The still-unnamed Seattle franchise is still two years away from debuting in the NHL, but the league's 32nd team has its first GM. That's Ron Francis, the Hall of Fame player who spent four years as the Carolina Hurricanes GM, before being demoted then fired under new owner Tom Dundon in 2018.

Francis lands a coveted job in Seattle, and has about 27 months before the 2021-22 season opener. The biggest challenge for Francis and his new squad? Matching expectations that the Vegas Golden Knights set on (and off) the ice when they redefined success for an expansion franchise in 2017-18. In a candid conversation with ESPN, Francis discusses how he landed the job, his thoughts on watching the Canes' playoff run this spring, when he'll look to fill out his staff, what he's looking for in his players and coach, and whether he believes other GMs will alter their approach to the expansion draft this time around.

ESPN: When did the job first become a possibility for you?

Ron Francis: I got involved with Hockey Canada at the World Championships -- I was on the management team with Ron Hextall -- and we were in Slovakia pretty much for the month of May. I would be lying if I didn't say the passion and the fire to get back in the game started coming back; you're around NHL coaches and players and people. Not long after that [team president] Tod Leiweke gave me a call and asked if I would be interested in the Seattle position. Then we started talking. The more I heard about what their vision was and what they wanted to build, the more excited I became. I feel fortunate they were willing to give me this opportunity.

ESPN: Who did you talk to through the interview process?

Francis: My first dinner was with Tod and [team COO] Victor DeBonis. The next morning I had breakfast with Tod. They put a hard hat and goggles on me and wheeled me around the construction site. They showed me what they were building and what things would look like, and it was extremely impressive. Then -- and I thought this was pretty interesting -- I got to spend some time with the staff that Tod had assembled and to hear what everybody did and what their role was. It was impressive to me, not only at how talented a group they were, but the came across as a group that loved what they were doing and were having fun doing it.

I spent some time interviewing with [Amazon executive/team minority owner] Andy Jassy, at that point, the next time I came out I met with Tim Leiweke a little bit then had interviews with six, seven, eight of the different owners and met them. As we kept progressing forward, it became apparent to me that it was a special opportunity, and a great city that offers a great quality of life; it doesn't hurt that we'd be one of six teams that has no state income tax. So I think it will be a destination place that players, especially free agents, want to consider.

ESPN: In talking to Tod, I get the sense that he wants to do things a little differently with this team -- not necessarily follow every mold of the other 31 teams. Was there anything he mentioned to you that felt different or new?

Francis: I've always been a fan of analytics, maybe they want to up that area of what we're doing and be on the forefront there, and do some innovative things. Technology, especially in this market, is very important. So I think we'll be doing some cool things with technology. The biggest thing for me, that I took from all the meetings, is how they want to operate. All of their decisions come down to: do you want to do something right or do something less than right? They'll do things right. They're not cutting corners anywhere. They want to treat their staff, treat their players, their fans, the people of Seattle and the Pacific Northwest with the utmost respect and give them something special.

ESPN: How much has Las Vegas, and comparisons to Las Vegas, come up in conversations?

Francis: I got asked that question at the press conference, and I said, 'I used to joke before I took this position I'd like to be the second GM in Seattle, not the first one, because of what Vegas did.' But this is a different setup. I think if you go back and listen to the comments that Vegas had leading up to the expansion draft, their plan was to draft and develop well and be patient in the process. I think George [McPhee] and Kelly [McCrimmon] did a fantastic job, they had a unbelievable first season and the franchise is in good position ever since. So hopefully we can draft some good players in the expansion draft, and draft some good players in the amateur draft, and take the time to develop those guys.

ESPN: Vegas was very clear about their expectations before their inaugural season: they wanted to be competitive in three years and compete for a Stanley Cup in six. What are your expectations?

Francis: I think you're always hoping you can be competitive out of the gate. That's part of where our focus is at, and we're going to have to really work hard in the next 23 months to make sure we're prepared for the expansion draft. We'll study the free-agent market and be ready for that as well.

ESPN: What's your timeline for filling out a staff?

