I was first introduced to Time Attack racing in 2004, when we were invited to the first Time Attack event at Buttonwillow, California. This type of racing was new for America at the time, but its roots can be traced back to the 1960s in Japan. Time Attack is a unique racing event where drivers race around the track unimpeded with no traffic to get the fastest lap possible. 

Photos By Squatch Media

Over the years, Time Attack has started to catch on in the States. However, pushrod V8s have not always been allowed, keeping most American-made sports cars out of the mix. However, Global Time Attack saw a need for American vehicles allowing non-overhead cammed engines, including the LS, to race.

One racer that has taken the track by storm is Feras Qartoumy in his C6 Corvette, which we’ve featured in the past. Qartoumy’s C6 might have started as nothing more than a sports car, but over the years, this street-legal car has been transformed into a weapon on the track. 

Recently, Qartoumy loaded up the C6 with some new modifications and headed to the Circut Of The Americas (COTA) in Texas. This 3.41-mile venue is designed to challenge the best in the world and is a host to Formula 1 racing circuit as well. However, Qartoumy wasn’t looking to just win the Global Time Attack event; instead, he wanted to destroy the fastest production street car record while running a sub-two-minute lap time. 

“Last year, I had data that showed I could be possible somewhere close to the two-minute mark on a single lap,” Qartoumy explains. Qartoumy had previously run a 2:04 lap time at Road America, a track comparable to COTA lap times, with a homemade aero kit. So, armed with a new aero kit from Verus Engineering, he hit the course searching for a new record. 

While Qartoumy’s C6 may look like a full-on race car now, it’s still very much a production Corvette. This car still uses factory pickup points, bolt-on modifications and when all of the aero is removed, still looks like a Z06. But of course, people will argue this point and have called it a modified production car. As they say, “haters gonna hate.” 

While 9,000 RPM may sound absurd to some for this combination, there was a reason for this high-revving V8. “It’s not that we’re making power in that range, but since sixth-gear is a one-to-one ratio, we’re limited on MPH. So, our strategy was to build an engine that could live at 8,000-9,000 RPM, still allowing us to hit 200 MPH on the straights.” 

After working on the Z06 during the offseason, Qartoumy was finally ready to hit the track with the mostly untested C6. The only question was, would the new combination perform as intended? In short, the new aero worked, but too well. While Qartoumy did make some practice laps on a much smaller track before hitting COTA, the C6 didn’t show problems until he hit higher speeds at the larger, faster racetrack. And if you watch the video, you will see what we are talking about as sparks fly from under the car. “On the first lap, I tried to solve what was going on as Corvette shook violently. After running through the different scenarios, I knew it had to be the new aero. At that point, I was like, screw it. I’m going to make a lap whether the car wants to or not.” 

With the Z06 on the track at speed and shaking violently, Qartoumy pushed through the mental process of thinking the car was coming apart to knock out his first lap. He managed a 2:06.47 just shy of the 2:06.432 Unlimited Class overall track record. Qartoumy took to the course again after a couple of adjustments. And this time, he set a new record with a lap of 2:03.9, smashing the previous one by over 2.5-seconds fighting the Z06 the entire way.

I’m incredibly thankful for all the partners that have helped me out and got me to where I am today. – Feras Qartoumy

You may be wondering what the problem was with the Corvette bucking and shaking at speed. The Verus Engineering aero kit adds 6,000-pounds of downforce to the Corvette. And while the Z06 has a 1,000-pound spring on each corner, when the ‘Vette hits 180 MPH, it’s not enough as the aero package generates 3,000-pounds of force on the front and 3,000 on the rear. As a result, the car is bottomed out. However, this is an easy fix with dampening and spring change.

Even though Qartoumy was looking for a sub-two-minute lap, he was ecstatic with the new record. And the car has a lot left in it especially considering 12-pounds of boost was the most used at any time that day and the suspesnioon isses. And while Qartoumy is ready to get back to COTA soon, he is also working with Anderson Composites to knock 100-pounds of weight out of the car and get it down to 2,600-pounds with carbon-fiber panels.

As you can imagine being a one-man show, Qartoumy works his butt off at these events. But he admits he couldn’t do it without the help of his sponsors like STA-BIL and 303, who help fund his race program. He also would like to thank all of his other sponsors, including Holley who took care of him in a pinch with Earl’s hoses and fittings to remote mount the radiator, Garrett Motion, Fuelab, DuSold Designs, Verus Engineering, G-Speed, Calvo Motorsports, PPG Transmission, Quarter Master, Pro System Brakes, Late Model Engines, Comp Cams, VP Racing Fuels, Anderson Composite, Hawk Brakes, and MSD.