My Name Is John Hammer, And I Own A Viper!

[JohnHammer]

Hello VOA!

I'm John Hammer and I truly have the best job in the world; I travel around the country helping SRT spread the word about our vehicles and the people behind them. You may have seen me at SRT Track Experience, SRT All Access, the SRT Tour, IMSA, SEMA, Pebble Beach... You get the point; I'm a car guy who's been blessed to work in a car guy world.

And as of last night, I'm a Viper owner!

Growing up in the Motor City, the Detroit Auto Show was THE only good thing about Michigan winters. And when I first saw the Viper concept there I was immediately hooked. Sounds like a familiar story, right? For me, it's been a 2 decade journey that has seen me behind the wheel of many different sportscars which led me to autocross, then roadrace. But Viper was always juuuuuust out of reach. Until now.

As I told my son last night in the garage "This is a reward for all those years of hard work." He's 7 so he didn't care about me waxing poetic, but it was a great moment nonetheless!

My car came to me via Woodhouse; Mark Jorgensen & Bill Pemberton are friends of mine and when they took Leslie McLaughlin's in trade (she bought an ACR from them), they called me right away & said they'd found "My Viper." They had.

So I've put my money where my mouth is; I represent SRT & Viper at events across the country and now I have my own Viper in my garage. I couldn't be happier!

3035 3036

John Hammer
@JohnHammer on Twitter
www.FB.com/JohnHammerRacing

[Fatboy 18]

Great to know the cars gone to a good home :)

I believe that car also had the Big Brake kit fitted, so you will have some fun on Track :)

A Big Hello from the UK :England:
and of course Welcome to the VOA.

Mark.

[slitherv10]

Great to see a car go from one passionate owner to another. Although you and Leslie are very Happy with your results, its the car that I feel got the better end of the deal as it has landed itself back into the hands of a passionate owner that it knows will continue to pamper and take care of it.

Congratulations and we will hopefully see you with a well deserved VOA membership soon and all the privileges Viper membership/ownership has to offer.

[Sybil TF]

Good for you! It looks great!!!!

[mjorgensen]

Great to have you here John, can't wait for all the cool things you can post about from your travels and the racing experiences you have.

Take care my friend and enjoy!

[BlknBlu]

John, how is it going. What happened to finding an SRT-4? Nice to see you in a Viper.

Bruce From Omaha

[GhostStalker27]

Congrats man! I'm fimiliar with the feeling - bought my first Viper a month ago - looks like you picked a good one

[Bitten]

Welcome, congrats, very happy that Leslie's car found a great home!

Just curious, were you doing the SRT exp in 2006 or did you do any off the corporate SRT training in Vegas last year? Are you going to be doing the SRT track experiences this year? It would be great to meet you! I have known Leslie a long time. She loved that car.

[01sapphirebob]

Congrats John!!!!

[JohnHammer]

Hi Bruce,

I never found THE SRT4 for me. I think I've done the right thing!

[Viper Girl]

Hey John cool that you work for SRT! I hate you... LOL :web_driver:
just kidding...

Your car has been really well taken care of, glad it went to someone who really appreciates it.

Welcome to the VOA!

[JohnHammer]

I joined SRT Track Experience in '07, but I've been there ever since. I've done dealer training around the new Gen V for the past year & a half (I also did dealer training for the Gen IV ACR), but again, not back in '06.



Welcome, congrats, very happy that Leslie's car found a great home!

Just curious, were you doing the SRT exp in 2006 or did you do any off the corporate SRT training in Vegas last year? Are you going to be doing the SRT track experiences this year? It would be great to meet you! I have known Leslie a long time. She loved that car.

[Loud]

Welcome and Congrats. You made a good purchase. I know Leslie took good care of the car and believe you will too. Enjoy!

[Leslie]

John I am so happy for you!!!

My first Viper has a great home:)

[Ms Storm]

Congrats John!! It was great seeing you at Daytona! See you at a race soon I'm sure!

Doris G.

[johniew398]

Congratulations John.

Yes, I've met you twice at the SRT experience, both times in Las Vegas.

Enjoy!