Francis: I think the bulk of it, especially in the scouting realm, will be a year from now. I'm not opposed to finding a handful of guys to scout the pro level, the American league level. I do think we'll be a bit more proactive on the analytical side just so we can start collecting data, and when we get the bodies on board next summer, we already have some of those things in place.

ESPN: So you might begin scouting players this coming season?

Francis: Yeah, I'm open to it. Obviously there is the potential of the lockout next year so I do think we want to get some coverage this year, especially in the NHL and American league level in case that happens. But the plan is to go full bore on the scouting staff as we go into next summer.

ESPN: In the NHL, GMs tend to hire people they know or people they've worked with in the past. How much will you lean on your Whalers connections for hires?

Francis: It might have been a possibility a few months ago, but they all got jobs again! Tippy [Dave Tippett] is in Edmonton, Joel [Quenneville] is in Florida, Kevin Dineen just got hired in San Diego. But there's certainly a lot of Whalers around. I think the beauty for me, having played 23 years in the league and then being involved in the management side for over 12 years, is you run across a lot of different people and make a lot of relationships, so we'll see what transpires moving forward in that regard.

ESPN: What are you most proud of in your time with the Hurricanes?

Francis: We set a plan to rebuild that organization, that was our focus. I think we were patient in doing it. I think we stuck to the plan as we moved forward. I think the guys that I had and worked with there did a real good job in rebuilding that organization, and they're set up to have success for many years moving forward. I'm excited for that. The fans in Raleigh, they certainly deserve it.

ESPN: How much of their playoff run did you watch?

Francis: I watched a little bit of the first part, but then I was in Slovakia and Austria from May 1 to May 28 so I missed a significant portion when I was overseas.

ESPN: What was it like watching them and seeing how far they made it?

Francis: It's kind of bittersweet. You're happy for them, but there's a lot of guys who put a lot of work in to that and should have been around. What happened there afforded me to take this position. So I've turned the page.

ESPN: You're uprooting your family and moving them across the country. Was that a difficult decision? Did you need to do any convincing?

Francis: Yeah, I mean it wasn't like we were moving down the street. We are pretty much going coast to coast, which is a big move. I'm very fortunate, my wife has been a part of this industry a while. We've been married for 31 years and dated for five before that. We had a saying in Hartford: "life on a hockey stick." She was willing to make the move.

My youngest has one more year at university and then he's free to choose where he wants to go. My middle one is working at a good job in North Carolina so I think he's content on being there at this point. My oldest currently lives in LA, so she's a short flight away.

ESPN: The Vegas expansion draft was the first one in a while, and featured new restrictions. It seemed like some GMs tried to get too cute and made side deals that might have backfired in the end. Do you think teams will be savvier this time around?

Francis: People have gone through it once, so they know there are things they would do differently. I think some GMs take some criticism for that, but at the end of the day, if there's a player you're worried about losing that you know can play and know can help your lineup, then you have to give up a pick that may or may not turn into a player or a prospect that may or may not turn into a player. I don't think you can blame a GM for trying to keep the player that he knows can play or help his team be successful.

ESPN: What some are attributes you're looking for in guys that will be on your opening night roster?

Francis: Today's game is a fast-paced game so you've got to be able to skate. I want a team that's competitive, a lot of character. It's not always going to be smooth over an 82-game season so you're going to want the character that can help pull you through these tough times. Personally, I like skill and hockey sense. It doesn't hurt to have a little size and toughness in your lineup as you head into the playoffs.

ESPN: What are you looking for in a coach?

Francis: The one thing I'll be looking for is experience, especially at the NHL level. You're trying to pull all these different players who have played for different lineups and never really spent time together, so you want someone who has been there and has been through it. I think experience, for sure, is an important attribute for the first coach who is hired.

Soon after the end of an all-encompassing World Cup, Bangladesh are back in action. Having ended a three-day training camp in Dhaka today, the team will depart for Colombo tomorrow for a tour of Sri Lanka consisting of one practice match followed by three ODIs.

