flag the race with only four hours and 50 minutes completed. When the race ended with the cars parked in the pit lane, the No. 4 Corvette C6.R was fourth in the GT2 class, one lap behind the GT2-winning Ferrari 430. The No. 3 Com- puware Corvette C6.R was classified sixth, two laps down. 28 pratt & Miller Engineering C

Laguna Seca “It was really good, hard racing,” said Magnussen. “It was orvette Monterey Sports Car Championships a drag race up the hill, and I managed to get ahead of him. Wild Finish Then he turned me into the wall, and he kept turning in. Monterey, California Then I spun around the nose of his car.” October 10, 2009 R The ALMS season finale in Monterey, Calif., concluded the The Danish driver was examined and released from the a 1. Jorg Bergmeister, Patrick Long, team’s test and development program. Magnussen claimed trackside medical center after his close encounter with the ci Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, 155 laps n Corvette Racing’s first GT2 pole when he topped the class concrete barrier as the Corvette’s safety systems and energy- g,

2. Johnny O’Connell, Jan Magnussen, in the No. 3 Corvette C6.R, and Gavin qualified the No. 4 absorbing structure performed as designed in the impact. 2009 #3 Chevrolet Corvette C6.R, 155 laps Corvette C6.R third in GT2. “Racing in GT2 has been a great experience so far,” 3. Wolf Henzler, Pierre Ehret, The four-hour race finished with fireworks as Magnussen said Gary Pratt. “I realize now how much everyone on this Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, 154 laps spun across the track and hit the wall on the pit straight. team enjoys having good competition. We have been able 10. Oliver Gavin, Olivier Beretta, The wild finish capped an intense battle between the No. 3 to carry over everything we learned in previous programs #4 Chevrolet Corvette C6.R, 143 laps Corvette and the No. 45 Flying Lizard Porsche. Magnussen to GT2, and we were competitive right out of the box. That had relentlessly cut down the lead of the class-leading underlines the importance of the people and the continuity Porsche to mere inches in the closing minutes. With the of the program.” checkered flag already displayed for the overall winner, the Corvette and Porsche had contact in the final corner and raced side-by-side to the finish line.

29 pratt & Miller Engineering

Corvette Racing 2009 Accomplishments 2009

g, n

ci 4 wins a

R 12 Hours of Sebring – GT1 (O’Connell/ Magnussen/Garcia)

orvette Long Beach – C GT1 (Gavin/Beretta) 24 Hours of Le Mans – GT1 (O’Connell/ Magnussen/Garcia) Mosport – GT2 (O’Connell/Magnussen)

4 fastest qualifiers 12 Hours of Sebring – GT1 (Gavin) Long Beach – GT1 (Beretta) 24 Hours of Le Mans – GT1 (Magnussen) Laguna Seca – GT2 (Magnussen)

4 fastest race laps 12 Hours of Sebring – GT1 (Gavin) Long Beach – GT1 (Beretta) 24 Hours of Le Mans – GT1 (Gavin) Laguna Seca – GT2 (Magnussen)

Thanks to all the people at Corvette Racing and GM

30 pratt & Miller Engineering C

THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS AND PARTNERS orvette Compuware Shelby Trim General Motors Master Blaster Chevrolet Liberty Chevrolet R a Corvette Klein Tools ci n

BBS Wheels Motorsports Composites g,

Bose Dynotech 2009 Ethanol Promotion and Team Tech Information Council (EPIC) CDM Detroit FARO Technologies Ductile Genuine Corvette McNichol’s Anodizing Accessories Michigan Sandblasting K&N Filters H.E.B Powder Coat Katech Tram Tool Mahle Pistons Carlisle Productions Michelin KFC Composites Mobil 1 Lightnen’s Customs Motorola Piloti Paul Reed Smith Guitars Competition Graphics PolyWorks® American Le Mans Series UAW-GM Automobile Club XM Satellite Radio de l’Ouest Dewitt Radiators www.corvetteracing.com www.badboyvettes.com A special thanks to: Hans Electric Spring Mountain Motorsports Ranch Les Stanford Chevrolet

31 pratt & Miller Engineering y da to DESIGN, DEVELOP, BUILD, RACE, WIN business

As Pratt & Miller enters its third decade of operation, the company has become a powerful force in both the racing and high-level engineering. It ranks among a very small, elite group of North American companies, with proven capabilities to design, develop, build, race, and especially to win. A resolute commitment to excellence continues to ensure that customers receive exceptional products and services – innovative, cost-effective, time-efficient, and results-oriented. From the beginning, one of the company’s goals was to get out ahead of the technological curve in its abilities to produce winning results. At first that meant results on the race track, but over the years it has grown to mean every aspect of automotive design, engineering, development, low-volume manufacturing, and also missile systems and military vehicle applications. Auto racing was Pratt & Miller’s original reason for being, and still is its core. But the skills, the can-do attitude and no-excuses approach that it takes to win at the upper levels of professional racing transfer very well to non-racing automotive projects, too. “We approach our work with much more intensity than a company that doesn’t have a racing-inspired mind-set,” says Jim Miller, “and we apply that same level of intensity to every project we’re engaged in.” Whether a customer’s goal is to win on the racetrack, in marketplace, or on the battlefield, Pratt & Miller can provide professional technicians and engineers who have the insight, skills, and passion to deliver success.

