Open Road Record
A heavily modified C7 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 set a new record at the Big Bend Open Road Race (BBORR) in Texas, but paid a fiery price for its success. During the victory run, the car’s rear bumper partially melted, proving once again that plastic bodywork and extreme speeds don’t always mix well.
Race Specifics
The BBORR is held twice a year on a 59-mile stretch of US Highway 285 between Fort Stockton and Sanderson, and then back, forming a 118-mile loop where participants regularly exceed 200 mph (320 km/h).
John Anhalt’s Achievement
This year, behind the wheel of his 2019 Corvette ZR1, John Anhalt set an extraordinary new record with an average speed of 173.004 mph (278 km/h). On a public road, this number would sound incredible even as a top speed, but Anhalt maintained this average speed over the entire 118-mile distance.
Previous Record and Run Details
Anhalt barely exceeded the previous record of 172.249 mph (277.2 km/h), which had stood since 2013 and was set by a 2002 Corvette Z06. During the nearly 41-minute run, he reached a top speed of 213 mph (343 km/h), which is impressive considering the massive rear spoiler installed on the car.
However, not everything went according to plan: by the end of the run, a large portion of the ZR1’s rear end had melted. This apparently happened because the new rear spoiler created a powerful vacuum behind the car, essentially trapping the hot air from the exhaust system.
Custom Modifications
Modifications made to the ZR1 also likely contributed to the plastic melting. In a conversation with Road & Track, Anhalt noted that the car now has approximately 30% more power than the stock version and includes a larger supercharger, upgraded rocker arms, lifters, ported cylinder heads, and a larger throttle body.
It also has custom headers and AWE straight pipes, meaning the exhaust system gets very hot and extremely loud.
Further Potential
Despite the record, Anhalt believes the car could have shown more. He revealed that driving at top speed would have consumed all the fuel in just 20 minutes, forcing him to slow down and coast on certain sections. Indeed, for a Corvette that had just melted part of itself while setting BBORR records, such restraint was perhaps the only thing that saved it from complete destruction.
This case demonstrates how technical modifications can simultaneously deliver impressive results and create unforeseen problems. Engineers will likely consider ways to improve thermal protection for future attempts, especially given that the car has reserves for even higher speeds. Similar incidents often become a catalyst for technological improvements in motorsport.