With so little time having elapsed since Bangladesh's eighth-place finish at the World Cup, the tour won't really feel like a fresh start. There aren't any fresh young faces in the squad, so building up to the next World Cup will have to wait. Still, this will be an important series, their captain Mashrafe Mortaza has said, emphasising the need to beat Sri Lanka to bring some positivity back into the dressing room.

"I don't think too much has changed between just before the World Cup and just after the World Cup," Mashrafe said. "If there was a good young player available, who performed exceptionally, we would have most likely taken him to the World Cup. I think we have to prepare at least some cricketers at the highest level, over the next two years. Give them enough opportunity, so that they can serve us well in the next World Cup.

"But this ODI series is important for Bangladesh cricket. Given our circumstances, we need to win this series, so we have to keep this in mind as well.

"There will be a big difference in intensity between a World Cup and a bilateral series. But we have to absorb it like a professional side. Our reality, given how we did at the World Cup, however doesn't allow us to have less intensity. This is an opportunity for us to take a positive turn, so I am sure everyone has the mindset to make a comeback."

Mashrafe, however, didn't ignore the need for long-term planning, pleading for more focus on the pipeline leading up to the senior team. He felt most of the current squad could still be part of the set-up in four years' time, but added that it would be crucial for Bangladesh to make the next rung of players ready for international cricket.

"Apart from me, the rest of the side is capable of playing in the next World Cup," he said. "But I think it is more important to focus on the Under-19s, HP (high performance) and A team, if we are to do well in the next four years. We must have players who become stable in international cricket during this time.

"Focusing on just one team of players makes life difficult at the highest level. We don't have Shakib [Al Hasan] for this tour so we have to look for two options. It is a great opportunity for those replacing him."

Although Sri Lanka hold an overwhelming 36-7 head-to-head record in matches between the two sides, recent history has been a lot closer, with Bangladesh winning three of the last six completed ODI meetings. There has been on-field friction too, exemplified by the 'Nagin' dance that both teams taunted each other with during last year's Nidahas Trophy. Mashrafe felt the upcoming series would continue the growth of the rivalry between the two teams.

"I think we will start on equal footing," he said. "They are playing at home where they always do well. They have been playing together for a while too. They are becoming a balanced side. They have some good memories from the World Cup, particularly beating England and pushing a few sides. There's been a bit of excitement between the two teams since the Nidahas Trophy and that will play a part too."

Mashrafe however said he was disappointed with his own performance at the World Cup, where he took just one wicket in eight matches. But he said that given his experience of playing at the highest level for two decades, he is equipped to deal with pressure and knows how to turn his form around.

"I have to take responsibility as a player and when I took over the captaincy four or five years ago, I had a similar feeling as well," he said. "I know it very well, having played for Bangladesh for 18 years, that our people raise questions quite quickly.

"I am personally disappointed with how I did at the World Cup and it will be a shame if I am not hurting. I am in a "nothing to lose" situation. But I also have the mentality to turn around, and coming towards the end of my career, there's no need to take pressure."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.

Thanks to a wild summer featuring a slew of superstars switching teams, the NBA is a very different place than it was just one year ago. Just ask the Las Vegas sportsbooks.

Last season, the top of the futures board included an odds-on favorite in the Golden State Warriors, plus outside contenders in the Boston Celtics and Houston Rockets. But all of those teams have tumbled down the board, and the top of the list now includes the two teams from Los Angeles and the Milwaukee Bucks.

Not only are the teams at the top all different, but this is the first year since 2015-16 without an established odds-on favorite.

In other words, the Warriors have released their death grip on the NBA.

Evaluating the new contender class

Consider this trio of facts:

• The Warriors entered the 2018-19 season as the runaway favorites at -200 and the lone squad with odds better than +500.

• This season, three teams check that box. Heading into last season, only six teams' championship odds were listed at +2,000 or better. This year there are 10 such teams.

• The last time the Warriors weren't the preseason favorites: 2015.

The Toronto Raptors entered 2018-19 at +1,400 but still walked away with the title. Heading into this season, seven contenders boast odds at least that strong. (Apologies to the Denver Nuggets, Portland Trail Blazers and teams that just missed the cut.)

