Built in 1995 by Doug Rippie Motorsports, this ZR-1 Corvette is the only such example to compete in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The car debuted at the 1995 12 Hours of Sebring, finishing 21st in GT1 and 52nd overall—a respectable result considering it was primarily a test run for Le Mans.
At Le Mans, the car was entered by DRM under the banner “Corvette-Team-ZR-1 USA,” marking the first and only appearance of a ZR-1 in the legendary race. Power comes from a 32-valve, 4-cam LT5 V8 engine, dubbed “Black Widow,” developed by Lotus Cars. Notably, the French organizers exempted the team from pre-qualifying to encourage Corvette’s return to Le Mans.
However, the race proved challenging. The car suffered some mechanical breakdowns during the race, which caused it to retire after 22 hours. Despite its DNF, this C4 ZR-1 remains an iconic Corvette in Le Mans history.