ENGINEERING SERVICES: COMPUTER-AIDED EXPERTISE Engineering is the heart of the enterprise. Pratt & Miller design engineers are proficient in powerful software programs such as Unigraphics NX, Autodesk, SolidWorks, and ANSYS finite element analysis. The hallmarks of Pratt & Miller design solutions are efficiency, accuracy, performance, and timeliness. Pratt & Miller also has world-class expertise in multi- body simulation (MBS), software development, training, implementation and application. The company’s proficiency 32 pratt & Miller Engineering the

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in virtual simulation and advanced structure tool sets as well as kinematics, vehicle and component mass inertia produces a condensed and robust development process. testing, seven-post rig analysis, full and fractional scale Strong capabilities in computer-aided design (CAD), wind tunnel development, and finite element analysis (FEA). computer-aided engineering (CAE), and computational fluid These technologies help ensure that Pratt & Miller provides dynamics (CFD) make possible the creation of “virtual” its clients with the most advanced level of analysis possible. components, ranging from a simple bracket to a complete vehicle. Technical resources include a FARO Technologies MANUFACTURING laser scanner that can digitize such complex surfaces as a Pratt & Miller extends its engineering prowess with state-of- body panel, and a rapid prototyping machine that can create the-art manufacturing and fabrication capabilities. When a sample parts. vast engineering foundation provides the means for these CFD and vehicle dynamics simulation (VDS) are often activities, supplying parts – from intricate to massive – key components in a development program. They are on short notice for customers becomes possible. fully integrated with Pratt & Miller’s proprietary automated Pratt & Miller has manufactured various suspension and dynamic analysis of mechanical systems (ADAMS) model, driveline components, structural lightweight composite parts, 33 pratt & Miller Engineering

y Pratt & Miller’s 20th anniversary celebration at the New Hudson headquarters.

da DESIGN, DEVELOP, BUILD, RACE, WIN, continued to

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and fabricated assemblies for a variety of military vehicles These include the Lap Time Simulator software, which INVESTMENTS FOR SUCCESS and many cars and trucks for automotive OEMs. allows engineers to predict and optimize a car’s performance; Techniques employed by Pratt & Miller demand specialist With a racing-bred specialty in tight timelines, the Design of Experiment post-processing program that distills skills and high levels of proficiency across numerous Pratt & Miller is helping its customers to in turn satisfy volumes of data, and points out potentially productive ways disciplines. The company continuously invests in the their end customers, by enabling them to maintain or even to improve performance; and the Vehicle Engineering System resources necessary to employ people with the required accelerate their schedules for development, testing and – a powerful knowledge-base application that is tailored for expertise, and dedication. assembly operations – helping to make the seemingly vehicle development programs. Pratt & Miller Engineering has a staff of more than 140 impossible become reality. “Many of our software solutions have applications beyond employees, including 65 engineers with advanced degrees the race track,” said Kumar Periannan, manager of the in mechanical, electrical, aerospace, computer and nuclear SOFTWARE SOLUTIONS computer-aided engineering department. “The advantage engineering. With an intelligently designed infrastructure Today’s indispensable tools in motorsports include of these tools is that they exist in a computer environment. and highly sophisticated equipment at their disposal, computers and software. Now, Pratt & Miller’s proprietary Instead of building a series of expensive prototypes for real- Pratt & Miller technicians can produce everything from software programs, developed for racing, are being used world tests, much of the preliminary development can be individual components to complete road and race cars. And to gain a competitive advantage for customers outside the done in a virtual world. This reduces cost and speeds up because the fabrication and assembly divisions are fully motorsports industry. the production cycle. Testing on the computer is faster and integrated with Pratt & Miller’s design and development less expensive than testing on pavement.” services, customers receive unrivaled accuracy, efficiency, and performance. 34 pratt & Miller Engineering the

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HIGH-SPEED ACTION; HIGH-TECH TOOLS can access during a race weekend as NASCAR prohibits the use of standard data acquisition systems that are database development, design and finite element typically utilized in motorsports. analysis, and aerodynamic development through the In all forms of racing, tire performance is critical. In use of proprietary computational fluid dynamics software. NASCAR, a consortium of the vehicle manufacturers PRATT & MILLER IN NASCAR “One of the most important toolsets we offer is the participate in Goodyear tire testing. From this testing, Since 2005, a team of Pratt & Miller engineers located Pratt & Miller Vehicle Engineering System,” says Chris all teams have access to the same raw data, but from in North Carolina has supported several Chevrolet- Gilligan, NASCAR program manager. “It can be applied there, Pratt & Miller engineers use their proprietary tire sponsored teams in the NASCAR Sprint Cup and Camping to either race-car or production-car development, and it model to test and analyze the information. The results, the World Truck Series. The company offers advanced integrates design, CAE, development and testing data into engineers believe, give the Chevrolet teams an advantage in engineering support in the form of customizing toolsets one manageable database. The teams use VES as their making beneficial use of the testing data. and methodologies that are integrated into the team’s car-setup and trackside-information-gathering tool.” In addition to their work at the race shops, Pratt & Miller existing race operations and engineering departments. The Pratt & Miller engineers also have had success engineering personnel attend every Sprint Cup and Over the past several years, Pratt & Miller’s support has with some timing and scoring analysis tools in order to Camping World Truck Series race on behalf of General helped these GM teams enhance a solid engineering base help the teams analyze such data in connection with the Motors. This trackside assistance helps the teams use the in ways that they may find difficult to do on their own. development and execution of race strategy. Such timing related engineering tools they provide, and assist with any The support provided includes advanced simulation work, and scoring information is the only numerical data the teams engineering or support questions that may arise. 35 pratt & Miller Engineering y da to