Who are they and what are their big questions? Let's start at the top.

The top three

Los Angeles Lakers (+300)

There's no question the Lakers have the star power needed to win a title, but even if LeBron James and Anthony Davis have monster seasons, the real questions are about the supporting cast and the team's overall ability to play defense and make 3-point shots.

As the Raptors just demonstrated, championship rosters are filled with complementary pieces that thrive alongside the superstars. The good news is that the Lakers landed a great one in Danny Green, who not only provides the Lakers with great wing defense but also represents a huge addition to their shooting arsenal.

Green should be a near perfect fit next to James. Last season, Green made almost 46% of his 3s in Toronto and more than 91% of his 3s were assisted. Nobody has created more 3-point assists this decade than James, who is especially adept at creating clean looks in the corners, where Green is particularly nasty.

That said, it's still fair to question the rest of the Lakers supporting cast. Can DeMarcus Cousins regain some semblance of his athleticism? Can Avery Bradley rediscover his jumper? Will Kyle Kuzma's new shooting stroke work?

If the answers to those questions are yes, the Lakers will be ferocious. If not, AD and LeBron can only take this roster so far.

LA Clippers (+400)

No team in the league had a better offseason than the Clippers, adding two incredible two-way superstars to an already solid group. The case for the Clippers is easy: They have the reigning finals MVP in Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, a great coach and some decent role players. If it all clicks, they could replace the Warriors as the best two-way squad in the Western Conference.

The big concern is that it won't. The frontcourt looks particularly questionable. Can JaMychal Green, Ivica Zubac and Montrezl Harrell really be rotation bigs on a championship team? Bigs may be less important than ever in the NBA, but that doesn't mean they're irrelevant, and looking across the group of Western contenders, you don't see many other frontcourts this weak. You see Anthony Davis, Clint Capela, Draymond Green, Rudy Gobert and Nikola Jokic.

Milwaukee Bucks (+450)

The Bucks deserve to be the favorites in the East, and they arguably have the easiest path to the Finals of any team in the league. In Mike Budenholzer's first year, they quickly became the analytics darling of the NBA -- not only did they hoist up a ton of 3s, but they also led the NBA in net rating. Milwaukee was the only regular-season team that notched both a top-five offense and a top-five defense in the regular season. If there was a regular-season championship, they would've won it. But when it mattered most, Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks sputtered against Kawhi Leonard and the Raptors.

Still, there's room for optimism. Leonard is out West now, the Celtics are weaker and Antetokounmpo is still only 24 years old. Losing Malcolm Brogdon hurts, but the acquisition of Wesley Matthews and Robin Lopez helps.

The key question in Milwaukee is how will this team match up against the new-look Sixers? The Raptors solved the Bucks in part because they figured out ways to keep Giannis away from the rim. Well, this Philly frontcourt featuring Al Horford and Joel Embiid seems tailor-made to do the same.

The middle

Houston Rockets (+800)

Despite all the drama surrounding the blockbuster Chris Paul trade, the Rockets still deserve to be slotted as a contender. After all, they now boast two of the last three MVP winners in their backcourt. Still, it's fair to question just how well the reunion of Russell Westbrook and James Harden will actually work. In some respects, Westbrook represents everything that Daryl Morey's Rockets hate: poor shot selection and poor scoring efficiency.

The skeptics are quick to point out that there's only one basketball, and Westbrook and Harden are two of the most ball-dominant players of our era. But if this refrain sounds familiar, it's because many of those same skeptics raised a similar concern when Houston acquired Chris Paul two years ago. Morey, Mike D'Antoni and Harden made that work, so why can't they repeat their success?

Paul and Westbrook are wildly different players. Paul is a great shooter, and Westbrook, well, just look at this:

Perhaps nobody in the NBA blends volume and inefficiency as much as Westbrook. Among the most fascinating subplots in this upcoming season will be watching Westbrook attempt to assimilate in an offensive environment built upon analytical correctness. Westbrook is a lot of things, but analytically correct has never been one of them.