3040

[Bill Pemberton]

John's last name in Italian translates to poundsdaloudapedal , so he just Anglicized it to , " Da Hammer!" Leslie will be very proud to know the Blue Streak has a very hot shoe wheeling it around
North Carolina!! Congrats and have to comment to Bruce about the SRT4, " Naw he coulda had a V10!"

Now get that check book out and join the VOA ---- Janni and Henry Cone are severe track rats and they are just North of your abode and will welcome you with open arms!!! You have been an enthusiast for years, time
now to put owner behind the Hammer name!

[DrTaco]

Congrats on the car, looks great!

[Stretch]

Congrats on the purchase!!!!

[J TNT]

Congrats ! Enjoy the Ride ! ;)

[99RT10]

Congrats and welcome to the family. Great car for great people!

[rw99]

Yeah, Hammer! With patience, the right one DOES come along.

Congrats, John. Hope to see you at the SRTTE @ Seca in a couple weeks.

[Anonymous]

Is that a hanger or a garage?wow

[Leslie]

Hey john this is the guy that owned my acr before me!



Congratulations John.

Yes, I've met you twice at the SRT experience, both times in Las Vegas.

Enjoy!

3040

[JonB ~ PartsRack]

HAMMERMAN!!

John, welcome to the Snake Pit of Viper ownership. Very good to see you here. (Last time was Road America / One-Lap where you were 2012 Class Winner!)

The NC VOA will be VERY lucky to have you.

Very Glad that a passionate advocate for UPGRADING THE SOFTWARE (between the driver's ears) is aboard. Please be a regular here! New owners do ask about the SRT Experience, and its value. {Priceless} Leslie had that GTS sorted very nicely......the 6-piston brakes should serve your throttle-hammering very well indeed.


If you would be so kind as to email me your address, I have a couple specific doo-dads that your son WILL like.

Jon

JonB@PartsRack.com

[ACR Steve]

Congrats now drive the ____ out of it :)

[Steve-Indy]

Congrats, John...hope to meet you at Indy in July!!

[Janni]

WELCOME!

Glad to have you join the owners club.

If we can be of service - please don't hesitate to call. If you call the VOA number, there's also an option to leave me a message and I can call you back.

Alternatively - janni.cone@driveviper.com

WARNING - we might pick your brain about Gen IV ACR- since that's Henry's hardcore baby.

[cobraken]

Congratulations! I love these "I FINALLY got one" stories!

[100]

Thanks for participating in VOA John. I remember you at San Jose (All Access).

SRT has great, great products and congratulations on the podium finish at Daytona -- it's going to be a fun year.

[Luisv]

+1 on loving these "I got mine" stories! Congrats!

I'll be another one of those that have met you at the track experience event. Mine was because of a Charger SRT8 I bought in 2010. I went in 2010 to the Homestead Speedway event in Miami. Still have the SRT8. It has 85K miles with 81K on a supercharger! Drive the crap out of it and love every mile.

My Viper is 2002 GTS that I got in 2012 after years of wishing for my dream car. Love it!

I think I'm due for an SRT experience. If you are still doing them and come to Miami, I'll be sure to say hi.

[PatrickB]

John, welcome aboard from a fellow North Carolinian! Congrats on the Viper purchase! It took me a few years to obtain my dream car, but I finally purchased a 2000 RT/10 last year and couldn't be happier!

I'm less than an hour north of you, a bit east of Hickory, NC. The Carolinas Viper Club/Carolinas region VOA is a great club to be involved with and we are pretty active. Since we have a fairly large region as a whole, there are numerous events planned across both NC and SC for 2014. Our members are a lot of fun to hang out with. The tentative 2014 has been posted here: http://driveviper.com/forums/threads/1871-2014-Carolinas-VOA-Tentative-Schedule-of-Events

I look forward to meeting you! Hope to see you at the upcoming events - we're looking at doing a lunch sometime in March for the greater Charlotte area members, so stay tuned for details on that. I'm down in Charlotte every now and then, maybe we grab lunch and go for a cruise sometime!

[swexlin]

Hello VOA!