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THE SCIENCE OF SPEED AND POWER It could apply to a Corvette C6.R rocketing down the NASCAR in particular, and the U.S. Department of Corvid applies its massive computing power to solve Mulsanne Straight, or a ballistic missile hurtling toward its Defense. One of the most powerful implements in difficult problems in shock physics and structural target. The problems are complex; the scientific challenges Corvid’s engineering toolbox is high-fidelity computational mechanics. Their portfolio also includes styling and intimidating. Corvid Technologies, based in Mooresville, fluid dynamics (CFD) – a “virtual wind tunnel” that surfacing, applied tool development, experimental test N.C., applies the power of advanced technology to solve mathematically simulates airflow around a vehicle. support, and theoretical research. Corvid Technologies the problems and overcome the challenges. Corvid is the This sophisticated technology is influencing the design developed Velodyne, a finite element analysis tool, as foundation of Pratt & Miller’s strategy to deliver state-of- of both racing and production automobiles. For example, an advanced structural mechanics code that’s capable the-art engineering and high-performance computing to the aerodynamics of the championship-winning Corvette of solving complex engineering problems. a diverse customer base. C6.R race car were developed entirely on a computer Through its integration with Pratt & Miller Engineering, Corvid is all about power – brain power and computer screen using Corvid’s CFD programs. The ANSYS CFD Corvid has the ability to take a project all the way power. More than 60 percent of Corvid employees hold package, the Corvid-developed RavenCFD flow solver, and continued on page 38 advanced degrees (MS or PhD) in physics or engineering. proprietary development tools permitted Corvid to perform The company’s in-house supercomputer system is loaded drafting studies, and design and analyze aerodynamic with 2500 processors, approximately 90 terabytes of data improvements. These included drag reduction, downforce storage, 3000 gigabytes of RAM, and the capability to increase and optimization, ride height studies, radiator calculate problems with more than 200 million elements. flow optimization, and brake cooling studies. This same Originally, Corvid’s intent was to bring cutting-edge technology can be used to evaluate blast dynamics, missile engineering and technology to the racing industry, launchers, and propulsion systems for defense applications. 36 pratt & Miller Engineering the

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CAD model CFD analysis y

Computer renderings

Land Speed Record car development.

High fidelity CAD model Corvid’s advanced Finite Element Analysis (FEA) simulations helps prior to CFD grid application predict and quantify physical impact testing.

37 pratt & Miller Engineering y

da THE SCIENCE OF SPEED AND POWER, to

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Corvid’s CFD analysis quantify physical testing of AEGIS ballistic missiles.

concept to completion. In the development phase, the company offers industrial design services, concept sketches, and computer-aided design. The analysis phase of a project can include CFD, shock physics, structural dynamics, and simulations on Corvid’s massive supercomputer. In the prototyping step, Pratt & Miller provides design, fabrication, and composite components. The next stage is testing, where Corvid’s portfolio ranges from aerodynamic evaluation to ballistics and munitions test support. Corvid customers have included GM Racing (its NASCAR, IRL, ALMS, Grand-Am, SCCA, and other programs) and several top-tier NASCAR teams. In the defense sector, Corvid’s clients include Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, BAE, Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense, U.S. Navy, U.S. Army, U.S. Air Force, Army Air and Missile Command, DARPA, Missile Defense Agency, Navy Integrated Warfare Systems, Special Operations Command, Space and Missile Defense Command, Sandia National Labs, Aviation Missile and Space Command, Applied Physics Lab, and Naval Surface Weapons Center. More information about Corvid Technologies is available at www.corvidtechnologies.com. 38 pratt & Miller Engineering T he B engineering in action usiness The following pages contain case studies on a variety of Pratt & Miller projects. They describe in some detail the customer’s needs, the actions T

Pratt & Miller took, and the resulting customer benefits. Most involve several of the disciplines that are integrated into the company’s operations. o da y : C a

CASE STUDY se S tu d 2010 Cadillac SRX Competitive Test Program ie s When Cadillac marketers needed an objective third- DEVELOP: RACE: party test of the 2010 Cadillac SRX and its marketplace After the scope of the test program was defined, the testing Executing the test in a compressed time frame, competitors, they called Pratt & Miller Engineering. procedure was evaluated and refined. Additional tests were Pratt & Miller provided a trained development driver Utilizing the same sophisticated technology that powers scheduled, and the resources needed to conduct the test and utilized its team of race engineers to manage data Pratt & Miller’s championship-winning race cars, the were determined. collection and analysis. The test team monitored and Pratt & Miller engineering team instrumented the test adapted to changing weather conditions, analyzed the vehicles, collected accurate performance data, and BUILD: real-time telemetry data, and calculated the objective analyzed this data to compare the performance of the Pratt & Miller personnel instrumented the test vehicles and performance values using PM-MetricGen software. Cadillac SRX with its competition. Pratt & Miller also utilized its transporters and logistics expertise to stage the They also documented the test procedures and provided provided comprehensive video and photography services, test at the GM Milford Proving Ground in Milford, Mich. photography and videography of every vehicle and event. sourced the competitive vehicles ( Q5, BMW X3, and The performance evaluations included autocross, slalom, Lexus RX350), and compiled a comprehensive report. lane changes, and skidpad tests on both wet and dry WIN: surfaces, as well as acceleration runs. The test results were delivered on time and on budget to DESIGN: Cadillac, providing essential information for the success- The Pratt & Miller team consulted with Cadillac representa- ful launch of the SRX. The Pratt & Miller test program tives to determine the client’s objectives. Drawing on years provided a benchmark for Cadillac to compare the SRX of experience in vehicle dynamics testing, Pratt & Miller with its showroom rivals. engineers then designed an intensive one-day evaluation . plan incorporating a variety of dynamic tests.

