L88 Page 1

This accomplishment so impressed Sunoco that it extended its
sponsorship for another race .... The 12 Hours of Sebring!
Now it would be a two car team, for this L-88 would be matched up
with one of the last Grand Sports (see Grand Sport Story for details).
Duntov was so impressed by the success of the new L88 Corvette, that he gave
the order for more L-88 Corvettes (425 HP) to be made available to "special friends"
who would race this new motor on road racing courses and drag strips in 1966.
He was hoping that all the bugs could be worked out of these special L88 Corvettes,
before the L-88 became a regular production option (RPO) for the 1967 model year.

 

Here we find the Penske L-88 Corvette in the Sunoco blue and yellow at practice for Sebring 1966.
The new colors were Rogers idea to impress Sunoco executives for future sponsorships (Camaro and Lola).
Things went much more smoothly at Sebring for this L88 Corvette. The race was uneventful
and the team went home with a 1st in GT again!!!

Roger soon received news about the new Camaro and it's Z/28 option,
so the L88 Corvettes would soon be old news at his shop as he prepared for
the upcoming Trans Am series in the SCCA with the Sunoco Camaros.
The L-88 Corvette passed hands to George Wintersteen who raced
it at Sebring 1967. George managed a 2nd place finish with this L88 Corvette
in GT behind a'67 L-88 driven by Don Yenko and Dave Morgan who claimed 1st.

The L-88 Corvette proved to be a world class winner its first year out and it would continue
with its winning ways for six more years. These mid year Corvettes had a top speed of about 172 MPH.
Duntov knew that with the improving sports racers of the sixties, huge improvements were seen
each season huge enough to create instant obsolescence for last year's winners.
The L-88 needed to be improve and evolve. A sleeker, more aerodynamic body style would
be needed for increased top speed and improved handling. All these would soon come.
The Mako Shark Corvette show car would pave the way for this new aerodynamic body.

Click on the Corvette links for more Corvette stuff.