A 28-year old ZR1 shows that the C4 Corvette is still competitive today.
The 2019 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 will certainly hurt the feelings of some Ford owners, packing 755 horsepower, but even this 1990 ZR1 is able to hang tough with a modern Mustang GT. Even after 28 years of driving, the C4 ZR1 is still quicker than a late model Mustang from a dig and a roll.
The Competitors
This series of races between a 1990 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 and a 2013 Ford Mustang GT was originally shared in a thread by Big Hammer from the YouTube channel of Nater36. The Mustang is completely stock, meaning that it is fitted with a 5.0-liter V8 delivering 420 horsepower and 390 lb-ft of torque. The Corvette is also basically stock. Sure, it has a muffler delete but that really doesn’t add to the stock LT5 figures of 375 horsepower and 370 lb-ft of torque. The ZR1 also has a set of Nitto NT05R drag radials, so the Chevy has the traction advantage, but the tires didn’t decide the outcome.
The racing action begins with the 1990 Corvette ZR1 and the 2013 Mustang GT going head-to-head from a dig. As you might expect, the drag radials give the ZR1 an advantage on the launch, but as the race continues, the Corvette just keeps on pulling away from the Ford.
On the second run, the ‘Vette and Mustang go from a low roll, and the ZR1 gets out to a big advantage quickly enough that the Ford driver quickly shuts down and pulls in line. We’re guessing they missed a gear. Or, maybe, it’s just another case of Mustang Things happening.
The third run was another roll race with the two cars switching lanes. On this run, the Mustang keeps the race much closer, but as the two race away from the camera car, the C4 holds onto the win.
Finally, the video ends with the Corvette launching hard with the camera positioned on the rear of the car, pointing at the ground. This gives us a great chance to hear the old LT5 roar as the Vette lays stripes with the drag radials.
"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.