I'm John Hammer and I truly have the best job in the world; I travel around the country helping SRT spread the word about our vehicles and the people behind them. You may have seen me at SRT Track Experience, SRT All Access, the SRT Tour, IMSA, SEMA, Pebble Beach... You get the point; I'm a car guy who's been blessed to work in a car guy world.

And as of last night, I'm a Viper owner!

Growing up in the Motor City, the Detroit Auto Show was THE only good thing about Michigan winters. And when I first saw the Viper concept there I was immediately hooked. Sounds like a familiar story, right? For me, it's been a 2 decade journey that has seen me behind the wheel of many different sportscars which led me to autocross, then roadrace. But Viper was always juuuuuust out of reach. Until now.

As I told my son last night in the garage "This is a reward for all those years of hard work." He's 7 so he didn't care about me waxing poetic, but it was a great moment nonetheless!

My car came to me via Woodhouse; Mark Jorgensen & Bill Pemberton are friends of mine and when they took Leslie McLaughlin's in trade (she bought an ACR from them), they called me right away & said they'd found "My Viper." They had.

So I've put my money where my mouth is; I represent SRT & Viper at events across the country and now I have my own Viper in my garage. I couldn't be happier!

3035 3036

John Hammer
@JohnHammer on Twitter
www.FB.com/JohnHammerRacing

John, you were one of my instructors at the SRT Experience at Pocono in April 2007 (remember it was bitter cold and snowed?) after I bought my SRT8, which I still own. I bought my 03 Viper 4 years ago. Welcome!

[Leslie]

I want a ride in your new Viper!

10/10ths please haha

[ACRucrazy]

Nice car..

[Kurt]

Congratulations John! Got to speak with you a little at Daytona; always a pleasure. Good luck with the new Viper!

[Canadian venom]

Dream became reality, congrats !!!

[JohnHammer]

You realize that's kinda stalker-ish, right? :p Thanks for the welcome, I'll be back in Vegas in a month!




Congratulations John.

Yes, I've met you twice at the SRT experience, both times in Las Vegas.

Enjoy!

3040

[JohnHammer]

Thanks Doris! I'll be at Amelia Island, then straight to Sebring. You should come to both; VERY different events, but both are exceptional venues for SRT. :)


Congrats John!! It was great seeing you at Daytona! See you at a race soon I'm sure!

Doris G.

[JohnHammer]

I was blessed to find this house; it had been owned by boaters who built the garage to house their boat on the trailer. I've planned on putting a lift in, but wouldn't you know it I just spent that money on a new car. :p


Is that a hanger or a garage?wow

[EZ 2B Green]

Great news John!

It was great to talk with you at the SRT display in Lime Rock! Good luck with your Viper!

[Glhs110]

HAMMER! That should be your personalized plate. That's my favorite Viper, 01 sapphire and cognac? 1 of 55, very cool. I will be at Sebring doing the Austin Hatcher auction, see ya there buddy! And a big CONGRATS!
Tom

[1ststrike]

HI John,
Glad to hear you finally made the commitment. I am very happy to see that after all of those times you got to drive one you finally got bitten. Now you will be like the rest of us and wait for the good weather. Remember below 50 degree's they can get really loose. ENJOY ENJOY!!!

[Space Truckin]

Well done, what a feeling to walk into your garage and just stare. Congratulations and many HAPPY miles. Oh what a feeling...:dancingman:

[JohnHammer]

We STILL talk about that Pocono weekend. It's one of the worst weather situations we ever had to work though. I STILL own the boots I bought at the local Farm & Fleet store because I was so ill-prepared. Great to see you here & that you've thawed out over the years!


John, you were one of my instructors at the SRT Experience at Pocono in April 2007 (remember it was bitter cold and snowed?) after I bought my SRT8, which I still own. I bought my 03 Viper 4 years ago. Welcome!

[JohnHammer]

HAMMER! That should be your personalized plate. That's my favorite Viper, 01 sapphire and cognac? 1 of 55, very cool. I will be at Sebring doing the Austin Hatcher auction, see ya there buddy! And a big CONGRATS!
Tom

That's my car, Tom. Looking forward to seeing you again; the auction was a lot of fun & the Austin Hatcher folks were very pleased.

