Zac Quinn 
The next-generation 2023 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 has just completed the Best in the Desert Vegas to Reno contest over the weekend. Chad Hall racing piloted the freshly revealed red and black truck to a final time of 12 hours, 24 minutes, and 49 seconds. That’s pretty impressive, considering how rugged the terrain is for the 500-mile route in a mostly stock truck.
Hall Racing 2023 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 Race Report
The time was 34 minutes faster than the best time of the outgoing Colorado ZR2 race truck from 2021. Chad Hall Racing was also behind that run, but with this run, this is the sixth consecutive year that the outfit reached the finish line, speaking for the truck’s reliability and its performance. Who said racing still can’t be a proving ground?
The Hall Racing 2023 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 race truck shares much with the production model coming next year. It features the same 2.7-liter turbo L3B four-cylinder that produces 310 horsepower and 430 lb-ft of torque. It’s also equipped with the same eight-speed automatic transmission.
What’s different? The fuel tank has been upsized to carry 50 gallons, which is one of the few upgrades that aren’t safety-related, such as a roll cage. Lastly, the Goodyear Wrangler mud terrain tires were replaced with BF Goodrich KM3 off-road tires, which isn’t surprising since the company is a team sponsor. Also important to note that Chad Hall Racing’s new Colorado ZR2 rides on the stock Multimatic DSSV dampers. They’re designed to be virtually unphased by heat, and it’s unlikely that any customer is going to put their truck through the same challenging terrain as the race truck has just gone through.
In addition to finishing 34 minutes faster than the outgoing Colorado ZR2, the next generation model managed to win in its class. Granted, it was the only truck entered in the category, so we suppose it was an easy win. However, that aside, it looks like the new generation is an even better performer than the original, which should definitely get fans excited.
