Iconic 1968 Chevrolet Corvette L88 RED/NART Le Mans Heads to Auction This Month
Few Corvettes carry the racing pedigree, resourcefulness, and sheer determination of the 1968 Chevrolet Corvette L88 known as the RED/NART Le Mans car. Built by Toye English’s Race Engineering & Development (RED) team as the successor to their legendary “Rebel Corvette,” this machine became just the fourth Corvette ever to finish the 24 Hours of Le Mans and delivered one of the model’s strongest international endurance results of its era.
In 1972, after securing a reserve entry through Luigi Chinetti’s North American Racing Team (NART), the Florida-based privateer squad transformed a wrecked 1968 Corvette roadster into a purpose-built FIA GT racer in only eight weeks. It received a reinforced frame, race suspension, M22 “Rock Crusher” transmission, and a blueprinted (and deliberately detuned for durability) 427-cubic-inch L88 big-block. Liveried in NART colors with the famous Cavallino Rampante on the doors and running as #4, it was driven by Dave Heinz and Bob “Marietta Bob” Johnson.
The team overcame a practice crash that required an improvised aluminum-and-duct-tape nose, fuel-system issues, rain-soaked conditions on the Mulsanne Straight, and even a mid-race ignition fire repair. They finished 15th overall and first in the Group 4 GT Special over 5,000 cc class—the only Corvette to complete the 1972 race. The following year the same car finished 3rd overall at the 24 Hours of Daytona, the highest international endurance result for a Corvette at the time and the best Corvette finish at Daytona until 2001.
After further IMSA competition, the car passed through several owners before Mike Yager (founder of Mid America Motorworks) acquired it in August 1995. He immediately entrusted it to Corvette expert Kevin Mackay and the team at Corvette Repair in Valley Stream, New York, for a comprehensive restoration back to its exact 1972 Le Mans NART configuration. The meticulous work—completed in time for the car to earn an NCRS Special Interest Award in May 1996—preserved the car’s unique period details, including unconventional parts the resourceful RED team had used (Nova master cylinder, Vega GT steering wheel, marine-grade switches, and more). The underside of the hood was even autographed by surviving RED team members.
Since the restoration, the car has enjoyed an illustrious show career: Bloomington Gold Special Collection participant and Hall of Fame inductee, multiple Amelia Island Concours appearances (including the Grand Sport trophy awarded by GM President Mark Reuss in 2018), the Rolex Monterey Motorsport Reunion, and display at the National Corvette Museum since March 2025. It comes with extensive documentation, original correspondence, and testimony from RED team members.
This historically significant Corvette is now offered at RM Sotheby’s The Monterey Auction 2026 (Lot 350), scheduled for Saturday, 15 August 2026, with an estimate of $900,000–$1,100,000 USD. Full details, photos, and bidding information are available on the official lot page:
1968 Chevrolet Corvette L88 RED/NART Le Mans – RM Sotheby’s Monterey 2026
At Corvette Repair we take special pride in the cars that have passed through our shop. This L88 stands as a powerful reminder of what a determined privateer team—and careful, authentic restoration—can achieve. Whether you’re a collector, historian, or simply a Corvette enthusiast, this is one of the most compelling American endurance racers of its generation, and it will cross the block later this month.