SRT Competing in the IMSA Tudor Series at Mosport this weekend!

[Bruce H.]

The track's new name is actually Canadian Tire Motorsports Park, and it's my home track. I'll be there with SRT to cheer them on, and I'm definitely anticipating SRT will have a podium finish in the GTLM class that the number 91 and 93 compete in. Here's an IMSA promotional clip for this very challenging and dangerous track...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=wtqOzASKrHY.

I think the Sunday afternoon race is probably being broadcast on Fox Sports. Ontario, Canada VOA members will be there to cheer on SRT, and I hope you'll tune in as well!

[VENOM V]

Damn, I watched the vid three times. That track looks awesome! "It's the most hardcore track we go to."

That must be a hell of a home track. Does SRT have a hospitality trailer set up? May and I have watched the last two Tudor races at Laguna Seca from atop of it. Plus dinner with the drivers last year. Talked with Kuno for about an hour, this year Ben Keating hing out with us, that guy is an asset to the Viper community as well as a hell of a driver.

Have fun!

Todd

[Solid Red 98]

Vipers are showing great pace so far this weekend. Qualifying is coming up in a little over an hour. For those who are interested, it can be streamed live here: http://www.imsa.com/camera/united-sportscar/race-central

[FLATOUT]

Just saw Ben Keating and the Viper Exchange Viper took the pole in GTD! Congrats Viper Exchange!

[Redsled]

Viper takes GTLM pole position!

[Solid Red 98]

Great result in both GTLM and GTD! Kuno Wittmer put the #93 on pole at his home race! Jeroen Bleekemolen got pole in GTD in the #33 Viper Exchange viper. Great result for the factory team and Ben Keating's operation.

[Simms]

Awesome! Looking forward to watching the race.

[allans]

This will be TWO Great Races. Allan

[Bruce H.]

Glad you guys are following it. They had a podium finish here last year and I've got a very good feeling about the actual race. Hopefully the forecasted rain won't be a problem.


Damn, I watched the vid three times. That track looks awesome! "It's the most hardcore track we go to."

That must be a hell of a home track. Does SRT have a hospitality trailer set up? May and I have watched the last two Tudor races at Laguna Seca from atop of it. Plus dinner with the drivers last year. Talked with Kuno for about an hour, this year Ben Keating hing out with us, that guy is an asset to the Viper community as well as a hell of a driver.

Have fun!

Todd

It's a spectacular track, and in-car videos never really captures the amount of elevation change. Watch the cars going down T2, where T1 is the right corner at the end of the front straight, and T2 is the completely blind left, try to find a reference for Turn-in, off camber, double apex, 100+ mph, 100 ft drop thrill ride. The car gets light as it crests at the top while you're turning in, and you wait a bit for the car to come down, load the suspension, and take a set as you pile on the power again between its two apexes. This corner has collected a lot of wrecks, and the stability of the TA is finally allowing me to probe serious speed through it. And the run-off area was paved last year which really helps the confidence!

SRT provided an IMSA "Hot Pass" that allows access everywhere, as well as a Tudor Paddock Lounge Pass which is a large hospitality tent and viewing areas erected on top of a hill on the front straight opposite the pits. Excellent view of the front straight and a series of corners leading onto and off of it. They have 4 large transporters in the paddock under a tent for the cars, spares, crew and drivers. Spent the afternoon chatting with Dick Winkles, Beth Peretta, and Kuno, and Matt gave me a great tour of their paddock setup and features on the cars. There's lots of factory Gen V still in those race cars! I discussed arrangements with Kuno for some personal coaching at Mosport in the near future. Ralph is expected today and I hope to chat with him if time permits.

Some of our local VOA members are coming to cheer on the team as well. Going to be a great race!

[VENOM V]

Freakin awesome day for all three Vipers! I'll leave it at that, in case some of you are recording the race and haven't yet seen it.

[VENOM V]

Congratulations to Ben Keating and team for their first win, making a pass for 1st place literally on the last lap!

The two ALMS Vipers took 2nd and 3rd.

Not bad, all three Vipers had podium finishes!

[Bruce H.]

It was a great race as my son and I watched from various positions at corners T1 to T5. It had rained earlier in the day but cleared and dried nicely for the big race. We were at the bottom of T4 when Kuno went agricultural there after leading the race from the start. The competition was fierce, and the track very demanding. Congrats to the drivers, teams and to SRT and Viper Exchange for all 3 car's podium finishes!

But the highlight of my race weekend was the time I spent with the SRT team, and the very insightful and candid conversations with Ralph, Beth and Dick. It was as if I was making their weekend as well because they were so excited about talking Gen V at length with someone equally passionate about tracking the car. This is what drives the team to produce the world-class Gen V, and you can tell they are surprised so few buyers track the car...as am I.

We discussed a wide range of topics from Gen V launch issues to SRT being brought under the Dodge banner as its halo car, and many things in-between that are the frequent subjects of forum threads. It's unfortunate that SRT doesn't come on the forums to provide correct information, as the absense of it leads to so much opinion and discussion that couldn't be further from the truth. These discussions reinforced my belief that many Viper enthusiasts need to have a lot more faith in the team that designed and built the car despite daunting challenges...and truly succeeded for the discerning few that share their vision of the perfect classic exotic driver's car.

Thanks to Ralph and Beth for the invitation to the race and for being such great hosts.

Bruce