For all those people worried or wondering how the ZL1 beat a Z06, I say stop and let the ZL1 have its moment. This VIR time is a little bit of vindication against all those who thought the ZL1 was dead before it was even released. Clearly this is an awesome car that is a complete package.
The Z06/Z07 hasn't been invalidated by anything, and the ZR1 just ran a best of 2:45 at VIR the same day the ZL1 made this run. So clearly the corvette team knows what they are doing too.
For those who are still concerned, I would point out that the Z06/Z07 still ran a 7:22 on the Nurburgring, and the old Z06 ran a 7:42 under GMs old testing standards (standing start/full lap) on the generation 1 Goodyear tires. No one is out to work on a new best time for a no-option Z06 or even a Grand Sport anymore, they are unfortunately old news at this point. Especially with the ZR1 vette, Z07 option, and more importantly the C7 vette two short years away.
Besides think about it. Look how many cars in GMs portfolio that it now has which can run sub- 8 minute times on the Ring and respectable times everywhere else. All C6 corvettes, the ZL1, the CTS-V, have done it as of 2012. And even though it was an 8:22 on the ring, even the now discontinued Cobalt SS set the handling record for FWD compacts there. That is just a broad respectable list overall for GM IMHO
.
I welcome the ZL1 to the badass club.
