It’s Wednesday. Absolutely speechless!

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The 2025 Chevy Corvette ZR1 has a 1064-hp twin-turbo 5.5-liter V-8, making it by far the most powerful Vette to ever reach production.

The ZR1’s LT7 engine also makes it the first turbocharged Corvette, and its myriad upgrades distinguish it from the Z06’s naturally aspirated LT6.

With an estimated top speed of 215-plus mph, an available aero kit that nets up to 1200 pounds of downforce, and other exotic bits, the C8 ZR1 is set up to slay supercars.

The GM engineers who developed the new C8 Corvette ZR1 said it was obvious early on that they were dealing with something special. During its first drag-strip launch, the rear-drive mid-engined monster roared through the quarter-mile in under 10 seconds. During its first lap at GM’s Milford Proving Grounds, it posted a faster top speed than the previous-gen ZR1. At Germany’s famous Nürburgring racetrack, all four Corvette test drivers eclipsed 200 mph on their first laps. And the firsts don’t stop there. The 2025 Chevy Corvette ZR1 is also the first turbocharged Vette and the first production model to produce 1064(!) horsepower.

It’s Tuesday. Remember the 1986 B-movie “The Wraith” starring Charlie Sheen? Sure, it’s extremely cheesy and dated, but believe it or not, it now has a dedicated cult following. And what ever happened to that wild car? Well, it’s now owned by ventriloquist Jeff Dunham who had the car restored and added it to his collection. Check out this episode of Jay Leno’s Garage where Jay and Jeff discuss the car’s origins, unique features, and the restoration of this iconic movie car. And yes, they take it out for a spin!

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It’s Monday. Meet Harvey, he’s a baby Praying Mantis. I was outside Saturday afternoon when I saw what I thought was a blade of grass stuck to the lower part of the driver-side window on my van. When I approached I realized that it was actually a tiny Praying Mantis. They’re somewhat common here in Illinois but I don’t generally see them until early Fall. And this was the first time that I’d ever seen a baby Mantis. He stuck around for a while, but when I looked for him later after dinner, he had moved along… presumably to do important Praying Mantis stuff.

It was a no Nascar Sunday due to the Olympics. And speaking of the Olympics, I know there was some controversy concerning the opening ceremonies, but all that aside, I thought it came across kinda cheap looking. After seeing Beijing in 2022, I guess I was expecting Paris to top that—and they didn’t even come close. The games have been good, though.

Okay, time to get back into work mode I guess…

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