[Schen]

John,

Again, congrats my friend! I think most of us can attest to your skills, passion and enthusiasm behind the scenes and the wheel. Well deserved, rightfully rewarded! When I get down to NC later this year, will have to hook up and get some beauty shots. :)

--RS

P.S. Me next. :)

https://scontent-b-iad.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/t1/q82/s720x720/1044404_4706380272110_791460516_n.jpg

[ICPREY]

Congrats on the new purchase.

[Bitten]

You do need to buy a fifth of Makers Mark! I do believe that Leslie and I went to a local liquor store in Bowling Green one Z06 fest and purchased some hard liquor in the Saphir e blue car. The interior was stunning!

[72hemi]

Congratulations Hammer on a purchase well deserved! Hope to see you at Seca in May for the race!

[Leslie]

Haha! Yeah we did!!!
Nothing like a Viper driving around in corvette country!


You do need to buy a fifth of Makers Mark! I do believe that Leslie and I went to a local liquor store in Bowling Green one Z06 fest and purchased some hard liquor in the Saphir e blue car. The interior was stunning!

[MI Viper]

Congrats on the new Snake, and welcome. Hope to see you at Sebring in March.

John,

Q? Is there a SRT driving experience near central Fl any time soon?
Thanks,
MI V.

[JohnHammer]

Yep, I'll be there!


Congratulations Hammer on a purchase well deserved! Hope to see you at Seca in May for the race!

[JohnHammer]

Yes, I'll be at Sebring. Excited; it's my first time there.

We will do SRT Track Experience at Daytona, although I'm not positive on the exact dates yet. Keep an eye open on http://www.drivesrt.com/srt-track-experience/ and it'll be posted sooner than later.


Congrats on the new Snake, and welcome. Hope to see you at Sebring in March.

John,

Q? Is there a SRT driving experience near central Fl any time soon?
Thanks,
MI V.

[Ricketts]

Congrats John!!! Nice choice.

[Wot!]

John,

You're starting off on the wrong foot with me my friend.

You got my dream job...:(

Don't tell me I'm the only one here that's a bit jealous either.:D

Congrats on the great job, and the car! Sounds like it was worth the wait.

Forever jealous!

Joe

[Leslie]

John does have the dream job, AND his GenII sounds WAY better than my GenIV haha.

[ViperTony]

Congratulations John!!! Great to see Leslie's old Viper go to the perfect home!

[daveg]

Welcome and congrats!!!!!

[Viper Girl]

Don't tell me I'm the only one here that's a bit jealous either.:D

Congrats on the great job, and the car!
Exactly!

[Mopar Boy]

Congrats on the great car John and welcome to the Funny Farm! You will love the Viper Nation in a whole different way now!

So happy you were able to pull this off! :):)

Robert

[SmoknTires]

Congrats John!! I heard rumors you joined the Viper fellowship. Now we officially have the Hammer on board.

Does this mean free lessons for all track rats??? ;.)

[Phun70]

HEY NOW!!! Nothing wrong with a properly prepped SRT-4!! I have one that sports 425HP at the wheels and it's a blast to drive. Not as fun as my Viper, but hey, we have to take four people in one car sometimes. Might as well do it in a fun car!

[JohnHammer]

Alex, I'll gladly come do track day instruction for the club. Heck, that would actually be a LOT of fun! As for the free part...help a brother out; I've got car payments to make! :p


Congrats John!! I heard rumors you joined the Viper fellowship. Now we officially have the Hammer on board.

Does this mean free lessons for all track rats??? ;.)

[JohnHammer]

I'm with you Phun; I've been blessed to drive many SRT4's, including "LilSparkPlug's" (Crystalmarie's) 400hp Panther Pink SRT4 up in the northeast. It's a brilliant car & convinced me I needed to own one. I simply never found THE right one for me. Remember, Ralph still owns his...that speaks volumes to those cars!


HEY NOW!!! Nothing wrong with a properly prepped SRT-4!! I have one that sports 425HP at the wheels and it's a blast to drive. Not as fun as my Viper, but hey, we have to take four people in one car sometimes. Might as well do it in a fun car!

[FLATOUT]

Great to have you here John, welcome to the club.