Upcoming Skip Barber HP driving class

[Viper Granny]

Ok, I really respect you guys' knowledge of the Viper. That said, in 2 weeks I am going to Skip's school in Atlanta. My new Viper (not an ACR) should be arriving late this week. If I can put the first 100 miles on the engine (break in schedule) before October 21, should I take the Viper on this big road trip? I'm new to Vipers which is why I'm taking the class. Otherwise I'll rent a car (my DD is a 2004 F150 with 252,000 miles on it. She's sound but that's a long way from home). And if so, I assume I need to take oil. And what about the oil change at 500 miles? Thanks in advance for your time.

[keepat]

drive it!!!
Pat

[sadil]

I would take a couple quarts of oil and do a mix of hwy and street driving. I think it is a great way to break in your car. The worst way to break in an engine is doing 200 5-mile milk runs. Add oil as needed of course, but wait for the car to completely cool down. I still disagree with checking oil after 5 mins. Doesn't make any logical sense to me. Check your oil before you leave and then every morning.

[Viper Granny]

Okie dokie, the Snake goes to Atlanta! Thank you guys!!

[ViperGeorge]

I would take a couple quarts of oil and do a mix of hwy and street driving. I think it is a great way to break in your car. The worst way to break in an engine is doing 200 5-mile milk runs. Add oil as needed of course, but wait for the car to completely cool down. I still disagree with checking oil after 5 mins. Doesn't make any logical sense to me. Check your oil before you leave and then every morning.

You may disagree but the SRT engineers specifically say (and I have it in writing) they designed the dipstick to account for the oil left in the engine after shutdown. There can be a lot of oil in an 8.4 Liter engine when you shut it down. If you check in the morning your readings will be high because by that time the oil has completely drained out of the engine.. That means that if your reading shows "Safe" in the morning you probably aren't. Follow the procedure in the manual. Warm up the car, shut her down, within 5 minutes check oil level. I really don't understand why folks continue to check their oil in a way not recommended by the engineers.

To the OP, take the car, take extra oil, and take an SRT oil filter (don't use the over the counter ones that you get from an autoparts store (bypass would be wrong). Make sure filter says "SRT" on the case of the filter. Change your oil at 500 miles, it is cheap insurance. I go to Grease Monkey or Jiffy Lube and take my own filter. You can even take your own oil as they probably won't have the Penzoil 0/40 Platinum. You can do this on the road easily enough. Just check the height of the rails around the pit, I usually back in for safety. Remember car takes 11 quarts with filter.

[ViperGeorge]

Duplicate post

[Viper Granny]

You may disagree but the SRT engineers specifically say (and I have it in writing) they designed the dipstick to account for the oil left in the engine after shutdown. There can be a lot of oil in an 8.4 Liter engine when you shut it down. If you check in the morning your readings will be high because by that time the oil has completely drained out of the engine.. That means that if your reading shows "Safe" in the morning you probably aren't. Follow the procedure in the manual. Warm up the car, shut her down, within 5 minutes check oil level. I really don't understand why folks continue to check their oil in a way not recommended by the engineers.

To the OP, take the car, take extra oil, and take an SRT oil filter (don't use the over the counter ones that you get from an autoparts store (bypass would be wrong). Make sure filter says "SRT" on the case of the filter. Change your oil at 500 miles, it is cheap insurance. I go to Grease Monkey or Jiffy Lube and take my own filter. You can even take your own oil as they probably won't have the Penzoil 0/40 Platinum. You can do this on the road easily enough. Just check the height of the rails around the pit, I usually back in for safety. Remember car takes 11 quarts with filter.

No worries. I will follow the manual. Thanks for your input.

[MoparJohn]

I am curious as to why you would go to Skip Barber when the Bob Bondurant school is the official school of SRT. Also at Bondurant you can practice with their Vipers which will help you get better acclimated to yours.

[Viper Granny]

I am curious as to why you would go to Skip Barber when the Bob Bondurant school is the official school of SRT. Also at Bondurant you can practice with their Vipers which will help you get better acclimated to yours.

I would LOVE to go to Bondurant, but it was a matter of logistics. Time off work, cost of plane fare, the usual timing factors. GA is so much closer.