39 pratt & Miller Engineering

s CASE STUDY ie d tu S TACTICAL WHEELED VEHICLES se a As the nature of armed conflicts in the world has DESIGN: yet lightweight components are designed to enhance the C :

y changed, the needs of the military for versatile and effi- Pratt & Miller Engineering has designed body structures, TWVs’ fuel efficiency, maneuverability, and payload capac-

da cient Tactical Wheeled Vehicles (TWV) also have evolved. engine, driveline, steering and suspension components ity. Pratt & Miller has also manufactured driveline, steering o Although race cars and military vehicles have vastly differ- for the MRAP, M-ATV, JLTV and LAV programs. and suspension components for these programs. T ent missions, they both share the need for efficiency, reli- ability, durability, and performance under extreme stress. DEVELOP: RACE: Now Pratt & Miller is applying the expertise developed in Pratt & Miller Engineering has led development on body Pratt & Miller Engineering has provided all of these usiness motorsports to multiple Tactical Wheeled Vehicle programs. structures, engine, driveline, steering and suspension com- services on tight deadlines in a compressed schedule. B Pratt & Miller Engineering has been contracted to pro- ponents for the MRAP, M-ATV, JLTV and LAV programs. he

T vide engineering and manufacturing support for the Mine WIN: Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP), MRAP All-Terrain BUILD: Customer vehicles employing Pratt & Miller’s technology Vehcile (M-ATV), Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV), and Pratt & Miller Engineering has manufactured carbon compos- and components are among the finalists for the U.S. Light Armored Vehicle (LAV) programs. Pratt & Miller was ite body structures and engine components. These strong military’s TWV programs based on their performance, selected due to the company’s proven ability to provide payload and protection. weight-optimized solutions with expeditious timing.

40 pratt & Miller Engineering T CASE STUDY he B Motus MST-01 Sport usiness T o

Touring Motorcycle da y : C a se S tu d ie s

The Motus MST-01 was conceived as the ultimate sport touring motorcycle – a next-generation machine designed for spirited performance, personal comfort, and extended range. Committed to producing an American-made DESIGN: RACE: motorcycle unlike anything currently on the market, Design and production of the Motus MST series of motor- Pratt & Miller Engineering has led the engineering effort for Motus Motorcycles turned to Pratt & Miller Engineering to cycles incorporates many of Pratt & Miller’s race-proven the Motus MST-01, integrating the chassis with Katech’s develop and manufacture their innovative design. technologies. A combination of computer-aided engineering unique KMV4 engine and meeting Motus’ stringent design Motus Motorcycles’ target customers are discerning tools such as CAD, finite element analysis (FEA), computa- criteria. An accelerated design, development and manufac- enthusiasts who appreciate responsive handling, absolute tional fluid dynamics (CFD) and multi-body simulation are turing timeline has been made possible using Pratt & Miller’s reliability on extended journeys, premium components, and being implemented throughout the design process. leading edge virtual development process. exceptional design. Pratt & Miller’s advanced engineering tools and high-tech manufacturing capabilities are giving DEVELOP: WIN: Motus an edge on its competition in performance, Using sophisticated ADAMS multi-body simulation tools, Pratt & Miller Engineering will deliver a world-class safety and durability. Pratt & Miller Engineering is developing the suspension and sport touring motorcycle to Motus in a compressed Pratt & Miller Engineering’s 20-year history of success in handling systems for the MST-01 in a digital environment. 10-month period. “We are thrilled about this partnership motorsports was a key factor in Motus Motorcycles’ decision PME will also support the testing and development process with Pratt & Miller,” said Motus president Lee Conn. “They to form the business relationship. “With their vast experi- for the prototype bikes. have a total commitment to excellence, a world-class staff ence developing high-performance, lightweight vehicles, we and proprietary technology that allow small companies like quickly identified Pratt & Miller as the perfect partner to en- BUILD: Motus to compete on a global basis. Because their engineer- gineer our lightweight, high-performance motorcycle,” said Pratt & Miller Engineering will be responsible for manufac- ing and fabrication teams are all under one roof, they can Brian Case, VP and Design Director of Motus Motorcycles. turing the 4130 chromoly steel space frame, transmission, build Founded in 2008, Motus Motorcycles is a privately held and composite body work. The rolling chassis will be inte- complex vehicle packages with very few iterations.” company entering the market with the first V4-powered grated with the Motus KMV4, the world’s first direct-injected American sport touring motorcycle. The MST series motor- V4 developed by Katech Engines of Clinton Township, cycles and accessories will be sold internationally through Michigan. Katech was Pratt & Miller’s longtime technology a network of independent dealers and distributors. partner in the GT1 Corvette Racing program. 41 pratt & Miller Engineering

s CASE STUDY ie d tu S ArvinMeritor Megalodon 400 LPM Flow Bench se

a ArvinMeritor, Inc., is a Tier One automotive supplier that C : produces body components, drivetrain systems, and ride y control products for heavy-duty and commercial trucks, light da

o trucks, passenger cars, and all-terrain vehicles. Among the T company’s products is the driver-adjustable ArvinMeritor Dynamic Height Control (DHC) suspension that is standard equipment on the Pratt & Miller Corvette C6RS supercar.

usiness Pratt & Miller Engineering extended its relationship with B ArvinMeritor by designing and manufacturing two custom- he

T made flow benches for the company’s research and devel- opment laboratory. The second-generation unit, the Mega- lodon 400 LPM flow bench, is one of the largest capacity damper flow benches in the world. Previously existing flow benches could only measure 10 percent of the operational flow of military dampers produced by ArvinMeritor.

