Hissstory: "Viper GTS Hits the Streets" June 8, 1996, Twenty Years Ago

[JonB ~ PartsRack]

Short version: I won a trivia contest held by Dodge Marketing in 1995, which resulted in my being allowed to pick up the first "Retail" 1996 Viper GTS. Only 3-4 Dodge execs had cars sooner. That event was 20 years ago today, June 8, 1996.
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I saw my GTS, IndyRam, and trailer for the first time at CAAP. I bought Ron Smith's Indy Ram. Ron drove it to the plant. That is Ron below, strangling me for killing cones with 'his' car at Sebring. Roanoke Dodge provided the matching tailer. Frank Vaughn assembled the 3. It was also the 1st CAAP factory delivery in Hisstory!

. Dodge had DomPerignon and birthday cake for the car (and for me) during a club presidents meeting that weekend.

I flew in, drove 2700 miles home. On the way, a small plane dropped down to telephone pole height for about 5 miles, filming my Blue/White rolling car show. The next weekend it was the Pace Car for the SCCA races here. Still have it, 53k miles. Ahh, the Good-Ole-Days............ [mliang photos]