Vengeance Racing Factory Challenge Corvette ZR1 Battles the Demon

Demon wins two out of three, but the Corvette grabs a win on the slick track.

The video above offers us a look at the Vengeance Racing Factory Challenge from the official YouTube channel of the tuning experts, showcasing the 2019 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 and the 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon. Vengeance is well-known for building some incredible high performance GM machines and the Georgia-based tuners have big plans for the new LT5, but before beginning the build – they wanted to get some baseline numbers on the drag strip.

What better competitor for the most powerful Corvette of all time than the most drag race-capable American car of all time – the 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon. Vengeance also has plans for the Demon, but while both cars were stock, the shop got them both to the track for some baseline numbers.

The Competitors

As we all know, the 2019 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 is powered by the new LT5 V8, delivering 755 horsepower and 715 lb-ft of torque with help from an 8-speed automatic transmission. This C7 puts the power to the ground with a set of 335/25ZR20 Michelin Pilot Super Sport Cup 2 tires and without the driver, the sleek supercar weighs around 3,600 pounds.

The Demon is powered by a supercharged Hemi that delivers 840 horsepower and 770 lb-ft of torque with its own 8-speed transmission. The Demon has Nitto NT05R drag radials measuring 315 millimeters as well, but the Dodge weighs some 700 pounds more than the ZR1.

The Demon has a substantial advantage in power, but the Corvette is far lighter and more aerodynamic, making this an interesting series of races.

A Night on a Slick Track

Before getting into the numbers run by each of these cars in the quarter mile, we should point a few things out. According to the details, the Density Altitude was around 3,000 when these runs were filmed and track prep was very poor, so the conditions were fairly poor. On most runs, both cars were pulling horrifically-bad two-second 60-foot times leading to poor elapsed times, but these runs still make for some exciting footage between two of America’s greatest new performance cars.

On the first run, the Demon gets out a little better, running an 11.76 at 127 to the Vette’s 11.96 at 126, but on the second run, the roles are reversed when the ZR1 gets the better launch – wining with an 11.76 to the Demon’s 11.98.

Finally, on the third run, the two went head-to-head in the dark on an even slicker track. On this run, the Demon got out a bit better, but traction was a mess for both cars – leading the Dodge to win with a balmy 12.01 to the Corvette’s 12.08. We have seen much stronger results for the new ZR1 in the forums.

From here, Vengeance Racing will begin their build of both cars and when completed, we can expect much quicker times from both cars. In the meantime, crank up your speakers and enjoy these baseline battles.

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Patrick Rall

"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.

"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.

"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.

"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.

"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.

"Being based on Detroit," says Rall, "I never miss the North American International Auto Show, the Woodward Dream Cruise and Roadkill Nights, along with spending plenty of time raising hell on Detroit's Woodward Avenue with the best muscle car crowd in the world.

Rall can be contacted at QuickMirada@Yahoo.com