1956 Corvette SR-2 #1 Racer

The 1956 Corvette SR-2 #1 was originally built for Jerry Earl, the son of General Motors design chief Harley Earl, to compete against European sports cars. After Jerry Earl began racing a Ferrari, Harley Earl initiated the development of the SR-2, also known as the “Sebring Racer” or “Sports Racing,” to produce a purpose-built factory Corvette race car. The vehicle was constructed from a production 1956 Corvette chassis and featured unique fiberglass bodywork, including a longer nose, side cove air ducts, and an aerodynamic low rear fin. Under the hood, it was equipped with a 265 cubic-inch V8 fitted with a “Duntov” racing cam and dual four-barrel carburetors for increased output.
By mid-June 1956, the first SR-2 was ready and registered with the SCCA as car number 144. It made its race debut at the “June Sprints at Road America” that same month, though Jerry Earl had a brief initial spin-out while getting accustomed to its power. Initially, the car retained some road car features, but after its first outing, it underwent weight reduction, with lighter seats and non-essential components removed. That winter, the car was further modified with a new, taller fin and upgraded to a 331 cubic-inch fuel-injected engine with a ZF 4-speed transmission.

The SR-2 also saw a successful second career after being sold to racer Jim Jeffords following the 1957 season. Under his ownership, the car was repainted and nicknamed the “Purple People-Eater”. Jeffords drove it to two SCCA national championships in the B-Production series in 1958 and 1959, achieving its greatest racing success.

After its racing career with Jeffords, the SR-2 passed through several owners, including a drag racer who campaigned it as the “Terror from Terre Haute”. The car was notably well-preserved, with a history free of major crashes throughout its extensive racing career. It was later purchased by collectors and competed in vintage racing events for nearly 30 years without incident. In 2015, the historic vehicle was offered for sale for over $6 million, cementing its status as one of the most sought-after Corvettes in history.

1968 L88 Sunray Oil DX2 Racer

The 1968 L88 Sunray Oil DX2 Racer was a celebrated and successful C3 Corvette, built and campaigned by legendary racer Don Yenko and his Sunray DX team. Its history is notable for both its achievements on the track and its unusual origin story.
Before the 1968 Daytona 24-Hour race, Yenko’s specially ordered factory L88 Corvette failed to arrive on time. To ensure his team could compete, he pulled a Rally Red street-spec L71 hardtop convertible from his dealership’s showroom floor and converted it into a high-performance L88 racer. Despite these last-minute efforts, the car, driven by Yenko and Peter Revson, performed admirably at Daytona, securing a second-place finish in its class. The older 1967 Sunray DX L88, driven by Dave Morgan and Jerry Grant, took first in class.

Following Daytona, the team headed to the 12 Hours of Sebring. For this event, Yenko partnered with rising star Pedro Rodriguez, and the Corvette, now wearing number 2, set a blistering new GT-class lap record. However, the challenging Sebring course took its toll, and the car was forced to retire on lap 43 due to engine problems.

The team, flush with confidence, made plans to take the L88s to the 24 Hours of Le Mans in France, but civil unrest in the country led to a race postponement. The team’s Le Mans aspirations were ultimately ended when Sunray DX was acquired by Sunoco, which already had its own successful racing team run by Roger Penske. The Sunray DX motorsports program was subsequently disbanded.

After its racing career with the Sunray DX team concluded, Don Yenko took possession of the Corvette and used it as his personal racer. He went on to win the 1968 SCCA Midwest Division road-racing title in the car. The Corvette continued to be raced by subsequent owners through the 1970s and 80s. In 2008, the car underwent a comprehensive restoration by Kevin MacKay of Corvette Repair. It was returned to its original 1968 racing livery and has since received significant recognition, including the prestigious NCRS American Heritage Award and induction into the Bloomington Gold Special Collection.

1968 Chevrolet Corvette L88 Sunray DX3 Racer

The 1968 Chevrolet Corvette L88, adorned in the red, white, and blue livery of Sunray-DX, is one of the most celebrated race cars in Corvette history, with its legend cemented during a highly successful 1968 season. The car’s story begins with the Tulsa, Oklahoma-based Sunray-DX petroleum company, which launched a motorsports campaign in the mid-1960s to promote its products. For its Corvette program, the company partnered with legendary racer and performance Chevrolet dealer Don Yenko.
The factory-ordered L88 Corvette intended for the 1968 racing season was not completed in time for the 24 Hours of Daytona. Unfazed, Yenko famously pulled a Rally Red 435/427 convertible from his showroom floor and converted it into a full-fledged L88 race car for the endurance event. This particular car became known as the “showroom car”. At Daytona, the new C3-body Sunray-DX L88, driven by Don Yenko and Peter Revson, placed second in the GT class, behind the team’s own 1967 L88.

Following its success at Daytona, the “showroom car” competed at the 12 Hours of Sebring with Yenko and Pedro Rodriguez behind the wheel, where it set a GT-class lap record. Although the car later retired from the race with mechanical issues, it had made its mark on the track. The 1968 racing season continued with success for the car and for Yenko, who drove it to win the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) Midwest Division road-racing title. The car was even registered to compete at the 1968 24 Hours of Le Mans, but the race was postponed and the Corvettes never ran.

EVENT DETAILS

Tickets: Tickets can be purchased at this link.

Location: The Farmington Polo Club, 162 Town Farm Road, Farmington, CT.

Date: Sunday, October 12, 2025.

Time: Spectator gates open at 9:30 a.m., show begins at 10:00 a.m.. Get the full schedule.

The Sunray-DX racing program ended in 1969 when the company merged with Sunoco, which had its own prominent racing effort led by Roger Penske. The Yenko-prepped Corvette continued to be raced by private owners through the 1970s and 1980s. Decades later, the car was comprehensively restored back to its iconic 1968 Sebring livery, earning prestigious awards, including the NCRS American Heritage Award and an induction into the Bloomington Gold Special Collection. The documentation and verification of its racing pedigree make it one of the most historically significant C3 Corvette race cars in existence.