Michael Quattlebaum’s SCCA GT2 C6 Corvette Race Car
Meet Michael Quattlebaum. SCCA racer and passionate Corvette enthusiast from Houston, Texas. What started as a passion for cars has translated into being a club racer in SCCA. He started with a stock 2005 C6 Corvette and has transformed it into a leading National SCCA GT2 car that competed last season at the SCCA National Championship Runoffs at Virginia International Raceway.
Michael and the Quattlebaum family have a deep love for GM, specifically Corvettes. “It dates back to my Dad’s high school days and some contentious interactions with his parents,” Michael says. “He owned several over the years, multiple different generations, and instilled his love for the Corvette in me early on. We took a trip together in 2013 to take delivery of a new C7 Stingray from the National Corvette Museum, driving it home through Lynchburg, TN, and our alma mater, Ole Miss. In 2018, we visited Abu Dhabi and Dubai for a work conference and stopped by the Dubai Auto Show, where the 2019 C7 ZR1 made its global debut. As some of the first Americans to see the car “in the metal,” we both fell in love, and I placed an order for one as soon as we got home. My wife and I made the trip to the Museum for that car, stopping along the Whiskey Trail and again at Ole Miss on the drive home to Houston.”
Michael and his father took their passion for driving and Corvettes to Europe for their 30th and 60th birthday in 2019. “We did the Gumball 3000, where we drove from Mykonos, Greece, to Ibiza, Spain, along some of the most scenic roads in the world. By then, I had been tracking the ZR1 at local tracks and knew I wanted to enter more competitive events. A Corvette was the obvious choice!”
Like most of us track enthusiasts, Michael has been a “car nut” his whole life. “I would always answer the question of, “What do you want to do when you grow up?” with RACE CAR DRIVER! Through the years, I was able to attend a few racing schools and had some driving experiences that further cemented my interest in driving competitively. SCCA Starting Line and subsequent autocross events were my first entry into competition events, and after those first few timed runs, I was fully addicted. In the following years, I attended local HPDE sessions, eventually Time Trials in the C6, which convinced me to do wheel-to-wheel racing”. It’s certainly a slippery slope, but one that is filled with many joys along the way.
And so the journey began, and Michael bought his C6 in 2019 with the sole intention of converting it into a race car. “The previous owner had only driven it 35,000 miles from new, and it was a “garage queen.” I’m sure they would have shed a tear when we started tearing it apart, but I hope they would be proud of what it has become and its winning pedigree in the SCCA and NASA.”
Today the car is far from the stock 2005 C6 it started as in 2019. Here are just a few of the modifications that make up the build.
LS2 built by Late Model Engines in Houston
MOTEC ECU and PDM with GSpeed Engine and Chassis Harnesses
AIM Dash, Data Logger, and Smarty Cams
Bosch M5 Motorsport ABS with Tilton Pedal Box
AP Radical Brake Package
Cobalt XR1 Pads
Dailey 5-Stage Dry Sump System
LG GT2 Wing, Splitter, and Side Skirts
GSpeed Penske Coilovers and Drop Spindles, LG Sway Bars
TR6060 Transmission and RPM Diff
Aftermarket Wide-Body Kit with ZR1 Fenders
Hoosier A7s 315 Front, 345 Rear
Since 2019, they have gone through several stages of development with the C6 platform. “We would consider it mostly “done” at this stage if there was such a thing for a race car. It is extremely competitive in our SCCA Division and Conference, winning both Championships in 2023, its first season in the series. We lack some straight-line speed to catch the front of the pack at these larger events and have worked in the off-season to close that gap.”
