By Shawn Henry 
A 2019 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 just scorched its way into the record books at the Big Bend Open Road Race, but not without leaving a little piece of itself behind. This beast of a machine, pushing the envelope on a grueling 118-mile stretch in Texas, clocked an absurd average speed of 173.004 mph—though the real story’s the melted rear bumper drooping like a candle in July. That’s what happens when a supercharged 6.2-liter V8 decides it’s not playing nice.
Forget your average Sunday cruise; the Big Bend Open Road Race is where grown men and women flirt with disaster on a public highway they shut down twice a year since 2021. A NASCAR weekend this ain’t—though sure, they’ve had stock cars, even a plucky Kia Sephia show up once. But let’s be real: Corvettes own this asphalt. Always have.
The next showdown? April 2026. Entry starts at $650 if you’ve got the guts—or the money. And after this year’s spectacle, good luck convincing anyone the ZR1’s record wasn’t equal parts glory and “what the hell were they thinking?” leaving that bumper behind. Texas heat and raw speed don’t mix well, folks. Unless you’re into souvenirs.