[quickster2]

Take your own oil filter and oil. $30 bucks for me locally to have them change the oil and dispose of it. 25 foot lbs on the drain plug ask them to tighten the filter and drain plug properly. Filter p/n 05038041AA.

[Viper Granny]

Take your own oil filter and oil. $30 bucks for me locally to have them change the oil and dispose of it. 25 foot lbs on the drain plug ask them to tighten the filter and drain plug properly. Filter p/n 05038041AA.

I wrote it down, thanks for the input!

[cpinfdp]

I took my car to Skip at Road Atlanta (albeit a few months after I bought it). The drive there (from Orlando) was great. Avoid the interstate if you have the time, there are some amazing country highways in south GA that are perfect to drive on Sundays.

Break it in before the trip and get an oil change at 500 miles (first 4 are free anyway right?). If you're close, go to Alex at Fields CDJ in Sanford.

When you're driving up, or anywhere a considerable distance, make sure you're checking the oil level every fillup.

Enjoy Skippy. Terry is hilarious, everyone there is a great gang.

I'm assuming you've already booked accommodations, but if you haven't the Chateau Elan is a good place, close to the track and the villas are a steal if you're going with a group. 4 of us stayed there in a 3 bedroom villa for ~$150 a day.

PM me if you've got any questions.

[uberpube]

I am curious as to why you would go to Skip Barber when the Bob Bondurant school is the official school of SRT. Also at Bondurant you can practice with their Vipers which will help you get better acclimated to yours.
I was told by a few people that did the Bondurant school, that if you are expecting track time and high speed driving, forget it or if you have even moderate track time under your belt, its a bit of a disappointment. That being said, are there any other good
driving schools that teach high speed track technique and supply a car with some lapping time?

[Viper Granny]

I took my car to Skip at Road Atlanta (albeit a few months after I bought it). The drive there (from Orlando) was great. Avoid the interstate if you have the time, there are some amazing country highways in south GA that are perfect to drive on Sundays.

Break it in before the trip and get an oil change at 500 miles (first 4 are free anyway right?). If you're close, go to Alex at Fields CDJ in Sanford.

When you're driving up, or anywhere a considerable distance, make sure you're checking the oil level every fillup.

Enjoy Skippy. Terry is hilarious, everyone there is a great gang.

I'm assuming you've already booked accommodations, but if you haven't the Chateau Elan is a good place, close to the track and the villas are a steal if you're going with a group. 4 of us stayed there in a 3 bedroom villa for ~$150 a day.

PM me if you've got any questions.
I did book accommodations in June. That's covered. The car wil be delivered to my house this Friday so I'm taking a few days and doing the 500 mile break in. I have scheduled an oil change for next Thursday at Douglas CDJ in Venice which is near me. They were recommended by another Viper owner who uses them too. I'll take oil with me and check every fill up per the manual which I already read online. It would have been fun to go with a group but I'm going with my significant other although he's not a car nut like me. He's along more for safety reasons because I'm not letting him drive my Viper.
I wil avoid the interstate and try to take a more scenic route. I hope to meet the guys you named. This should be lots of fun. Just hope I don't kill myself on the way with all that horsepower LOL!!

[ViperGeorge]

I did book accommodations in June. That's covered. The car wil be delivered to my house this Friday so I'm taking a few days and doing the 500 mile break in. I have scheduled an oil change for next Thursday at Douglas CDJ in Venice which is near me. They were recommended by another Viper owner who uses them too. I'll take oil with me and check every fill up per the manual which I already read online. It would have been fun to go with a group but I'm going with my significant other although he's not a car nut like me. He's along more for safety reasons because I'm not letting him drive my Viper.
I wil avoid the interstate and try to take a more scenic route. I hope to meet the guys you named. This should be lots of fun. Just hope I don't kill myself on the way with all that horsepower LOL!!

Make sure they use the correct SRT oil filter.

[Bill Pemberton]

She definitely has the correct oil filter ---one is coming with the car!!

[MoparJohn]

I was told by a few people that did the Bondurant school, that if you are expecting track time and high speed driving, forget it or if you have even moderate track time under your belt, its a bit of a disappointment. That being said, are there any other good
driving schools that teach high speed track technique and supply a car with some lapping time?

