Historic racing Corvette announced for Saratoga Motorcar auction

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. — The Saratoga Automobile Museum announced its newest consignment for the 2020 Saratoga Motorcar Auction; the 1968 Thompson/Yenko IMSA Corvette.

Call it a barn find, time capsule or race ready piece of American produced race car history, there is no question this one-off Corvette is the most documented vintage race car being offered in some time. With just one owner since the purchase from Jerry Thompson and Don Yenko in 1976, the year after its participation in the 24 hours of Daytona. This race car is the second factory-built racing Corvette for Jerry Thompson and Don Yenko.

This Corvette has been returned to its original, as raced, condition. The car is a complete, fresh restoration with an emphasis on originality and authenticity. This car was raced in the 24 hours of Daytona where it ran as high as third against the likes of Peter Gregg, Brian Redman, and Al Holbert in their factory Porsches and BMWs. The Corvette now stands as it rolled off the trailer in 1975, with meticulous detail paid to the preparation on that day.

Jerry Thompson, a noted Corvette racer from the early 1960s and driver of the famous Owens-Corning Corvettes of the late 1960s as well as Don Yenko, the legendary Chevrolet dealer of high-performance street cars, combined on the project to build this “skunk works” version of the racing model. Thompson, a General Motors engineer, and Yenko, who supplied the motors through his high-performance connections at GM, constructed the car with the help of the GM tech center in Detroit.

The car boasts a freshened 454 cubic inch engine, bored 60 over to produce over 650 horsepower. The engines came directly from Chevrolet’s performance department and tested on the dyno at the factory. The Corvette meets the exact specifications for which it ran in Daytona in 1975.

The documentation provided by the owner is comprehensive. Included with the Corvette is the original bill of sale from Jerry Thompson, all racing results and historical documents relating to its entry and participation in numerous IMSA sanctioned events throughout the United States, a notarized statement from Thompson as to the authenticity and history of the car, as well as numerous photographs of the car in its various racing liveries throughout its lifespan.

This Thompson/Yenko Corvette has been stored in secure and climate-controlled facility in Upstate New York for the last 10 years, and this is the first time in 44 years that it has been offered for sale, public or private. The Thompson/Yenko Corvette presents a tremendous opportunity to own a part racing history in track-ready condition.

Questions about this Corvette, the 2020 auction, or current consignments can be made by calling Bill Windham at (518) 401–5180, or by emailing bill.windham@saratogaautomuseum.org.

The 2020 Saratoga Motorcar Auction is taking place Friday, Sept. 18 and Saturday, Sept. 19 at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. The auction will have more than 300 vehicles available for bid. There will be opportunities to bid in person, online, over the phone, or via proxy.

The Saratoga Motorcar Auction is the largest fundraiser presented by, and in support of, the Saratoga Automobile Museum, a 501(c) 3 not-for-profit institution.

To learn more, register to bid, or consign a vehicle for the Saratoga Motorcar Auction, visit saratogamotorcarauctions.org.

About the Saratoga Automobile Museum: The Saratoga Automobile Museum was organized in 1999 and opened to the public in 2002. The Museum’s mission is to preserve, interpret and exhibit automobiles and automotive artifacts.

The Museum is located within the 2,500-acre Saratoga Spa State Park, in the heart of historic Saratoga Springs, New York, world famous for its legendary, much honored one-mile thoroughbred track. The museum’s facility is the totally restored and renovated Saratoga Bottling Plant, a beautiful neo-classic structure built in 1934. The Museum is adjacent to the Saratoga Performing Arts Center and near the landmark Gideon Putnam Hotel. Within walking distance in the Park are the National Museum of Dance, the Spa Little Theatre and the lavish Hall of Springs banquet facility. saratogaautomuseum.org

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