By pretty much any measure, the Chevy Corvette ZR1 and ZR1X are outrageously fast cars. They each make more than 1,000 horsepower. They're the fastest American cars around the Nürburgring Nordschleife, conquering the myriad of corners in under seven minutes.And they're also crazy fast in a straight line. In fact, they may actually be a little too fast, as some recent quarter-mile testing suggests you won't be able to run one flat out at an NHRA-affiliated drag strip. The ZR1X Breaks The Rules ChevroletFirst, let's quickly recap just how quick the most monstrous Corvette, the ZR1X, really is. The all-wheel-drive hybrid 'Vette makes 1,250 horsepower and 973 pound-feet of torque. Chevrolet itself went to a drag strip with prepped surfaces in a quest last year to become the fastest American car in the quarter-mile. It succeeded with a time of 8.675 seconds and a trap speed of 159 mph. Car and Driver also tested a ZR1X and managed a time of 9.2 seconds and a speed of 155 mph, which wasn't as quick, but still impressive.Both of these runs present a problem. The NHRA (National Hot Rod Association), which is the major sanctioning body for drag racing in the United States, has many rules for speed and safety in drag racing. Depending on how quick your car is, and what class it's in, you need different levels of safety equipment, such as roll bars, parachutes, and more. In the event your vehicle lacks the necessary safety equipment for the times you're running, an NHRA drag strip will not let you race there.Chevrolet A stock ZR1X would fall under the NHRA's Street Legal class, which is designed for fully registered and insured road cars with all of their factory safety equipment. It also has some speed limits like other classes. Cars with a model year of 2014 or newer have the highest limit of a 9-second quarter-mile and 150-mph trap speed. So, both Chevy's and Car and Driver's testing show that an owner could show up with a ZR1X at an NHRA drag strip and easily get booted due to exceeding the class limits.There's actually another potential issue if you have a ZR1X convertible. NHRA rules also require convertibles to have a roll bar or cage if they cross the line in under 13.49 seconds, or 11.49 seconds for cars with T-Tops. It's Not The Only Car To Be Too Fast StellantisThere are a few other cars that are barely behind the ZR1X, and also violate the NHRA's rules. The Lucid Air Sapphire managed a quarter-mile time of 8.95 seconds with a speed of 158 mph. Even if the Lucid was just above the 9-second mark, that trap speed suggests it'd still cross the line at a too-high speed. The Dodge Challenger SRT Demon 170 is even quicker with an 8.91-second time, though with a slower speed of 151.17 mph. And all of these still fall behind even more insane machines like the Rimac Nevera, which has been recorded with a freakishly quick 8.25-second quarter-mile time. Rules Can Change ChevroletWhile the ZR1X and some of its quick compatriots present a problem now, that might not be the case forever, or even for particularly long. The NHRA has made changes to its Street Legal class rules previously, specifically the rules for 2014 and newer cars. On the NHRA's site, the organization's National Tech Director said this about those rule changes:"At the same time, we acknowledge that NHRA needs to keep pace with the current trends, which is why we’ve announced these rules adjustments. Under these new guidelines, owners of Shelby GT 500, Corvette ZR-1, Dodge Demon, Tesla Plaid, or other high-performance vehicles will have the ability to participate in and enjoy NHRA Street Legal racing events without making extensive modifications to their cars." -Lonnie Grim, NHRA National Tech DirectorIn the meantime, there are some workarounds for the ZR1 bumping into NHRA rule limits. You should be fine at NHRA tracks as long as you don't actually top 150 mph or go quicker than 9 seconds. In theory, if you just lift at the end, or don't launch too hard, you'll probably be in the clear. Also, not every drag strip is affiliated with the NHRA, so you'll want to check their specific rules.But, if you let the ZR1X fully stretch its legs at a sanctioned track, you'll likely be escorted off the property with a request to not come back without more safety gear.
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