Corvette ZR1 Sets Five Records on U.S. Track Tour

Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on Corvette ZR1 Sets Five Records on U.S. Track Tour

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The Corvette ZR1* (NYSE: GM) set five new production car lap records during a U.S. track tour Chevrolet said today. The runs occurred at Road America, Road Atlanta, Virginia International Raceway Full Course, Virginia International Raceway Grand Course, and Watkins Glen Long Course.

“Corvette ZR1 continues to showcase how this nameplate elevates at every corner,” Corvette executive chief engineer Tony Roma said. “From design, engineering, development, validation, to driving and setting incredible lap records like these – we do it all in house.”

“The drivers, with a combined 65 years of GM Level 6 driving experience, each brought racing and high-performance driving experience when joining General Motors. Individually, each driver quickly reached the top of GM’s driver certification program, and all achieved Nürburgring Industry Pool certification. This group was entrusted with pushing the Corvette ZR1 to its absolute limits on the highest speed, highest commitment tracks in the U.S., Chevrolet said

Corvette ZR1 Lap Times, Each with a GM Driver

  • Watkins Glen Long Course: 1:52.7. Driver: Bill Wise, Lead Performance Engineer, Chassis Controls.
  • Road America: 2:08.6. Driver: Brian Wallace, Lead Vehicle Dynamics Engineer.
  • Road Atlanta: 1:22.8. Driver: Chris Barber, Lead Development Engineer.
  • Virginia International Raceway Full Course: 1:47.7. Driver: Aaron Link, Global Vehicle Performance Manager.
  • Virginia International Raceway Grand Course: 2:32.3. Driver: Aaron Link.

For video of Road America run click here.

A Corvette ZR1 with the ZTK Package has a top speed of 233 mph on the racetrack, 0-60 mph time of 2.3 seconds, and quarter-mile time of 9.6 seconds. “With these figures, no current production car under $1 million rivals Corvette ZR,” Chevrolet said.

MSRPs* for the Corvette ZR1 start at $174,995 (including $1695 DFC) for the 1LZ coupe and $184,995 (including DFC) for the 1LZ hardtop convertible. Production is scheduled to begin at General Motors’ Bowling Green Assembly plant in Kentucky in the second quarter of 2025, and Chevrolet will begin accepting orders for the 2025 Corvette ZR1 later this month.

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About Ken Zino

Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn. He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe. Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap. AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks. Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.
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