As is tradition for the nameplate, the C8 Corvette punches well above its weight, offering impressive mid-engine performance that bests rivals with double the price tag. Now, we’re watching as the C8 Corvette puts all that go-fast goodness to the test against an 850-horsepower NASCAR Cup Car in the following drag racing video.
Once again coming to us from the folks at Hoonigan, the video is a little 17-and-a-half minutes long, and includes several runs down the drag strip, plus a walkaround and specs for both of the competitors.
Let’s start with the 2010 NASCAR Cup Car. Built by pro drift driver and dirt bike rider Dylan Hughes, the race machine’s original V8 met an explosive end while out hooning one day, prompting Hughes to do something a little different – a 2J swap. For those readers who may be unaware, the turbocharged 3.0L I6 2JZ is the same legendary engine found in the fourth-generation Toyota Supra, and is known for taking obscene amounts of boost and coming back for more. The 2J in this particular application runs a Garrett GTX4088 turbo to pump up peak output to an estimated 850 horsepower.
With only 2,850 pounds to push around, that’s a rather healthy sum, especially against the competition. In the other lane, we find a 2021 Chevy Corvette Stingray, which, beyond a few aesthetic changes, is pretty much how it left the factory, with the mid-mounted, naturally aspirated 6.2L V8 LT2 gasoline engine producing a maximum of 490 horsepower. Curb weight is a bit over 3,500 pounds.
So, to sum up – the NASCAR Cup Car has more power, less weight, and a pro driver at the helm. Easy win, right?
Not so fast. Even with all those advantages, the C8 Corvette actually has a pretty decent shot at taking home the W. For starters, getting any traction in the NASCAR Cup Car will be mighty difficult, given the 2JZ’s super-peaky power curve and the un-prepped race surface. Meanwhile, the C8 Corvette has launch control and mid-mounted grip, making it substantially easier to drive.
Which ride will come out on top? Hit play to find out:
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Comments
Apples to oranges.
The Corvette would have done better on the third run, had the roof panel been installed. That together with no helmet or HANS for the Corvette driver is just amateur hour. Nonetheless, kudos to the C8’s launch control.
This vs. That is always amateur (quarter) hour. Just silly fun.
Misleading title for the story. That is not a NASCAR Cup Car…not with a Toyota Supra engine…click bait!!!
I read it was a 17 minute video. The read it was a Supra engine. Then I stopped reading and didn’t bother seeing the video.
Another correction that’s not a cup car that’s an Xfinity car they have lower horsepower than the cup cars the cup cars have almost a thousand horsepower not only that be fair why not let him put normal tires on it the tires they use on NASCAR cars are smooth tires they’re slicks so they get more grip when they’re heated up so that supra motor doesn’t matter, those V8 motors in those cup cars are one hell of a motor they’re made to run at 200 plus miles an hour for 5 to 6 hours without breaking down and 8 to 9 thousand RPMs continuously, that Corvette can’t do that ! it would blow the motor ,put that Corvette in a race with that cup car at Talladega or Daytona race track and let him race 500 MI and see what happens it doesn’t make sense that Corvette ain’t set up for that just like the cup cars aren’t set up for drag racing but did you see when they both started out rolling , no competition for the cup car some cop cars have so much power when they do restarts after a caution or at the beginning of a race you got to barely hit that pedal or the tire spin right out and it causes a chain reaction all the cars behind you run right into you that’s something that most people don’t realize about NASCAR the power of them cars don’t get me wrong that that is a beautiful car I’m just giving you some information as a Nascar fan so people that read the stuff understand it more they at least should have let him put some good gripping tires on that isn’t it all about the power that’s what we wanted to see the cop car can’t show you all the power it’ll burn that rubber right off them tires right down to the rim and a Split Second and that’s another reason why NASCAR can’t run in the rain because they use slicks also all three series of NASCAR the truck series the Xfinity series and the cup series they start the races out and restarts with very little air pressure almost flat tires and within a few laps they get so superheated it inflates the tire
Wow. All of that in one sentence.