LS7 Corvette packs 600 horsepower, allowing it to power away from the 458 after the turns.
The Chevrolet Corvette is easily the most respected American performance car outside of the United States, but in Italy, Ferrari and Lamborghini models still reign supreme. In the video above from the RocketV8 YouTube channel, a modified C6 Z06 goes head-to-head with a Ferrari 458 on an Italian road course, beating the Prancing Horse on its home turf.
The Modified Z06
The C6 Corvette Z06 in the video above came from the factory with 505 horsepower from the naturally-aspirated LS7 engine. However, the owner has added Trick Flow cylinder heads, a new camshaft from Lingenfelter, an ARH exhaust system and a tune, reportedly lifting the output to 600 horsepower. Naturally, this LS7 Z06 is stronger and faster than it was when stock.
Also, in the details of the video is states that this Corvette has Brembo GT brakes and Bilstein shocks. The C6 Z06 came from the factory with Brembo brakes, but the GT kit is a considerable upgrade over stock ,while the Bilstein dampers should help the car handle even better. The only thing that we don’t know is what this C6 is running for tires.
Ultimately, this Z06is nowhere near stock, but it has been fitted with common upgrades that we could see on a street-driven LS7 Corvette. At the same time, it is a far more capable track car, as is displayed in the video above. That should hopefully give it the edge against one of Italy’s finest.
Z06 Passing Everyone
As the video above begins, the Corvette comes out of the pits and the driver slows down on the straight leading to the first turn, allowing the Ferrari 458 to blast past. The Z06driver then hammers down, quickly closing in on the Ferrari as they make their way around the Vallelunga Circuit in Italy. Through the first six turns, the Z06 closes in on the 458 and on the long straight leading into turn 7, the Chevy pulls even, out-braking Ferrari into turn 7 to jump ahead.
From there, we can see the Ferrari in the mirrors of the Vette, but the 458 isn’t strong enough to pull around the Chevy as they blast out of the turns. While playing cat-and-mouse with the Ferrari, the Z06 eats up a Mini Cooper and a Porsche 911, showing the dominance of American performance against Italian, British and German competitors.
"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.
