The Drive: NASCAR Boss Rick Hendrick Unites With His Million-Dollar 2019 Corvette ZR1
The racing magnate bid $925,000 for the first production Corvette ZR1 at a Barrett-Jackson Auction in January.
Renowned NASCAR team owner and Chevrolet dealer Rick Hendrick visited the National Corvette Museum to lay eyes on his very own Chevrolet Corvette ZR1. Hendrick outbid other heavyweight car collectors for the rights to own the first production ZR1 during the Barrett-Jackson auction in Scottsdale, Arizona earlier this year.
The $925,000 Corvette ZR1 is finished in an all-black exterior, and it boasts a plethora of performance upgrades such as a carbon fiber hood, carbon fiber ground effects package, ZR1 carbon flash-painted aluminum wheels with red brake calipers, Chevy’s track performance package, and an NPP Performance exhaust system. Inside, the cabin is finished in Jet Black and Adrenaline Red with suede-wrapped competition bucket seats and red seat belts. Oh, and in case you’re wondering, Mr. Hendrick opted for the eight-speed automatic transmission, not the seven-speed manual.
“Mr. Hendrick has long been a Corvette collector and enthusiast, and in 2015 was inducted into the National Corvette Museum’s Corvette Hall of Fame. He makes a point of speaking with and shaking the hands of the people who build this iconic sports car, and he seems to love sharing his passion for the hobby with others. For him, I think visits to Bowling Green are as much about the people as it is about the car,” Kate Ellison, National Corvette Museum Communications Manager, told The Drive.
General Motors’ Bowling Green Assembly Plant kicked off ZR1 production on March 5, and Hendrick’s mean-looking ‘Vette, as promised, was the first retail sample to be produced. As the video shows, Hendrick was there to see it ceremoniously roll off the line, and even took the time to walk around the National Corvette Museum and snap a few photos with folks. It’s worth noting that despite seeing his new ride in the flesh, Hendrick didn’t take possession of it because ZR1s have not yet been released for delivery to dealerships.
Article by By Jerry Perez – The Drive – March 16, 2018