DESIGN: Pratt & Miller engineers designed the Megalodon damper flow bench to handle a peak flow requirement of 400 liters per minute (LPM) at 3000 psi pressure. Electro-hydraulic proportional throttle valves control the flow through the damper valve being tested. Pratt & Miller’s flow bench design incorporated instrumentation, accumulators, control valves, control computers, data acquisition, cooling system, test fluid reservoir and storage, and an operator workstation.

DEVELOP: The project’s test requirement was to have sufficient power at 3000 psi to ramp up to 400 LPM and back to zero in 60 seconds. Pratt & Miller specified a 200-horsepower steel flooring, T-track fixture mounting, fluid return chan- hydraulic-to-hydraulic power unit (HPU) to meet this per- nels, overhead lights, and overhead wire management. formance target. Pratt & Miller personnel installed the HPU, test circuit The HPU used ArvinMeritor’s 2000-horsepower power control valves, and instrumentation. ArvinMeritor supplied supply as its primary power source. The HPU was based computer controls, electronic boards, and software, which on a hydraulic vane motor capable of supplying 340 LPM were installed by Pratt & Miller. The project timeline was 13 WIN: at 3500 psi to the flow bench. The 400 LPM flow require- weeks from kick-off to completion. The Megalodon 400 LPM Flow Bench has significantly ment was achieved with 3.5-gallon accumulators that sup- expanded ArvinMeritor’s ability to test dampers at high ply additional flow as needed. RACE: flow rates and pressures. By duplicating real-world Pratt & Miller tested the completed flow bench to maximum operating parameters in a laboratory environment, the BUILD: operating conditions and fully inspected the mechanical, 400 LPM flow bench allows ArvinMeritor to design and Pratt & Miller technicians fabricated the complete flow hydraulic and electrical systems. Pratt & Miller supplied full manufacture superior quality dampers that meet and bench, including the framework, elevated and perforated documentation and specifications to ArvinMeritor. exceed its customers requirements. 42 pratt & Miller Engineering T CASE STUDY he B TOMCAR Data Acquisition and CAE Analysis usiness

Originally conceived and still used as a rugged military T off-road vehicle, civilian versions of the TOMCAR all-terrain o da vehicle are now used in the mining, agricultural, recreation y : and tourism industries. Smaller than conventional sport C utility vehicles and faster, safer and more nimble than a se conventional ATVs, the TOMCAR is designed and built S

to exacting standards. tu

Pratt & Miller Engineering provides analysis and d data acquisition support for TOMCAR. For example, ie s Pratt & Miller performed computer-aided engineering (CAE) analysis of the roll-over protective structure (ROPS). Several organizations publish ROPS standards that are used to certify off-road vehicles for roll-over safety. Recognizing the need to team with an engineering partner familiar with tubular structures and safety requirements, TOMCAR called Pratt & Miller Engineering. Using advanced finite element analysis, Pratt & Miller engineers duplicated the physical ROPS testing procedures digitally. This enables design changes to be evaluated quickly using the computer, and will help ensure that the ROPS passes the physical certification test without expen- DESIGN: RACE: sive retesting. Design iterations were completed to evaluate different The TOMCAR was tested at Chrysler’s Chelsea Proving Pratt & Miller Engineering also supported a full vehicle materials and frame geometries for the roll-over protective Grounds on several off-road courses, including severe road load data acquisition project with TOMCAR. The structure. An explicit analysis program was utilized to sine wave bumps and large jumps. Standard braking, objective was to collect data that could be used to create characterize the non-linear, high strain rate seen in the acceleration, and handling events were also run and an ADAMS model and develop load cases for strength ROPS testing sequence. In the data acquisition program, data was collected. A max/min file for each of the tests and fatigue optimization. The vehicle was instrumented a test plan and sensor package were designed to support was created to list the maximum values for each channel at Pratt & Miller using the same technology used to the project objectives. seen on each road. Data also was collected for both sets acquire race car data. of dampers and comparisons were made between the DEVELOP: original and alternative dampers. A number of design iterations were completed to evaluate different materials and frame geometries for the roll-over WIN: protective structure. The data acquisition test plan and sen- CAE analysis of the TOMCAR rollover protective structure sor package were refined to support the project objectives. dramatically increases the likelihood that the ROPS will be certified in its initial test. The data collected by Pratt & Miller BUILD: was used by TOMCAR to generate an ADAMS model and The optimum solution for the ROPS will be constructed us- load cases for strength and fatigue optimization. TOMCAR ing an existing frame and modifying critical elements of the now has the data to complete additional modeling and structure that were revealed in the CAE analysis. In the data analysis without supplementary physical testing. This will acquisition program, a vehicle was instrumented and damper accelerate product development and design optimization designs were tested on Pratt & Miller’s in-house shock dyna- while reducing overall cost. mometer to characterize their force vs. velocity curves. 43 pratt & Miller Engineering

s CASE STUDY ie d tu S Aptera 2e Composite se a C : y Structural Analysis da o T usiness B he T

