Chevrolet Corvette L88 – American International Racing

In late 1967, three 1968 model year Chevrolet Corvettes were prepared to L88 specifications and finished in Le Mans Blue for James Garner’s American International Racing team (AIR) to race at Daytona in February. To pick up the three COPO-ordered racers Dick Gulstrand, Bob McDonald and Perry Moore flew out to St. Louis and then drove the cars back to California while doing a little development and setup work, getting pulled over by the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, and digging the cars out of snowdrifts on the way back to California.

Gulstrand and McDonald did general prep for the car while TRACO handled setup of the Chevrolet Corvette L88 427. AIR then showed up ready at Daytona with two of the three L88s. This car, number 44, was one of their entries. The AIR Corvettes were classified in FIA Group 3 and made a promising start to the weekend by out-qualifying the Sunray DX and Owens Corning Fiberglass-sponsored Corvettes as well as everything else but the mid-engined prototypes. Number 44 in particular did a 2:04, just ahead of Number 45 with a 2:05.2. It was driven in the race by Dick Gulstrand, Ed Leslie, Scooter Patrick and Dave Jordan. Quite the driver lineup.