Possibly the Final Chapter for the ‘Bitter Tears’ Corvette, as Stefan Gustafsson Crashes Storied C4 Corvette
After collecting a second victory at the 2024 edition of Sick Week Presented by Gear Vendors Overdrive, we thought the 1989 Chevrolet Corvette of Stefan Gustafsson had seen its final ride.
Due to be shipped back to Sweden and stripped of its running gear for a carbon fiber-bodied 1970 Camaro Stefan planned for the 2025 drag-and-drive season; the Corvette had gone out on a high note. Or had it?
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Returning to Sweden on May 14th marked the first time the Corvette had been in the country since 2018. In addition to transferring all the valuable parts and piece to the new car, Gustafsson had a few other plans for the Corvette.
“We’re going to clean it up nice, new paint, and it will hang in my shop,” he said. “I feel it deserves a good resting spot as we move forward on the new car.”
Just four days later, plans had changed. “We are in Malmö and run test and tune before tonight's Germany vs Sweden 100k cash day,” was posted on the ‘Bitter Tears Corvette’ Facebook page.
A video posted showed what appeared to be a pass to around the 330 foot mark before Stefan pedaled it.
“Soft tune up; hopefully it goes faster in the evening.”
Stefan progressed through the first two rounds of competition, but the third round would take a turn for the worse. Racing a C3 Corvette, Stefan came off the line and look to be in good shape until about the halftrack mark, when Bitter Tears made a move to the right.
Stefan tried to correct the car and stay ahead, but his Corvette would turn the opposite direction and cross lanes. Thankfully, Stefan avoided the other driver, but collected the guardrail.
The good news is Stefan came out of the wreck okay. But for Bitter Tears, this will likely prove its last time in action. “Pipes, spring legs, pressure pipes, wastegate, rims, steering, cooler, tank, all plastic, lights, ‘pants’ pipes for turbo, generator bracket, diaper,” is the initial damage report posted. “Then they are probably a little more that we have not seen yet.”
A couple views of the run are shown below:
Now, Bitter Tears awaits its fate, sitting below the 1970 Camaro that will take its place.
Written by Derek Putnam. Photos courtesy of Sick the Magazine, Motion Raceworks, Stefan and Micke Gustafsson.
If you have thoughts / feedback / ideas, please e-mail us at derek@sickthemagazine.com