In preparation for the upcoming IMSA races, Corvette Racing went through its paces at the 3-day Roar Before The Rolex 24. An hour into their first session on Friday, things were looking great for the team. Driving the #4 C7.R, Tommy Milner set the fastest lap time in the GT Le Mans class with a 1:45.367. However, as if foreboding things to come, the team experienced the first of their fire troubles.

During the morning session, Corvette Racing was the victim of a small shop fire that broke out above a workbench. Small though it was, it still warranted the intervention of the Daytona fire brigade.

Photo: Marshall Pruett

Unfortunately, however, this wasn’t the only action the fire brigade saw from Corvette Racing. Shortly after setting the fastest GTLM class time, Milner’s #4 car rolled to a stop due to a fire that broke out in the C7.R’s hind section. The car came to a halt in the bus stop section of the track, where Milner was promptly evacuated from the car and the second of Corvette Racing’s infernos was extinguished.

Photo: Marshall Pruett

The incident drew a red flag, halting the entire session, but racing resumed within minutes. Milner was admitted to the infield care center, but was unharmed and released not long after.

According to Corvette Racing, the fire was the result of a failed check valve in the refueling overflow system. The C7.R has only been racing for 3 years now, with a number of regulatory changes occurring over that time, so the Corvette Racing team is still working to test and perfect all aspects of the car. As Milner himself stated, “we are going through our laundry list of items of things to try… We’re fine tuning these things now rather than finding big things any more.”

The only damage to the car was the burnt exterior on the rear end, so the car was up and running again by the next morning.