Ever since purchasing the famed CV Performance Holden Ute (basically a modern-day El Camino) two years ago, Australian Gerry Sarafoglou has had eyes set on breaking the Aussie LS turbo record, which was set back in 2012 with an impressive 6.89-second pass by Steve Petrovski in the very same Ute.

This Ute was built by GD Racecars and CV Performance and features a 427-inch LSX-based power plant.

If the 427 cubic inch LSX-based setup in this utility vehicle-turned-race car doesn’t catch your attention, the 106mm turbo that feeds it most certainly will. While this part of the story is interesting, we find that the trials and tribulations that Sarafoglou had to endure to get to this pivotal moment is what really makes the story.

The biggest hurdle that Sarafoglou had to overcome after purchasing the Ute was actually learning to drive this badass LS-powered vehicle. With zero racing experience, he had to learn the proper way to stage the car, get used to the violent forces that a launch places on the body, and conquering the shifting of the car. According to Sarafoglou, letting go of the transbrake for the first time really threw him for a loop. It took him three separate private track days to get the starting line procedure and launch down, due to lack of experience.

It took Sarafoglou an additional 14 months to get near the 6-second barrier, during which he fought transmission issues and ran over a few cones. But, despite these setbacks, he was in range to achieve his goal. During the recent Grudge Kings race in Sydney, he finally accomplished his dream of resetting the LS turbo record with a 6.85-second run at 202 mph. It just goes to show that if you put enough time and dedication into something, you can overcome all obstacles.

Video credit: Fast Performance Videos