But the Rockets deserve some benefit of the doubt. After all, this is the organization that turned Josh Smith into a respectable rotation piece in the 2015 playoffs. That's some Copperfield stuff.

Philadelphia 76ers (+800)

Speaking of shooting issues, Ben Simmons and the Sixers come into the season as the biggest threats to the Bucks in the East. If it all clicks in Philly, they're going to be an incredible defensive squad, with Simmons and Josh Richardson patrolling the perimeter while Embiid and Horford protect the paint.

The questions will be on the other side of the floor. Can the Sixers score? Of course. Can they score efficiently and can they shoot 3s? Those are the real questions.

Last season, Philly ranked 19th in the NBA by sinking just 10.8 3s per game. Even if Richardson can replace most of JJ Redick's perimeter production, it's very hard to see how this squad becomes even an average 3-point-shooting team. Without adequate floor spacing, Philly's opponents will be better able to pack the paint to slow down the interior scoring of Embiid, Simmons and Horford.

The 76ers will only go as far as their offensive efficiency and 3-point productivity take them.

The Dark Horses (AKA the next Raptors)

Golden State Warriors (+1,400)

Folks, the Warriors are a dark horse in the race for the 2020 NBA title. Does that mean their dynasty is over? Not so fast! At +1,400, they have the same odds of winning the 2020 title that the Raptors had entering 2018-19.

I'm not a betting man, but if I were, I'd be all over this bet. Why? Call me crazy, but if Klay Thompson returns to action by March or April, and the Warriors are in the playoffs, they're terrifying. They still feature the best backcourt in the league, contract-year Draymond Green and a pretty good head coach. In a league teeming with unproven contenders, I'll ride with these guys when it matters, assuming they're healthy.

The X factor in San Francisco will be the new guy, D'Angelo Russell, who provides the Warriors with yet another talented guard who can create shots for himself and others. He averaged 21 points and 7 assists per game last year in Brooklyn, but can he take another leap? Why not? Kerr has a knack for turning promising guards into superstars. When he first coached Curry and Thompson, those fellas were 26 and 24, respectively. Russell is still 23.

The limiting factors are depth and defense. Even with the loss of Durant, it's hard to imagine Golden State not logging solid offensive markers. Stephen Curry will be the centerpiece of their offense, and he's still one of the scariest offensive players in the league.

The challenge will be on the other side of the court. Can this team get stops without Durant, Iguodala and Thompson? Doubtful.

Utah Jazz (+1,400)

You know who's not going to have trouble getting stops? The 2019-20 Utah Jazz, that's who. Thanks to Rudy Gobert, their defense has become one of the most dependable groups in the league, and if Mike Conley can stay healthy, this is a team that now includes a phenomenal defensive point guard, too.

Utah's issues have always been on offense. Last year, they had the second-best defense in the league but just the 14th-best offense. Conley also helps with that. Oh, and so does the acquisition of Bojan Bogdanovic, who is simply one of the most reliable 3-point shooters in the NBA.

Folks, Bojan can shoot the lights out pic.twitter.com/rrFzzr1hhl

— Kirk Goldsberry (@kirkgoldsberry) June 30, 2019

Utah needs Donovan Mitchell to take another step forward in his development, and it needs to find ways to create clean looks for Bogdanovic. That will make this offense much better than last year's. While this roster may not include any huge superstars, it's chock full of two-way talents intent on crashing the top of the West.

Following an unprecedented torrent of player movement this summer, the NBA is entering a new world of parity. Just 12 months ago, the Warriors had won their second-straight title and looked poised to win for years to come. Man, that seems like light-years ago. Heading into next season, the Dubs are now just another contender in a very crowded field. The only safe bet is on chaos.

BARRE, Vt. — Brooks Clark took advantage of a late restart to grab the biggest win of his career at the 40th VP Racing Fuels Vermont Governor’s Cup late model race Thursday night at Thunder Road Int’l Speedbowl.

Clark rode the outside around Barre’s Nick Sweet with just seven laps remaining in the 150-lap event to beat a stout field, which included NASCAR star Christopher Bell, for a career-defining victory.

