[VIDEO] Corvette ZR1X Runs the Quarter Mile in 8.74 seconds at 159 MPH

Mar 18, 2026

12800

[VIDEO] Corvette ZR1X Runs the Quarter Mile in 8.74 seconds at 159 MPH

The very first customer delivery of a 2026 Corvette ZR1X that we shared last month belongs to Peter who owns and operates the TX2K event in Dallas, Texas. TX2K recently held a test and tune setting which provided our first look at seeing what a customer-owned ZR1X was capable of at the drag strip. The video comes from Brooks of Drag Times who had the opportunity to run Peter’s ZR1X on the track.

Peter’s ZR1X is an Arctic White Coupe with the ZTK Performance Package which includes the Carbon Aero package featuring the high wing, and it was also armed with the weight-saving carbon fiber wheels. Learning from other owner’s past experience with the ZR1, the large rear wing was removed to lessen the effects of drag. However, Brooks makes it absolutely clear that Chevy doesn’t recommend doing so as it upsets the balance of the car. Brooks also made sure to jettison the floormats for additional weight savings.

The goal for this test was to see if they could replicate or beat the official time set by the Corvette engineers at a Michigan track last October. That official quarter mile time was 8.675 seconds at 159 MPH.

The weather for this test and tune date was sunny and in the 50s according to Brooks, making conditions ideal for the record-breaking attempts. The DA for the first attempt was shown to be -166 DA.

After a quick burnout to warm the tires, Brooks notes that the prepped track is super-sticky. As he does his first launch in the all-wheel drive ZR1X, he lets an expletive fly as the car grips and goes. Multiple camera views capture the launch, and he hits 8.74 seconds at 159 MPH! The draggy shows an insane 1.77 seconds 0-60 MPH while his 60 to 130 MPH time was 3.86s.

For the second run, Peter does the driving as we see the ZR1X going up against a built Camaro, and it runs 8.784 seconds at 157.49 according to the time slip. “Repeat, repeat…let’s go,” says Brooks who was on the sidelines watching that run. That nearly identical time shows just how consistent this ZR1X can be.

With the day warming up and one more attempt planned, Peter decides to remove the ZR1X’s front gurney lip which extends up from the hood in an attempt to further reduce drag. The DA for the third pass was 300.

With Brooks once again behind the wheel, the car hooks and goes and E-Ray fans will hear the familiar sound of the front electric motor as the car accelerates during the launch. Brooks complains about getting “sideways a little bit,” and the time was 8.8 seconds at 159.28 according to the time slip.

In the video replay, Brooks notes that the Performance Gauge shows the performance from the electric motor dropping by about 100 horsepower once the car exceeded 130 mph. However, it did show a high of 198 HP before that fall-off happened. The motor is rated at 186 HP and like the 160-hp motor in the E-Ray, it appears that owners can expect to exceed those factory numbers.

From DragTimes via YouTube

I head out to Dallas, Texas for ‪@TX2K_Official‬ to meet with my friend Peter and test out his 1,250 horsepower Chevrolet Corvette ZR1X down the 1/4 mile to see if we can replicate what the Chevrolet Team did during their testing that stunned the automotive performance world.

Source:
DragTimes / YouTube

Subscribe Now:

4 COMMENTS

IPD Mar 18, 2026 At 12:34 pm

No one doubts the ZR1X is an 8 second car from the factory. But when you’re in the 8’s, even the slightest variation will cost a tenth or 2.

I’m guessing Coupe, 1LZ, non-ZTK, CF wheels–will probably be the fastest. But that’s not how everyone is spec’ing these. Lord knows CF2 interior trim doesn’t do a damn thing to save weight.
Raylan Benzl Mar 18, 2026 At 6:24 pm

Fastest “Hypercar” quarter mile times:
* Dodge Challenger Demon 170: 8.91 seconds ($169,591. 2025, Hagerty).
* Pininfarina Battista: 8.55 seconds.
* Rimac Nevara: 8.25 seconds.
* McMurtry Spierling: 7.97 seconds.
The Demon was designed to demolish the drag strip, In fact, NHRA will mall you a violation letter for running a sub-nine-second quarter mile without a safety cage or parachute. Moreover, the Demon has the highest G-force acceleration of any “production” car at 2.004 g’s. Thanks Ray
Alan Druxson Mar 19, 2026 At 10:43 am

Someone made Brooks wear a helmet. Good! Maybe that’s because he’s not in Florida.
Bob in FL Mar 23, 2026 At 8:11 am

Unlike Dodge, Chevrolet’s objective was not to make ZR1X a one-trick-pony, quickest car at the dragstrip. If that was the primary goal, Chevy could have easily tuned ZR1X to use E85 just like Dodge and even made more power. ZR1’s outstanding performance at the strip is only a secondary benefit of having a holistically much better car that runs on ordinary 93 octane gasoline. If there are faster cars, that’s fine.

Battery-only cars and multi-million dollar one’sy two’sy exotics are in a different market segment. They have their own drawbacks and tradeoffs. I wouldn’t consider buying any of those vehicles any more than I would a Gulf Stream V jet, rocket or a satellite. Those are really fast too.