The 2019 Chevy Corvette ZR1 Just Smashed VIR Lap Record For Production Cars

The 2019 Corvette ZR1 in addition to being the most powerful and fastest production Corvette in history, has now set a lap record at America’s toughest track with an engineer at the wheel.

How quickly things can change… just last week a Ford GT “accidentally“ set a new lap record for production cars around Virginia International Raceway’s Grand Course West layout. Now, that record has been broken by the new Corvette ZR1. Besides that, Chevy was keen to note that vehicle dynamics engineer Jim Mero set the record, not a pro-driver.

The $120,000 ZR1 sets a new lap record during validation testing at Virginia International Raceway with a time of 2:37.25. In case you don’t know, validation testing ensures that the finished product for a car lives up to the design specifications and engineering expectations.
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The Corvette used was a completely stock coupe aside from the addition of racing seats and harnesses. It also featured the $2,995 ZTK Performance Package that includes the big rear carbon fiber wing, front splitter, Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires and track-ready magnetic ride control. It was also equipped with the ZR1’s new eight-speed automatic gearbox.

This announcement could not have come at a better time, as it thoroughly embarrasses the Ford GT – a track-focused $400,000 supercar that’s nearly impossible to buy. The 755-horsepower ZR1 is a bargain compared to Ford’s offering, with a retail price of $119,995. Chevy is touting the new Corvette ZR1 as a true supercar-killer, a track monster for half the price of its competition.

Perhaps the most impressive part of this ordeal isn’t the ZR1’s lap, but rather a lap set by the Chevy team earlier in a manual-transmission Corvette Z06. They were able to lap the car around VIR’s Grand Course West in 2:39.77 – a little more than a second slower than the Ford GT. Not bad for being a quarter of the price.

Watch the ZR1 set the VIR lap record in the video below.