Bruce H.
08-14-2016, 07:38 AM
I first saw the new 2016 ACR Extreme at the auto show in Toronto in February. That's why I went...to see the new Viper that had shattered track records across the United States. Deb and I were joined by some track rat friends, and we were all blown away!
SRT's Chris Winkler set all but one record, with Randy Pobst doing the honors at California's Laguna Seca where he had set the Production Car Track Record in the 2014 Viper TA three years earlier. I bought and have loved the '14 TA, on and off the track, and think it perfection...the burning question was whether or not I'd want to give it up for an ACR! And there'd be no better place for me to see the ACR-E in action than at my home track, Canadian Tire Motorsports Park/Mosport's high speed former Grand Prix circuit!
I first met Mardig and saw his new ACR at our club's Pub Night in Burlington in May and was delighted to hear that he tracks it! I joined a group he tracks with at Mosport, JRP, and this is a video I shot when following him at their August 2nd lapping day. Filming was challenging as we weaved in and out of traffic and the video is made up of clips from three different sessions throughout the day.
The first segment of the video shows us doing a couple of warm up laps, having just come on track, as a white 911 GT3 RS hot laps. We wave him by as our tires are coming up to temp ...and then it's on! Mardig passes first, I struggle to keep him in sight as I make my pass, and then recording my fastest lap of the day with a 1:33.22 lap time as I try to catch him. Yeah, right...in my dreams...cut to next segment!
The next segment starts with me coming up to the front straight with Mardig closing in fast. I give him the pass-by signal and manage to keep him in sight for a short time. I come up on a modded Nissan GT-R that's shooting flames going into Turn 4, chase him up the back straight and then make the pass on the front straight.
The last segment starts with us warming up on the first session after lunch, and then weaving through traffic, and ends before he runs away...good to be the one doing the editing :)
https://youtu.be/4wYtSQqUEbA
Both of our Vipers are bone stock right down to the tires, which were well worn in both cases. The stock Gen IV ACR and Gen V TA can both typically run out front at lapping days, with the new Gen V ACR upping the ante a full measure. Driver skill and seat time on any given track are obviously critical factors, as are performance modifications to track cars, but stock for stock you can't beat the ACR-E, and the TA isn't too shabby either :)
So who else wants to do a track day at Mosport? We ran in JRP's "advanced" run group, but they also have a "beginner" run group for novice and intermediates with instructors to ride along with you. Each group alternates with 30 minute sessions on track. For those of you who have done VCO driver education days at Toronto Motorsports Park or the Driver Development Track at Mosport, you already know how enjoyable tracking your Viper can be. It's a great way to appreciate the performance designed into every Viper, and it's the only way to do it at speed in a safe and legal manner.
Enjoy!
Bruce
SRT's Chris Winkler set all but one record, with Randy Pobst doing the honors at California's Laguna Seca where he had set the Production Car Track Record in the 2014 Viper TA three years earlier. I bought and have loved the '14 TA, on and off the track, and think it perfection...the burning question was whether or not I'd want to give it up for an ACR! And there'd be no better place for me to see the ACR-E in action than at my home track, Canadian Tire Motorsports Park/Mosport's high speed former Grand Prix circuit!
I first met Mardig and saw his new ACR at our club's Pub Night in Burlington in May and was delighted to hear that he tracks it! I joined a group he tracks with at Mosport, JRP, and this is a video I shot when following him at their August 2nd lapping day. Filming was challenging as we weaved in and out of traffic and the video is made up of clips from three different sessions throughout the day.
The first segment of the video shows us doing a couple of warm up laps, having just come on track, as a white 911 GT3 RS hot laps. We wave him by as our tires are coming up to temp ...and then it's on! Mardig passes first, I struggle to keep him in sight as I make my pass, and then recording my fastest lap of the day with a 1:33.22 lap time as I try to catch him. Yeah, right...in my dreams...cut to next segment!
The next segment starts with me coming up to the front straight with Mardig closing in fast. I give him the pass-by signal and manage to keep him in sight for a short time. I come up on a modded Nissan GT-R that's shooting flames going into Turn 4, chase him up the back straight and then make the pass on the front straight.
The last segment starts with us warming up on the first session after lunch, and then weaving through traffic, and ends before he runs away...good to be the one doing the editing :)
https://youtu.be/4wYtSQqUEbA
Both of our Vipers are bone stock right down to the tires, which were well worn in both cases. The stock Gen IV ACR and Gen V TA can both typically run out front at lapping days, with the new Gen V ACR upping the ante a full measure. Driver skill and seat time on any given track are obviously critical factors, as are performance modifications to track cars, but stock for stock you can't beat the ACR-E, and the TA isn't too shabby either :)
So who else wants to do a track day at Mosport? We ran in JRP's "advanced" run group, but they also have a "beginner" run group for novice and intermediates with instructors to ride along with you. Each group alternates with 30 minute sessions on track. For those of you who have done VCO driver education days at Toronto Motorsports Park or the Driver Development Track at Mosport, you already know how enjoyable tracking your Viper can be. It's a great way to appreciate the performance designed into every Viper, and it's the only way to do it at speed in a safe and legal manner.
Enjoy!
Bruce