Zora Arkus-Duntov, known as the father of the Corvette, was determined to build a Corvette that would be competitive as a GT production car under international competition rules. To meet homologation rules for the series, 125 cars would need to be built; however, General Motors banned motor racing after 1962, killing the program, and the team was ordered to stop production immediately.
Five of the ultra-light cars, now being called Grand Sports, had already been built by this time, with two of them sold to private race teams. Since the 125-minimum production number was not met, the three remaining Grand Sport race cars were not homologated and could only race in the SCCA's C modified class, but that was not Arkus-Duntov's goal; he wanted to face off with the unbeatable Shelby Cobras.
He got his chance in 1963 when three Grand Sport Coupes were shipped to Nassau Speed Week in the Bahamas where they were allowed, under Speed Week rules, to race against the Cobras in the GT class.
