C4 Corvette Challenge Race Car Is One of Just 30 Built

This C4 Corvette Challenge race car is one of 30 built and it has just 4,700 original miles.

A variety of things can happen when a race car heads to auction – sometimes, these types of cars go for big money if they’re historically significant, while other times, they wind up selling for virtually nothing because most can’t be driven legally on public roads. This C4 Corvette Challenge race car was up for grabs at Bring a Trailer looked like it might fall in the latter category, which made it an enticing proposition for anyone looking to buy a cool, rare track toy on the cheap.

This C4 Corvette Challenge race car is number 20 of around 30 cars built by Powell Development America for the 1989 Corvette Challenge spec series and was driven by Al Lamb in that 12-race competition, which was a spin-off of the SCCA Showroom Stock class. The Corvette Challenge only last two years, however, and this particular car has just 4,700 original miles showing on the odometer.

On the outside, this C4 looks like a regular old 1989 Corvette, save for the red, white, and blue livery, brake cooling ducts, and dual open exhaust pipes. The car rolls on a set of white 17-inch Dymag wheels wrapped with Nitto NT555 G2 tires, and features FX3 selective ride, Bilstein shocks, and competition-spec brake pads. Inside, this Corvette is all business with Corvette Challenge-branded fixed-back racing seats, a five-point Simpson harness, a roll cage, a window net, and a fire-suppression system.

As per race rules, this track-ready Corvette retains its original, Tune Port Injection 5.7-liter L98 V8, which was dyno-tested to ensure it put down within 2.5 percent of its factory ratings of 245 horsepower and 340 pound-feet of torque. That power flows to the rear wheels via a ZF six-speed manual transmission, and recent maintenance is said to have everything running properly.

This C4 racer is an intriguing offering that could appeal to a number of different folks – including those that want to get into vintage racing on the cheap, or perhaps a Corvette collector looking to add a race car to their collection. Either way, it’s a cool find, and a pretty rare machine to boot.

So how much did it cost the new-to-them owner? Only $40,000. Think it was worth the price?

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Photos: Bring a Trailer

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