Will the Aptera 2e redefine the urban auto- mobile? With three wheels, a battery/electric powertrain, and an aircraft-inspired design, the Aptera 2e makes a dramatic statement about the future of transportation. The Aptera 2e is the first in a series of innovative vehicles to be produced by Aptera Motors, a California- based startup. One of the key elements of Aptera Motors’ thickness of the composite cloth, locations of the vision is the use of lightweight yet strong composite materials core material, and the glue seams used to join to reduce mass while enhancing safety and enabling aerody- the individual body components. Several design namically efficient shapes. iterations were then performed to manage the these powerful computer-aided engineering (CAE) tools, Aptera (Greek for “wingless flight”) enlisted Pratt & Miller stresses on the body. many design improvements were incorporated quickly to optimize the 2e’s innovative composite body structure. The results of the Pratt & Miller defined material property and efficiently. The objectives of the project were to minimize weight while test program were then used in the finite element analysis meeting all performance requirements. Since the composite model to match the planned cloth and resin system WIN: material properties are unique for each application, Pratt & properties. A modal analysis was performed to determine The result of the Aptera 2e composite structural analysis Miller utilized its experience to define, run, and interpret the the frequency and shape of each of the body structure was a shortened product development cycle with increased results of a composite material property testing program. modes, and several design iterations were performed to confidence in passing the physical test that will be adjust the modal frequencies and shapes. performed for verification. Pratt & Miller’s expertise DESIGN: in composite material modeling and testing eliminated The first phase of the project included finite element BUILD: the need to construct and test expensive prototypes modeling of the complete body structure to determine This project was executed digitally, without any physical during the development phase of the ground-breaking stresses under various loads and a modal analysis of the builds. Several design iterations were “constructed” virtually Aptera 2e vehicle. body structure. Using CAD data provided by Aptera, and included in the finite element model to improve the Aptera Motors highlighted the benefits of composite Pratt & Miller created a mesh model, and evaluated its body structure performance. construction in its marketing by explaining to customers, performance under different conditions. “When you can let an elephant sit on your car with no RACE: problems, you’re doing something right.” DEVELOP: Advanced finite element analysis was used to perform Pratt & Miller used computers instead of elephants to An initial lay-up schedule matching the construction of the strength and safety testing in a digital environment with- test the Aptera 2e’s body structure, but the results were composite structure was defined, with consideration for the out the time and expense of physical testing. By utilizing equally impressive. 44 pratt & Miller Engineering T CASE STUDY he B Corvette C6RS Active Wing usiness Pratt & Miller’s Corvette C6RS supercar delivers breathtaking RACE: T performance with everyday drivability. Now the C6RS has The Corvette C6RS active wing was tested at the GM wind o da surpassed its racing counterparts with the addition of an tunnel in Warren, Michigan, and test results correlated with y active rear wing. While movable aerodynamic devices are : Pratt & Miller CFD simulations. CFD and wind tunnel tests C

widely banned in racing, the C6RS takes full advantage of measured an additional 220 pounds of downforce with the a se the benefits of a rear wing that deploys at high speeds to wing deployed while improving front-to-rear aerodynamic S balance aerodynamic downforce and improve stability. balance. The benefits of the active aerodynamics allow tu

for reduced drag during normal highway operation while d DESIGN: adding increased high-speed stability when needed during ie s The project’s objective was to balance the aerodynamic cornering and braking maneuvers. forces acting on the C6RS at speed. The car’s low stance and extended front spoiler create aerodynamic downforce WIN: on the front wheels; the rear wing complements the aero check for clearance between the wing, body panels, and the Vehicle testing at Michelin’s Laurens Proving Ground package by producing downforce on the rear wheels. This linkage that raises and lowers the wing. and Oscoda-Wurtsmith Airport confirmed the vehicle aero balance promotes driver confidence and improves Pratt & Miller’s in-house composite and machine shops characteristics that were predicted by the CFD analysis and vehicle stability during high-speed braking and cornering. manufactured the wing and actuating mechanism. The wing measured in wind tunnel tests. With the wing deployed, mechanism is powered by a compressed air system used by drivers reported improved high-speed stability. This project DEVELOP: the Corvette C6RS’s ArvinMeritor Dynamic Height Control is another example of Pratt & Miller applying advanced Pratt & Miller engineers used the company’s extensive (DHC) suspension. Wing activation is controlled by the DHC technology to enhance the driving experience for Corvette computational fluid dynamics (CFD) capabilities to evaluate Mototron controller. By utilizing the existing DHC pneumatic C6RS owners. the aerodynamic performance of various wing designs power and ECU, minimal additional hardware was required digitally. Virtual testing allowed the engineers to analyze the to implement the active wing: a check valve, solenoid valve, wing’s profile, height, angle of attack, and placement relative air lines, pneumatic cylinder, and mounting brackets. to the rear deck. In normal operation, the DHC controller deploys the wing CFD analysis predicted that the active wing would at 75 mph and retracts it at 45 mph. An override switch produce an additional 306 pounds of downforce at 200 allows the driver to lock the wing in the retracted position mph in the deployed position, with an additional 63 pounds to minimize drag when performing top-speed runs, and of drag. This downforce-to-drag ratio underscored the a lockup feature keeps the wing in the raised position aerodynamic efficiency of the active wing design. regardless of speed.

BUILD: The Pratt & Miller design staff used a Faro ScanArm laser line probe to digitize the complex compound curves of the Corvette C6RS bodywork. These surface scans were subsequently used to refine the wing profile and the pocket that receives the retracted wing. Articulation studies were performed to

45 pratt & Miller Engineering rs a c TEAMS WITH THE WINNING EDGE stomer cu

: Racing teams who want a competitive edge have long recognized the excellence and value of Pratt & Miller race cars. American y teams have included Buz McCall’s American Equipment Racing in the 1990s, and continue today with Banner Racing and Stevenson da Motorsports. When Pratt & Miller and Corvette Racing first traveled to France in 2000 for the 24 Hours of Le Mans, it didn’t take to long for European racers to recognize the quality of their operation and equipment. It has grown from there, and Corvette teams have been racing and winning on European circuits ever since. business

the

DKR ENGINEERING

Team principals: Kendy Janclaes, Dany Lallemand

This Belgian team has been running Pratt & Miller Corvettes for the last four seasons. In 2009, they ran the full French GT Championship with C6.R 002 and C5.R 011. Their performance included five victories, which led them to both the team and drivers’ championships. The drivers’ title went to Eric Debard and former F1 pilot Olivier Panis, driving the C6.R. DKR also ran the last five races of the FIA GT series with two Brazilian drivers, Enrique Bernoldi and Roberto Streit. They scored two podium finishes, including the win at Paul Ricard. At the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the DKR crew worked on the Luc Alphand Corvette that finished second in GT1.

