Robb Holland has had experience in a variety of different machines, including Porsche GT3 Cup Cars, Volvo wagons in World Challenge, and holds the unique distinction of being the first American to race full-time in the British Touring Car Championship. He’s gone on to race the Nurburgring 24 Hours and in 2016, he made his first attempt at Pike’s Peak.

After the Audi TT Holland drove last year at Pike’s Peak was suddenly sold, he found himself in a bit of a bind. Not only was he contractually obligated to race at Pike’s Peak this year, but the event was ninety days away—and he didn’t have a steed or even a lead towards one.

Fortunately, Holland is well connected, found some extra sponsorship, and he began searching high and low for a new car; keeping eyes out for Porsche Turbos, Vipers, BMW M2s, and Corvettes. Feeling the pressure, he started looking around for unconventional routes into racing—and considered the possibility of a salvaged machine as the donor.

Holland eventually stumbled upon a C7 Z06 in Washington State which had been parked in a ditch when an overambitious lot attendant lost control of it. With the airbags deployed and the body damaged, the insurance company decided to total the Corvette and sent it to auction. Despite the wrecked machine having only eight miles on it, Holland was able to win it for peanuts, and found that most of the damage was easily repairable and largely cosmetic—only a mere $2,500 was needed to set it right.

The monstrous aerodynamic package helps this ‘Vette stick even in the thin air atop PIke’s Peak. Photo credit: Robb Holland/Twitter

Yet, his build was far from over, as this machine was intended to race to the top of Pike’s Peak—a summit 14,114′ above sea level—and needed the power and grip to perform in the thin air. With the help of Katech and NRG Motorsports, they’d clear those hurdles and turn a former ditch dweller into the fastest Corvette ever up Pike’s Peak.

With carbon doors, hood, and rear hatch from Gurit to bring the weight down somewhat, the sizable ‘Vette would be a little nimbler around the hairpins peppered throughout the 12.4-mile course. A carbon, dual-element wing from APR hanging off the back of the car would help plant the rears with an advertised 1,600 pounds of downforce, and an enormous, homemade front splitter could act as a snowplow if it got a little too frosty at the peak.

Eventually, this monstrous Corvette would dyno at 800 horsepower and 800 lb-ft of torque. Photo credit: YouTube

The Z06’s supercharged motor was massaged by Katech to produce an astonishing amount of power—and thanks to forced induction, the car wouldn’t suffer as much at altitude as the atmospheric contenders. The Katech Stage 3 kit, as used with this motor, employs a Halltech Stinger RZ air intake system, Katech CNC ported throttle body, Katech CNC ported heads, LPE GT35 camshaft, C5-R timing chain, PAC springs, Katech titanium valve spring retainers (intake), Katech spring seat (intake), Katech spring seat (exhaust), Katech AFM delete valley cover, GM High Speed lifters, Supercharger pulley, ATI damper/supercharger drive pulley, and ARP head studs.

This package made 800 horsepower and 800 lb-ft of torque—enough grunt to snag a time of 10:55.166, which was good enough for P4 in the Time Attack 1 category and the 16th fastest car overall. What’s more—this monster became the fastest ‘Vette to compete in the Race to the Clouds. Not too shabby for something that, three months prior, was dragged out of a ditch, covered in mud.