The Automobile Club de l’Ouest has joined forces with Corvette Racing to pay homage to the 307 American drivers who have competed in the greatest endurance race in the world – the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

This weekend the No.3 and No.4 Corvette machines will carry the names of all American drivers who have raced in the French endurance classic.

Drivers including Corvette’s own Tommy Milner, plus Patrick Dempsey, Patrick Long, Tracy Krohn, Andy Lally, Jonathan Bomarito, Seth Neiman and Spencer Pumpelly took part in the announcement yesterday where American doyen, Richard Thompson was inducted into Le Mans 90th anniversary Hall of Fame.

The 93-year-old dentist, the ‘Flying Dentist’ as he was known, drove at Le Mans on six occasions between 1960 and 1968. In 1960, he drove for Briggs Cunningham in a works Corvette on the make’s maiden outing in the Sarthe. He was in the lead shortly after the start but was forced to retire.

In 1961, he came back again with Cunningham, this time in a Maserati (4th overall) and again in 1962 (retired). In 1965, he helped Cobra to victory in the over 5-liter category and finished eighth overall. In 1967 he drove a Mirage (retired) and for his last outing in 1968 he was at the wheel of the amazing Howmet powered by a turbine from a helicopter! Unfortunately, his race ended in a big crash at Indianapolis when the throttle jammed open. He got out unhurt but the revolutionary racer was destroyed.

“We would like to pay tribute to all the American drivers who have taken part in the Le Mans 24 Hours, including Dr. Dick Thompson,” said Jim Campbell, Vice-President Chevrolet Competition and High Performance Vehicles.

“In 2000, he was inducted into the Corvette National Museum’s Hall of Fame, which is a great honor in the Corvette community. I was lucky enough to drive alongside him a few years back in the Sebring 12 Hours during a Corvette Stingray Racer demonstration. It was a very moving experience as it was the car he raced in 1959.”