You’ve seen it chase down competitors’ cars and reviewed by online and print publications, so now it’s time to experience what it’s like to be behind the wheel of the 2012 Camaro ZL1 at the track. Unfortunately, this doesn’t mean that we’re offering you the opportunity to get behind the wheel of one of these bad boys in person (those kinds of opportunities are usually limited to lucky automotive writers….hint, hint), but we did find an in-car video of a brand new ZL1 tearing up the Virginia International Raceway (VIR) on YouTube for you to enjoy.

GM has really stepped it up with the new 2012 Camaro ZL1 and is offering muscle car fans the most potent factory Camaro ever offered. At a $54,995 base price, you get a supercharged 6.2L intercooler LSA V8 engine capable of 580hp and 556 pounds of twist under the hood. A six-speed manual transmission delivers this power to the ground to give you a zero-to-60 time of just 4.0 seconds and a top speed of 180mph, while the available automatic will give you a zero-to-sixty time of 3.9 seconds and a top speed of 184mph.

GM’s Magnetic Ride Control suspension is teamed up under the ZL1 with the Performance Traction Management system, which gives the Camaro superior handling as well as track-readiness.

With that being said, the 2012 ZL1 is one of the sickest factory Camaros we’ve ever seen and the proof is in the video above. Not only does it sound amazing, it’s factory track components make it just as smooth around the corners as it is in the straight-aways.

VIR’s 4.10-mile Grand West Course poses a challenge even for professional drivers and track cars. The Camaro ZL1 had no problem with it, completing its lap in 2 minutes and 52.38 seconds. This puts the ZL1 in the top ten lap times, just under the KTM X-Bow, and joins it with several Corvette ZR1s, two Mosler MT900S models, a Viper ACR and a Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera at the top of the list. We like what we’ve seen of the ‘12 Camaro ZL1 and look forward to seeing it competing on tracks all across the country soon.