team website: www.dkr-engineering.lu 46 pratt & Miller Engineering the

LUC ALPHAND AVENTURES business

to

Team Principals: Philippe Poincloux, Luc Alphand da y : :

Luc Alphand’s team also has raced Corvettes for the last four cu

years. In 2009, they competed in the European Le Mans stomer TEAM Series, and the French GT and FIA GT championships. They also raced two cars in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, including

the second-place Corvette in GT1, driven by Julien Jousse, Xavier Maassen, and Yann c a

Clairay. It was a tough season, due to a motorcycle accident for Luc, and a transporter rs fire in September that burned one car and all the equipment. But their on-track success more than made up for the lows. In the Le Mans Series, they swept the team, driver and manufacturer championships with performances that included two wins and two other podium finishes. They were on the podium seven times in the French GT series, including wins at Spa and Algarve. team website: www.luc-alphand.com SELLESLAGH RACING TEAM

Team principal: Patrick Selleslagh

SRT is Pratt & Miller’s oldest European customer, the first to purchase a Corvette for European GT racing (C5.R 007, in 2001). In 2009, they ran in the French GT and the FIA GT series. In FIA GT, they won the Algarve race with drivers Bert Longin and James Ruffler, who finished third in the championship for drivers. In the French GT series, SRT won twice, at Magny Cours and Paul Ricard, and were on the podium at four other races. SRT is a small family team with Neils, Patrick’s son, being the only full-time mechanic. Patrick’s wife and daughter are also part of the pit crew during race weekends.

team website: www.selleslaghracing.com/ 47 pratt & Miller Engineering rs a c PK CARSPORT stomer cu : y da

to Team principals: , Paul Kumpen

The race cars of Hezemans and Kumpen, fielding separate teams, have included Corvettes for the last four years. They

business merged for the 2009 season and raced in the FIA GT series,

finishing second in the drivers’ championship with Mike

the Hezemans and Anthony Kumpen. They scored two wins, including the prestigious 24 Hours of Spa, and two second- place finishes. In the run to the championship, they were close in points to the winning Maserati drivers, but were thwarted by team tactics made possible by Maserati entering a third car for the last five races.

team website: www.pk-carsport.com/2009/en AT RACING

Team principal: Alexander Talkanitsa

AT Racing has completed two seasons with Pratt & Miller Corvettes. The newly formed team made its mark quickly in 2008, winning four races and the Citation Cup division of FIA GT1. In 2009, this Austrian team raced in a national championship series in the Czech Republic, where they scored six top-five finishes, including two runner-up efforts, and a victory in the 6 Hours of Brno, the season finale. They are in the process of buying a GT2 Corvette for the 2010 season.

team website: www.atracing.at 48 pratt & Miller Engineering the

STEVENSON business

MOTORSPORTS to da y : : Team principal: John Stevenson cu stomer

Stevenson Motorsports, based in Jacksonville, N.C., has completed its second season racing Pontiac GXP.Rs in the Grand-Am ’ GT division. John and Susan Stevenson,

Their remarkable 2008 performance – three victories, three second- and three third- c

team owners a place finishes – landed them second in the championship for drivers. In 2009, driv- rs ers Robin Liddell and Andrew Davis again scored three wins, at Virginia International Raceway, , and Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, and finished third in the drivers’ standings. In 2010, the team is campaigning a pair of Camaro GT.Rs in the Rolex Series, as well as two Camaro GS.Rs in the Grand-Am Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge. team website: www.stevensonmotorsports.com BANNER RACING

Team principal: Leighton Reese

Leighton Reese’s Banner Racing, from Eden Prairie, Minn., was the team that launched Pontiac’s GXP.R race cars into Grand-Am GT competition in 2007. After three wins in Jim Lutz, program manager that debut season, Banner’s GXP.Rs, developed and built by Pratt & Miller Engineering, went on to sweep the GT championships for drivers, teams and manufacturers in 2008. In 2009, drivers Kelly Collins and Paul Edwards finished second and fourth, respectively, in the drivers’ championship. They notched three second- and three third-place finishes before winning the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

team website: www.leightonreese.com 49 pratt & Miller Engineering FROM THE EDITOR

