GM’s
newly developed "Ramjet" fuel injection, which was good for 250 horsepower
and 283 horsepower respectively. The mythical "one horsepower per cubic
inch" mark was shouted about in performance circles and touted loudly in
Corvette advertising, which trumpeted: "Every Inch A Champion ... For The
First Time In Automotive History - One H.P. For Every Cubic Inch!"
And, in tandem with the newfound power of the Rochester
carburetor
division’s fuelie unit, the addition of a four-speed manual gearbox turned
the Corvette into a bonafide screamer, on the race course and off.
The racing highlight was the 1957 running of the 12
Hours of Sebring, where Corvettes finished 12th and 15th overall and 1-2 in
the GT class. In fact, the lead car, driven by Dick "The Flying Dentist"
Thompson and Gaston Audrey, finished some 20 laps ahead of the nearest competitor,
a Mercedes-Benz 300SL. In the SCCA,