Bondurant has several different tracks from slow speed to "high speed" That being said it is a school that focuses on mechanics, proper corner entry and exit, vehicle control, etc. If you start at their level 1 class which is a 3 or 4 day experience you will spend over 5 to 6 hours a day in a car and on track. They do have level 2 and 3 classes which increase track time and speed. One of the classes is in the ACR only and taught by Justin Bell.
I will say the main Bondurant course could use some updating. It was designed 30 years ago for 250HP rousch mustangs. The track is a little small for a 640HP viper if all you want is to go fast. You will max out around 120MPH. If technique and the science of going fast is what you are looking for in my opinion Bondurant does that better then Barber.
Barber is or was a school that mainly uses Mazda Miatas. They are a great car to learn on, but I am sure we have all passed plenty of them on a long straight. They don't have the best top end. Long straights such as the ones at VIR you feel like you can almost read a book because it takes forever in the Miata.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAqMF453X2E

[Bill Pemberton]

Actually , both schools are excellent, but I will jump in the fire and state the Miata is not a great car to learn in , but an excellent one. There are a bunch of us Viperholics that have raced in Spec Miata ( Keith Verges is another one I can think of quickly) and for vehicle dynamics and learning technique , it is a great machine. Having been to both schools and thrilled to see Bondurant has gone with Dodge, yet his track does need an update as mentioned. That is the real reason I believe Viper Granny made a great decision. Petit LeMans is a high point in Sports Car Endurance racing ,along with the 12 Hours of Sebring, the 24 Hours of Daytona , they form the Big Three US Endurance Tests in my opinion, so the track quality is far superior to the Chandler , Arizona course. For folks that have never gone to a school , would highly recommend doing as Viper Granny is , and top notch schools abound all over the US. Been along time since we have had a Viper School and super cool that Bob B. has Justin Bell out in Arizona, as he was the last one to run a school for the Snake ( down in Florida ).

[ViperGeorge]

When I took a Skippy course (ok, many, many years ago) they had several different offerings. A one day school, a two day school, and a three day racing school. The latter is the way to go. The first two are disappointing and in fact you never made it on track. They did skid pads, braking exercises, and an auto-x - that was it. I took the 3 day racing course from Panoz back in the day at Road Atlanta and it was awesome. Road Atlanta is one serious race track. Watch out for turn 7 it is deceptively slow and a lot of folks that overcook it and hit the inside wall after trying to save it. If you go off there, ride it out, don't twist the wheel to get back on track. That's how people go across the track to the inside wall.

[Viper Granny]

She definitely has the correct oil filter ---one is coming with the car!!
You need to get Viper Salesman OF THE YEAR!!

[Viper Granny]

When I took a Skippy course (ok, many, many years ago) they had several different offerings. A one day school, a two day school, and a three day racing school. The latter is the way to go. The first two are disappointing and in fact you never made it on track. They did skid pads, braking exercises, and an auto-x - that was it. I took the 3 day racing course from Panoz back in the day at Road Atlanta and it was awesome. Road Atlanta is one serious race track. Watch out for turn 7 it is deceptively slow and a lot of folks that overcook it and hit the inside wall after trying to save it. If you go off there, ride it out, don't twist the wheel to get back on track. That's how people go across the track to the inside wall.

I'll remember that about turn 7. I'm doing the 1 day because I'm not a track rat (although knowing my HIGHLY competitive nature that would have been my thing back in the day). Thanks for the advice.

[Viper Granny]

Ok so I took the 1 day class which was not on the actual track at Road Atlanta. It was on the inside. Skid pad (morning and afternoon exercises), small road course with several hair pin turns, and an area for threshold braking and sudden lane change exercises. Finished the day with a sort of relay race, 2 teams, around the road course. All in all it was a lot of fun. I enjoyed the skid pad the most, like driving in snow (I spent 50 years in PA). A great class for new drivers especially. Oh, and I opted to NOT take the Viper after the mix up with the dealership that was supposed to do my oil change at 500 but failed to check to see if the Viper tech was or wasn't on vacation. He was. So that got delayed till Nov 1. (Discussed in a different thread.). And by the way, there were a LOT of club racers there using the track...I understand you guys' addiction. It looks like a BLAST!