Michael views his brake package as the most essential modification on his C6. “It has been the most impactful mod based on lap time alone. The AP Radical package with Cobalt XR1 pads has truly been a WINNING combination. This setup allows me to brake later (sometimes MUCH later) than my competitors in GT2, with virtually zero fade, and instills confidence regardless of the situation. Moving up to this package from an OEM C6 Z06 brake package was a huge leap in performance and well worth the investment. After testing several compounds from several manufacturers, the Cobalt pad has been my favorite to use on my AP Calipers; they’ve been incredible. I am not currently running brake ducts on the car (by design), and this pad handles this setup with no issues. Previously tested pad configurations would chunk, wear unevenly, or glaze, cutting the performance and life of the pad significantly. None of these issues have been present with the Cobalt XR1, and I plan to run them on the C6 in 2024 and beyond.”
Michael qualified for the 2023 SCCA Runoffs at ViR, and we enjoyed being there to watch and support his efforts in the GT2 class. Being part of one of the most competitive classes is a good and bad thing. It always pushes you to be faster and elevate your car and driver skill sets. Yet, at the same time, a good result doesn’t always come easy.
“It was my first ever Runoffs, and honestly, I was a bit intimidated by the event at first,” Michael said. “I have several friends who are long-time Runoffs participants who extended some much-needed advice in preparation, scheduling during the week, car setup, tire strategy, etc., all of which was very much appreciated. I decided to prep the car as best I could at our shop and head to VIR with zero crew. A few friends mentioned how bad of a mistake that might be, but I ultimately decided to “figure it out” as I went along.”
The week did not go without issue, as do most race weekends, but Michael preserved through the minor setbacks. “Our revised splitter supports failed in the first on-track session…and thanks to the help of friends in the paddock with a drill press and angle grinder, we got that sorted out without missing an on-track session! Setup advice came from the same friends, and some pointers from the Penske reps were also a huge help. Thankfully, we got through the week with no major issues, zero missed track time (other than one wet session), and a P8 qualification for the Big Race!”
With an early morning Friday race, the conditions were perfect to make some horsepower with some lovely overcast and cooler temperatures. Michael got a great start and jumped up multiple spots through ViR’s first few technical corners. “There was lots of close racing by the entire field through those opening laps with zero contact or any risky moves that I saw. Although racing hard, everyone was respectful and left enough room.”
Once the field stretched out and settled in, Michael found himself in a tight race for P5 with our good friend from the PNW, Simon Asselin, in his Porsche 991 GT3 Cup Car. “ It was a GREAT battle for a few laps where we swapped positions twice. I was a bit faster through Turns 2-12, but the Porsche’s straight-line speed had me on the backside of the track. At one point, I misjudged his closing speed into Turn 1, left the door wide open, and he took advantage of the opportunity. By then, my tires were falling off a bit; I couldn’t retake the position, and I finished P6 behind Simon in P5.”
Watching the two go at it lap after lap with some clean, hard racing running nose to tail was undoubtedly entertaining, especially in two distinctly different cars that make their speed in such different ways.
“The battle with Simon was just SO MUCH FUN. I gained valuable experience analyzing an opponent’s strengths/weaknesses, setting up a pass, and executing it safely. After the race, I met Simon for the first time, and we congratulated each other on a hard-fought race. Simon is a true sportsman, and I look forward to racing with him again next month at NOLA Motorsports Park! In the weeks after the race, Simon put together a video splicing both our in-car videos and the SCCA broadcast filled with tons of action that I highly recommend watching!” It can be found HERE.
“The Runoffs was just a fantastic experience, and the race was a ton of fun,” Michael recalls. Regarding Michael’s plans and goals for the near future, he’s excited to get back to the Runoffs to finish a little higher. “I would really like to win the SCCA national title in the GT2 class at some point! There is some work to do to get there, both with the car and my driving ability. However, I believe it’s a realistic goal to be within striking distance this year or next at Road America.” In the distant future, Michael tells us he would love to race in the Rolex 24 at Daytona or Le Mans if the opportunity arises!
We look forward to rooting for Michael this season in the SCCA Majors Tour and at the Runoffs this October. We know the fight will be on in GT2, and we’re excited to see Michael, hopefully at the front!