This Eight-Second C5 Corvette Has Scored Numerous Wins for the Original Owner – Now It’s Set to Get a New Chapter in Drag and Drive!
If you’ve attended a National Muscle Car Association (NMCA) or LS-Fest event in the past, this 2002 Corvette ZO6 might seem a familiar sight.
Terry Faust bought the car brand new, and after enjoying it for over two decades, as well as racking up numerous wins, Terry has passed ownership to someone very familiar with it, Jeff Heintz, for its next chapter.
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Although Terry would drive and race the car for several years before Jeff was be introduced to it in 2010, the Corvette would get a good bit quicker under Jeff’s advisement.
“One of the first events I drove the car in was in Bradenton in 2013 when Terry wasn't feeling good,” said Jeff. “This is special car to me because it's been a shop car since the beginning in 2010 and there are so many memories.”
Jeff has been a part of NMCA racing for over a decade as well, participating in multiple classes with several cars on behalf of his business, Heintz Racing. “I have been track support in the NMCA series since around 2009 for all of our shop cars,” Jeff said. “I brought generally three-four cars to most of events early on, before joining in on the fun with my (Cadillac) CTS-V in 2014.”
While Terry was competing with the Corvette with 9-10 second results, Jeff collected a good chunk of 10-second time slips in the CTS-V, competing in True Street class (a street car/truck class with a 30-mile cruise followed by back-to-back-to-back runs), as well as the index-based Street King class.
In 2019, Jeff decided to step up to a heads-up class, acquiring a clean 1999 Chevrolet Camaro in the trademark Hugger Orange hue. The Camaro competed in the NMCA’s Chevrolet Performance Stock class, created around using a sealed 525-horsepower LS3 engine and tuner direct from Chevrolet.
It didn’t take long for Jeff to get comfortable with the Camaro, winning three of five races in 2020, as well as the class championship. But after racing the class for a few more years, Jeff’s priorities changed.
“I deciding to take a step back to focus on the shop and helping with other shop cars,” Jeff said. It was about this time Jeff started thinking about the next step, and the next car, to have fun with. “Quite a few years back, Terry and I discussed that when he decided to slow down, I had to have it (the Corvette),” said Jeff. “So, about two months ago, it made the transition to my garage.”
Since Jeff was very familiar with the C5 Corvette, it still sported the modifications he did at Heintz Racing when he acquired it from Terry. The original engine got its walking papers, and a Dart LS Next aluminum block-based 388 cubic inch power plant sits in its place.
The 388 cid bullet has a host of Brian Tooley Racing (BTR) items, with a pair of Trick Flow 245 cc cylinder heads. Providing the additional boost in power is a ProCharger F-1A-94 supercharger, with an AMS 1000 boost controller controlling the wastegate, with the help of CO2.
The fuel system is a Lonnies Performance twin pump in-tank setup, and a third external pump. As of the moment, all the computer functions are handled on the stock ECM.
You need a stout transmission and rear end to stand up to 4-digit horsepower. RPM Transmission got the call for one of their level 10 4L60E automatics, with a Circle D bolt-together converter. RPM also built a C6 ZO6 differential for the Corvette, and connecting the two is a carbon fiber Driveshaft Shop driveshaft, and Driveshaft Shop provided their 1200 horsepower-rated axles.
With 8-second passes on tap, Customs by Bigun whipped up a full roll cage to make the interior a bit safer, with a pair of carbon fiber Tillett seats for driver and passenger.
To make the suspension and braking a bit better, Jeff with to TBM Brakes for a full set of disc brakes, and KellTrac coil-over shocks at each corner.
With the switch in ownership, Jeff has some plans for the Corvette in preparation for its first drag and drive event, as well as some local racing around the state of North Carolina.
“I have an upcoming engine refresh by Gibbons Motorsports,” said Jeff. “We're switching it over to FuelTech, and will be getting up with Doug Cook for basically everything TBM, Motion Raceworks and Rife sensors makes for it. The new goal for it is to complete a drag and drive event, and be competitive in the 8.50 class.
“For me, it's awesome to see cars that can drive the distance between tracks, and compete all week. It's an accomplishment to just be able to finish the week, but if you're lucky enough to win your class, that's a huge accomplishment. I'd like to hit an event by the end of the year, but we have some refreshing to do, as well as building a trailer with Customs by Bigun to use during competition.”
Written by Derek Putnam. Photos courtesy of Jeff Heintz and Terry Faust.
If you have thoughts / feedback / ideas, please e-mail us at derek@sickthemagazine.com