by Brad Anderson
- Corvette ZR1 reached 213 mph during its record-setting run.
- Heat from straight pipes caused the rear bumper to melt.
- The tuned Corvette produces 30 % more power than stock.
A heavily modified C7 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 has claimed a new record at the Big Bend Open Road Race (BBORR) in Texas, though it paid a fiery price for its success.
In the process of taking the outright win, the Corvette ended up with part of its rear bumper melted, proving once again that plastic bodywork and extreme speed aren’t always the best of friends
Read: Hennessey’s 1,000 HP C7 Corvette ZR1 Delivers Hypercar Performance At A Supercar Price
The BBORR takes place twice a year on a 59-mile stretch of US 285 between Fort Stockton and Sanderson, then back again, forming an 118-mile round trip where competitors regularly reach more than 200 mph (320 km/h).
This year, behind the wheel of his 2019 Corvette ZR1, John Anhalt managed to set an extraordinary new average speed record of 173.004 mph (278 km/h). On a public highway, that figure would sound improbable enough as a top speed, but Anhalt held that average for the entire 118-mile course
Anhalt narrowly edged out the previous record of 172.249 mph (277.2 km/h), which had stood since 2013 and was set by a 2002 Corvette Z06. Over the near-41-minute run, he hit a top speed of 213 mph (343 km/h), a very impressive feature considering the massive rear wing he’s added to the car.
However, one thing didn’t go to plan: by the end of the run, a large area of the ZR1’s rear end had melted. This is perhaps because the new rear wing created a massive vacuum behind the car, essentially trapping the hot air from the exhaust.
No Ordinary ZR1
The modifications made to the ZR1 also likely contributed to the melted plastic. Speaking with Road & Track, Anhalt said the car now makes about 30 percent more power than stock and includes a larger supercharger, upgraded rockers, lifters, ported heads, and a larger throttle body.
It also has aftermarket headers and AWE straight pipes, meaning the exhaust gets very hot and really loud.
Despite the record, Anhalt believes the car still had more to give. He revealed that running flat-out would have drained the fuel tank in only 20 minutes, forcing him to back off and coast through certain sections.
Truth to be told, aor a Corvette that just melted part of itself while rewriting the BBORR record books, that restraint might have been the only thing keeping it from going up in smoke entirely.
