Despite its being a major attraction for automotive consumers across the United States, General Motors made the decision to discontinue their annual Motorama show after the 1956 season. The budgets previously allocated for these extravaganzas were instead funneled into Chevrolet’s Research Division with the intent of developing the Corvette into a purpose-built race car that could win at events like Le Mans and Sebring.
The 1957 Corvette SS Race Car (Image courtesy of Kolecki Photography.)
Even as he neared retirement, Harley Earl believed that the Corvette’s legacy was his to protect. He recognized that the Corvette’s continued success would rely heavily on the talents/vision of men like Zora Arkus-Duntov and Ed Cole, both of whom shared Earl’s vision of what the Corvette could potentially become.
