Chevrolet recently took full-production models of the Corvette ZR1 and Camaro ZL1 to the 'Grand Course' at the Virginia International Raceway as a reminder of just how awesome they are. In a statement, GM said: "The Grand Course configuration is a challenge for production cars because it requires prodigious power, precise handling and tenacious grip to record a fast lap." Something both these sports cars have in abundance.

"Like the Nurburgring, a single lap at VIR tests every aspect of a car, including power, brakes, steering, tire grip and chassis balance," said General Motors North America President Mark Reuss. "To break a three-minute lap on the four-mile Grand Course is an incredible accomplishment for any car."

Engineer Jim Mero drove the 638hp 2012 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1, lapping the course in 2:45.6, faster than the published time for any production car; while engineer Aaron Link drove the 580hp Camaro ZL1 returning a lap time of 2:52.4.

To put this into perspective, that's more than six seconds faster than the 2011 Ford Shelby GT500's published time on the same track. Earlier this week GM announced that one out of every three sports cars sold in the US in 2001 was either a Camaro or Corvette, and it's easy to see why.