Corvette ZR1 Schools McLaren 720S
America’s old-school ZR1 shows the tech-packed English 720S.
The ZR1 has been smashing records left and right. Not only being the fastest Corvette ever, but also being the fastest production car to lap some tracks here in the US. So when it takes on the performance of a known supercar like the McLaren 720S at a place like Summit Point Raceway, things are bound to get fun. Especially because each of them have the most important upgrade you can make to a car; tires. Slick tires, that is.
Producing 710 horsepower, the McLaren seen here is utilizing Hoosier R7 slick tires for its track day fun. While the 720S does have a 30 horsepower deficit over the ZR1, it also has a massive 700 lb weight advantage. To help the Corvette with that weight disadvantage, it too is on slick tires. Shod with scrubbed Pirelli slick tires, the ZR1 gave chase.
Summit Point Raceway in West Virginia typically uses the main configuration, which is a 2 mile course with a front straightaway of 2900. ZR1 top speed here is just shy of 160 miles per hour, but this is also where the McLaren’s light weight allows it to simply explode out of corners. Blame it on a competent or more experienced driver, or even the Corvette’s massive ceramic brakes, but entering all the corners, the ZR1 catches up almost all lost ground. This same scenario plays lap after lap, even after the ZR1 pressures the McLaren driver into some mistakes and sloppy driving.
Finally the 720s driver gives in to the inevitable, and gives the point-by for a pass. All in good fun though, since both drivers are good friends, and just wanted to properly exercise their machines in a safe environment. Not a bad performance from the ZR1, considering a 720S costs nearly three times as much.
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