Hall Racing Takes Colorado ZR2 To The Finish Line

Finishing an off-road race is a feat in itself, and finishing a race on a vehicles maiden voyage is even more impressive. Chevrolet Performance set out to prove what the Colorado ZR2 was capable of, racing it in the Best in the Desert Vegas to Reno race this past weekend.

A race that cut through some of the toughest terrains in the United States, dragging drives through everything imaginable. This served as the perfect proving ground for the truck making its racing debut with Hall Racing.

The Colorado ZR2 spotted during contingency for the 2017 Best in the Desert Vegas to Reno. Image Credit: Daniel Schenkelberg

The 539-mile course took the team 18 hours, 50 minutes and 16 seconds to complete with an average speed of 28.6 miles per hour. Despite cutting a few tires along the course and the expected rock damage, the ZR2 held up well under the race’s punishing conditions. Only 204 of the 336 vehicles entered in the race completed the challenging course.

The team finished first in Class 7300, the truck, piloted by Chad Hall and Frank DeAngelo of Hall Racing, crossed the finish line in Carson City, Nevada, around 7 am PDT on Saturday, August 19. “This truck is a lot tougher than I thought it was going to be,” said Chad Hall. “I clobbered some things on the course that would’ve broken many of the vehicles we competed within the past.”

The Hall Racing and Chevrolet performance teams at the conclusion of Vegas to Reno.

The truck also was equipped with a handful of performance parts currently under development by Chevrolet performance engineering. “First and foremost, this was a development trip for our engineering team,” said Mark Dickens, executive director of Global Accessories, Performance Variants, Parts & Motorsports, General Motors, who was part of the chase and support team following the race from start to finish at all 14 pit stops.

“ZR2’s performance went beyond our most optimistic expectations, completing Vegas to Reno in its first outing, Dickens continued. “We learned a lot of things about the truck and could not be happier with the result, as well as the efforts of the Hall Racing team.”

The ZR2 crossing the finish line around 7 am on Saturday, August 19th, completing the 539-mile course in 18 hours, 50 minutes and 16 seconds.

The factory back trucks are gaining more popularity as of late with manufacturers like Toyota, Honda, and Ford all participating with their respective vehicles. We look forward to seeing the Colorado ZR2 racing more and maybe see the truck take on Baja later this year.

“The fact that the Colorado ZR2 was the only stock midsize truck to compete in Vegas to Reno reinforces our claim to be in a segment of one with this vehicle,” said Dickens. “Our success in this race is a testament to all that we’ve accomplished since the relaunch of our midsize truck program three years ago. We cannot wait to pass along the benefits of what we’ve learned here under extreme use and at future races to our customers.”

The truck is not done yet, it will take on the Tonopah 250 October 19-22. Be sure to check out how the ZR2 will do in its next race and for more information on the parts being tested on the truck.

About the author

Steven Olsewski

Steven Olsewski grew up with a true passion for anything with a motor. He loves his wife and kids, and during the year can be found enjoying quality time together. They are a huge part of his life and their passion for God.
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