While Clark started on the pole and led the first 43 laps, his road to victory lane was anything but clear sailing. Even while pulling away from most of the field early, the veteran had to hold off several early charges from outside polesitter Marcel J. Gravel. The fiercest came following the third caution of the event on lap 36 after Bell spun while dueling with Kyle Pembroke for the ninth spot.

Clark was able to hold the lead each time while Sweet got underneath Gravel for the second spot on lap 41. When Stephen Donahue pounded the frontstretch wall two laps later and collected Scott Dragon in the process, Sweet got the chance to work the outside on Clark. Sweet, who was a last-minute replacement for Eric Chase in the No. 40VT for the second straight week, made it work up high to move to the point.

Both Sweet and Clark pulled away from the field on a long green-flag run that followed with Sweet slightly faster. When the fifth caution flew on lap 96 after Jason Corliss cut a right-front tire, the lead duo embarked on a torrid duel that lasted more than 25 laps.

Except for one circuit, Clark was able to use the outside momentum to stay ahead, until Sweet finally got back in front on lap 121 and cleared Clark two laps later. The four-time Governor’s Cup champion again began to pull away and seemed primed for a record-setting fifth victory in the event.

But Corliss shut down again to bring out the sixth and final caution on lap 143, setting up a seven-lap dash for the Cup. Clark seized his opportunity, letting it ride on the outside groove and going back to the front. Sweet was unable to mount a counter-attack in the final circuits as Clark captured his fifth career victory at Thunder Road.

Sweet finished second for the second straight week. Trampas Demers held off Cody Blake for third, padding his points lead in the process thanks to the misfortune of Corliss and Dragon. Jimmy Hebert, Pembroke, Matt White, Phil Scott, Bell, and Josh Masterson completed the top 10.

Jason Pelkey also got the maximum from a late caution to score his second career Lenny’s Shoe & Apparel Flying Tiger win. Pelkey was running a distant second to first-year Tiger racer Danny Doyle when Kevin Streeter blew a right-rear tire and spun in turn one to bring out the caution with three laps left in the 40-lap feature.

The restart put Pelkey alongside Doyle, and Pelkey had the nose in front as the field took the two-to-go. At almost the same time, Mike Martin and Brandon Lanphear got into the wall while fighting for the third spot, and they eventually came to a halt on the backstretch.

The lap was ruled completed, putting Pelkey on the inside for the green-white-checkered finish. Pelkey scooted away for the victory as Doyle got shuffled in the final corners and caused a scramble throughout the pack.
Brett Wood ended up a career-best second after running in the top-five all night. Joe Steffen snuck through the final-lap scrum to take third.

Cooper French became a first-time Thunder Road winner in the Allen Lumber Street Stock feature. The rookie went wire-to-wire in the 25-lap main event, holding off challenges from veteran Dean Switser Jr. and sophomore Kasey Beattie. The trio duked it out under a blanket following the second and final caution on lap 18, but French held strong to grab the breakthrough victory.

Beattie got underneath Switser on the final restart to take second with Switser finishing third.

GREENWOOD, Neb. — For the second consecutive year, Jonathan Davenport claimed a thrilling victory in the Malvern Bank Go 50 at I-80 Speedway.

The race saw five different drivers grab the lead at one point. Davenport became the last of the five, as he took the point on lap 34 from Brandon Sheppard and cruised on to his 10th Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series win of the season.

Davenport and Sheppard were followed to the finish line by Devin Moran, Mason Zeigler and Shannon Babb.

Tyler Bruening led the first lap until Tyler Erb took over the top spot just one lap later. Erb held his lead until Zeigler; last year’s Lucas Oil Rookie-of-the-Year; grabbed the lead away from him. Zeigler held on to the point until Sheppard went by him on lap 21.

Sheppard and Davenport ran one-two using the top groove for several circuits, until Davenport caught Sheppard on lap 34 to gain the lead and held it to the finish line.

Davenport was able to pull away on the final lap to pick up the victory and extend his series points lead over Josh Richards and Tyler Erb.

