Brooks Weisblat, the host of DragTimes YouTube channel, is back with another chapter in the ZR1’s drag-strip saga, this outing marked a serious step up in difficulty. The Corvette’s recent résumé already included convincing wins over a Ferrari 296 and a McLaren 765LT Coupe, and even a narrow victory against a heavily modified 1,200-horsepower SF90. Each race raised the bar—but the next challenge was on an entirely different level.
This time, the ZR1 lined up against Dodge’s ultimate straight-line weapon: the Demon 170. With an experienced driver behind the wheel, this wasn’t just another matchup—it was a real test of whether Chevrolet’s flagship could hang with a purpose-built drag monster. The stage was Bradenton Motorsports Park during a customer drive day, with both cars prepped and ready.
On paper, the contrast couldn’t be sharper. The Corvette ZR1 showed up essentially as a street car, riding on carbon-fiber wheels and Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires, powered by a 5.5-liter flat-plane-crank V8 producing a staggering 1,064 horsepower, all while retaining a full interior. The Demon 170, meanwhile, came armed with beadlock rear wheels, skinnies up front, E85 fuel, and a stripped-down cabin—built to do one thing extremely well.