It’s hard to believe we’re THE PRODUCTION TEAM THE PHOTOGRAPHERS celebrating our 20th an- niversary at Pratt & Miller Robin Pratt, Dan Boyd Evers Media Robin Pratt Engineering. Over the Chris Ladouceur, Gayle Brock Eric Fabre Richard Prince years the company has Evan Deneau, Peter Brock Jim Fets Steve Robertson had its share of trials and art direction, editing John Brooks Florian Gatenbein Susane Rossbach tribulations, but through it Kevin Cole Jerry Howard Shawn Slattery all we’ve managed to pull Rick Voegelin, Joos Custers Dr. Gregory P. Johnson Martin Straka together and make it work. writing, editing Ginny Darcey Chris Ladouceur Rene Tanner In 1992 our building burned down, and that was the Cédric Delfosse John Machaqueiro Denis Tanney point of no return. Jim and Gary had some big decisions Chuck McLaren, Evan Deneau Darren Maybury Dirk Theimann to make, and Jim Miller didn’t think twice. We forged writing, editing, Cyril De Plater Robert Mochernuk V’Images.com ahead through a very hard time and continued building production coordination Colleen Egan David Noels Mike Zimmermann Pratt & Miller into what it is today. There is an old saying: Jurgen Evers Dorsey Patrick The harder you work the more successful you become. Ray McAllister, I also believe there needs to be a balance, and Jim and design Gary seem to have that balance. They’ve always made family a big part of the equation. I believe you can learn Dan Kelly, a lot about people by the way they treat their families, and Colortech Graphics, Inc., Jim and Gary are good businessmen and great family men. printing They share traits I admire, like being kind-hearted, gentle, strong and very business-savvy. They are not afraid to say Alleyne Kelly, no, and less afraid to say “let’s go for it.” proofreading They’ve said “let’s go for it” several times over the years, and the results have been spectacular. One of the main reasons we’ve been so successful is our people. Everyone shares the same goals, and to succeed is one of them. They take a lot of pride in their work and the results of that work; getting it done right the first time is something everyone strives for. And this has given our customers the confidence to keep doing business with us even in the hardest of times. They know we will do the job right. In these tough economic times, trust is probably the biggest reason we have stayed in business, and we can thank every person at Pratt & Miller for working hard, learning every day, and putting their very best into every job they turn out. This book is not just a retrospective of Pratt & Miller’s first 20 years. It’s a tribute to every one of our people. Without you, we would not be where we are today. Copyright © 2010 Pratt & Miller Engineering Phone: 248-446-9800 Pratt & Miller Engineering & Fabrication, Inc. Fax: 248-446-9020 Thank you, & Fabrication, Inc. 29600 William K Smith Dr., www.prattmiller.com Robin Pratt All rights reserved. New Hudson, MI 48165 50 pratt & Miller Engineering

EXECUTIVE STAFF NASCAR ENGINEERING Jim Miller Chris Gilligan Gary Pratt Reginald Botchwey Doug Louth John Collier Lynn Bishop Doug Kirby Tom Mikrut Chris McMillan Bill DeLong Jackie Mohrfeld Justin Rodriguez MOTORSPORTS Ryan Smith ENGINEERING Derek Vaughan Doug Louth Lynn Bishop CORVID TECHNOLOGIES Benjamin Brady David Robinson Steven Cole Brian Adams Ken Flory Brandon Angell Paul-Andre Hebert Andrew Attardo Chuck Houghton James Carpenter Avi Kagan John Cogar Kyle Millay Jonathon Cowan James Otten Cameron Dempster Jason Trompeter Michael Dick Mike Eidell ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING Joe Harmon Rich Priester Danney Huber Chris Ciliento Patrick Keistler Stuart Taylor Jason Kremar Anne Kurtz Jon Woods FABRICATION DEPT. Michael Harrison QUALITY ASSURANCE FRONT OFFICE IT DEPT. Andrew Lloyd Bill DeLong Tylor Klausing Brad Buenting Kati Hollier Mike Sullivan ENGINEERING SERVICES Scott Lusted Vinny Ciaravino Michael Kuhl John Stimpson Lloyetta Atkins Jay Wright Kevin Caparella Julie Markham Chad Cole Brad Lafevre Frankie Wilson Lisa Martello Derek Carboni Gaurav Mathur Ray Gongla Matthew Loiselle Will Carter, Intern Sharon Riggs CUSTOMER SUPPORT Kris Houghton Daniel McCullough Sam Howard David Longhi Chris Dutro, intern PROGRAMS Ben Johnson Greg McGowan Adem Jakupi Lee Patterson Louis Post, Intern PUBLIC RELATIONS/ Mike Atkins Benjamin LeVesque David Miller MARKETING Patrick LaPorte Bridgette Wood Dave Albright Justin Lin Aaron Nace Robin Pratt David Matte RACE TEAM: C6.R Bob Chapman Ben Meikle Rob Nance Chris Ladouceur Mark Salice MAINTENANCE Dan Binks Alex Roberge Jonathon Nichols Lisa Ortiz David Arnout, intern Bill Taylor Steve Hartsell Mike West Jesper Slattengren Hua Pan Evan Deneau, intern PURCHASING Brian Wade Tom Dix Brandon Widmer Allen Shirley MACHINE DEPT. Mike Atkins Rocco Wilson Jim Durbin Steven Reini, intern Greg Simmons Ron Clayton Brian Hoye CAE TOOLS Rusty Elliott Greg Ziegler AND METHODS Brian Slusser Blake Brooks David James Bill Giordano CAD/DESIGN Kumar Periannan David Stowe COMPOSITE DEPT. Paul Follett Ross Jeffrey Tony Gubacz Gary Latham Rob Cooper Sean Treadway Eric Hartwig Kevin Hecht Dave Marin Rob Walker Tom Diehm Colleen Kelly Aaron Ward Charles Degener Don Locher Bryan Tringal Jeremy Foust Joe Kiefer Jenna Worsham Mitch Boroff Frank Lomik Gary Young JFM Derek Gallo Prashanth Vakati Kathleen Baer Mike Worsham Jeff Campbell Don Schmidt Michael Kurylo Mingyu Yu Maureen Fisher Xudong Xiao John Chad Sam Valdez RACE TEAM: John Lankes TRUCK DRIVERS James Jarrett, intern Frank Silzer Bob Edgar Ryan Wade Julie Palmieri Don Male Spencer Scott, intern Madeline Spakausky Shane Fagan Bob Payton Rich Eldred Darryl Glynn Kevin Kwiatkowski Steve Longhi Stephen Harvey Andrew Rogers, intern Chad Monroe 51 [email protected] • +1 248 446 9800 www.prattmiller.com 29600 W.K. Smith Dr. • New Hudson, MI • 48165 USA

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