“It was a little shaky at the end,” Davenport said. “But once we got passed traffic, we were good to go. I knew he [Sheppard] would probably be on the top. We had a little problem with the car after the heat, but Jason and the crew got it fixed. We took off pretty good and then started to pick up the pace around the halfway mark when we got in to second. Brandon and I rode that top groove for a long time until I was finally able to catch him and pass him. I am sure that was a heck of a race to watch.”

Sheppard, who has one LOLMDS win this season, led 13 laps and came home in second place. “We had a really good car,” Sheppard said. “I want to thank Mark Richards, Steve Baker and my whole crew. We were right there at the end. I thought maybe with two to go we had another shot at him. That one caution hurt us because we had a run up top on the restart and I think we might have cleared him [Davenport], but we will come back tomorrow night and hope for a good racetrack like they gave us tonight.”

Moran, who earned the Optima Batteries Hard Charger of the Race, came home third.

“We finally got it rolling after a while,” Moran said. “Tyler [Erb] and I had a great race for a long time, we were throwing sliders on each other. I think we touched maybe once but it was good hard racing. I didn’t need those last cautions because we were moving good on the bottom through the middle. Congrats to JD and Sheppy. This is our first-time here and it has quickly become one of my favorite tracks to race on.”

The finish:

Jonathan Davenport, Brandon Sheppard, Devin Moran, Mason Zeigler, Shannon Babb, Chase Junghans, Scott Bloomquist, Josh Richards, Dennis Erb Jr., Hudson O’Neal, Dale McDowell, Chris Madden, Tim McCreadie, Kyle Bronson, Tyler Erb, Tyler Bruening, Billy Moyer Jr., Stormy Scott, Earl Pearson Jr., Shanon Buckingham, Chris Simpson, Cody Laney, Terry Phillips, Jimmy Owens.

TUSTIN, Calif. — Chevrolet has officially introduced the 2020 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray, the brands first production mid-engine Corvette.

“Corvette has always represented the pinnacle of innovation and boundary-pushing at GM. The traditional front-engine vehicle reached its limits of performance, necessitating the new layout,” said GM President Mark Reuss. “In terms of comfort and fun, it still looks and feels like a Corvette, but drives better than any vehicle in Corvette history. Customers are going to be thrilled with our focus on details and performance across the board.”

The 2020 Stingray’s exterior has a bold, futuristic expression with mid-engine exotic proportions, but it is still unmistakably Corvette. It’s lean and muscular, with an athletic sculptural shape conveying a sense of motion and power from every angle.

“As America’s most iconic performance nameplate, redesigning the Corvette Stingray from the ground up presented the team a historic opportunity, something Chevrolet designers have desired for over 60 years,” said Michael Simcoe, vice president of Global Design, General Motors. “It is now the best of America, a new arrival in the mid-engine sports car class. We know Corvette can stand tall with the best the world has to offer.”

A supercar level of craftsmanship, premium materials and attention to detail were critical in designing every component of the Stingray. The new location of the engine is truly the focal point for the car’s design. It’s the heart of this next generation Corvette and it sits like a jewel in a showcase, visible through the large rear hatch window.

The added attention to detail optimized the appearance of every wire, tube, bolt and fastener, similar to those found in modern track and all-road motorcycle design.

True to its aeronautical and racing roots, the 2020 Stingray’s canopy-forward stance was inspired by F22s, F35s and other modern fighter jets and Formula One racing. Other classic Corvette signatures adapted to the Stingray include a distinctive face that communicates the purpose of the vehicle’s mission, a classic horizontal crease, aggressive front fenders and familiar positioning of the dual-element headlamps.

Corvette’s structure is built around its backbone: the center tunnel. This enables a light, stiff structure to serve as the foundation for the suspension system to perform in an optimized manner. By removing unwanted body compliance, Corvette customers will experience the ultimate in ride performance with outstanding lateral grip capabilities. The car has a solid, connected-to-the-road feel with minimal vibrations at high speeds or on long road trips.

“Our mission was to develop a new type of sports car, combining the successful attributes of Corvette with the performance and driving experience of mid-engine supercars,” said Tadge Juechter, Corvette executive chief engineer.