Oliver Gavin has announced that he will step away from full-time competition with Corvette Racing at the conclusion of the 2020 season.
Gavin has been part of the American outfit for the better part of two decades, becoming a Corvette factory driver in 2002. Since then, he has gone on to take five class wins in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Twelve Hours of Sebring and Petit Le Mans respectively. Additionally, he won the American Le Mans Series four times, as well as winning the GTLM title in the IMSA Weathertech Sportscar Championship in 2014.
“I will step away from full-time competition with the Corvette Racing program at the end of 2020,” Gavin wrote. “I will complete my 18th full-time season with the team at the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring in two weeks.
“To have been with the same team for 19 seasons has been an immense privilege, and I thank from the bottom of my heart each and every person who has shared that journey with me. It’s been an amazing run, and I’ve been very lucky to have been able to drive at such a high level for so long.
“I’m extremely proud of what we’ve achieved together, especially the championship wins and milestone victories at Le Mans, Daytona and Sebring, among others.
“I’m also very proud of the part I played in developing four generations of Corvette race cars for both IMSA and at Le Mans, and I look forward to exploring opportunities to represent Chevrolet and Corvette Racing in the future.
This season, he has partnered Tommy Milner aboard the #4 Corvette C8.R. He took victory at the Cadillac Grand Prix of Sebring, as well as three additional podium finishes and currently sits second in the GTLM standings.
“Oliver Gavin is a name that is synonymous with Corvette Racing,” added Jim Campbell, Chevrolet U.S. Vice President, Performance and Motorsports. “He has been one of the sport’s greatest drivers and a fantastic representative of Chevrolet for nearly two decades – on the track, working with our Corvette production engineers, and engaging Corvette owners and fans around the world.”
“All of us at Chevrolet thank Oliver for his nearly 20 years of contributions to Corvette Racing,” Campbell concluded. “No driver at Corvette Racing has started more events, captured more championships or won more races. Oliver’s success has brought great improvements over the years not just to Corvette Racing, but also to every Corvette that sits in an owner’s driveway. We are hopeful of creating more of those opportunities with Oliver into the future.”
