Though many might dismiss the modern Camaro as a bloated pig – too fat to corner well – they’d be wrong. With Chevy’s growing insistence on making quick, sorted and well-balanced muscle cars, all the old notions of a muscle car go out the window. This particular Camaro is no exception. The time and effort put into this build are enough to captivate all but the most jaded fan.

Although the standard motor in this Camaro isn’t short on grunt, the owner, Peter Gray, opted for a little more firepower — and durability — in the form of a 7.0-liter LS7 from a Corvette Z06. With tuning house API building the motor for roadcourse abuse, the car should be able to take whatever the owner throws at it. The purposefulness of this build can be seen with the dry sump system — a mark of a car that intends to corner quickly. Cleverly, the intake has been isolated from the ambient temperature in the engine bay with a glamorous shielding unit.

Seven liters of American iron are more than enough to get this heavyweight up to speed.

The interior has received a full race car makeover, too. The NASCAR-style bashbars and window netting will make this car a safer place to be in the event of an accident. The astute observer will notice the clear tube behind the driver seat. This amenity will make the cockpit a more livable environment when temperatures are soaring and the driver gets fed some cool air via this tube.

The American road racer wouldn’t be complete without an extensive cage and a proper window net.

Getting the car to corner well comes down to the mechanical and aerodynamic grip afforded by big wheels and wings. The Forgeline GA3Rs, painted a subtle gunmetal grey, contrast beautifully with the yellow paint. They also are shod in massive 325-section Re11 tires front and rear. Having a square setup with a car this powerful must be exciting, to say the very least.

With massive tires and enormous, ducted Wilwood brakes, the Chevy can stop and corner as well as it can go.

The front splitter and rear flap are quite subdued by race car standards, but they undoubtedly have a considerable effect on the cornering potential. The SLP front splitter is made from durable aluminum and welded directly to the bumper bar. Though Gray could’ve gone with a lighter, carbon front wing, the emphasis with this build is on resilience and durability. Just as sturdy is the rear flap, which bolts directly to the OEM spoiler with a set of nutserts.

Completing this ensemble is a fire suppression system, Kirkey seats — as expected in an American racing car — and a set of Z/28 coilovers. Despite the rather extensive modification list, Gray has kept the stock automatic transmission, albeit with a few cooling upgrades. It seems rather odd that a 600 horsepower-muscle car, especially one designed for road racing, has held onto its slushbox, but stranger things have happened.