SRT Track Experience Fail.

[FLATOUT]

These cars are dangerous hence the need for instruction in them and not in an SUV.

I've been to this event at Raceway Park, NJ quite a few years ago (August 2007) and you could not participate with your personal cars. I used the "certificate" from my 2006 VOI9. And at the time, the GenIV's were the latest and greatest. They did have several GenIV vipers (both coupes and verts, no ACR's, about 4-5 at least) but would only allow us to participate in one event (full throttle challenge I think?). Basically, its like 2010B&W stated above. It was a very small track with some short bursts, . And they would allow you to juice the car pretty hard, but could not leave 1st gear. An instructor was with you at all times, with hand on ebrake.

As much as we all want to drive the vipers at these events. Lets face it, these cars are dangerous. Just the day before I went, one of the attendees had lost control of a 08 SSG vert, and put it through a chain link fence at raceway park. (wonder who owns that car now, LOL. The entire front was ripped off, and laying next to the car)

I think they are trying to phase out the vipers from this event, because they are just too dangerous, for most to control.

From what I understand. This is simply an "SRT sponsored" event... Its actually owned and operated by Richard Petty schools. They do a carbon copy type event for Ford "SVT".

[Alex Mills]

Seems like there's a simple solution to this: take your car to a regular track day run by a local car club or track day company. You get an instructor in the seat next to you and tons of track time. That's what I did and despite the damage from a cone I ran over, I had an awesome time. Highly recommended.

[Taximan1]

These cars are dangerous hence the need for instruction in them and not in an SUV.

I agree 100%. Just telling you the reply I got. As I too was very disappointed in the lack of seat time we got in the viper.

[FLATOUT]

I do.

Seems like there's a simple solution to this: take your car to a regular track day run by a local car club or track day company. You get an instructor in the seat next to you and tons of track time. That's what I did and despite the damage from a cone I ran over, I had an awesome time. Highly recommended.

[Scot]

for the SRT day I did at NJMP I knew in advance no vipers.... I drove mine there and they joked about getting it out on track..... the instructors were not very good.... they missed their lines all over the place... it was definitely designed for a new track driver who probably thought 110mph was crazy fast down the front straight.... definitely not a quality experience for anyone with some real track time..... I bet we did 6/10's at best at any given point while on the actual track..... auto-x was up to the driver to display their abilities...

I would not do another SRT day.

[FLATOUT]

That was the feeling I was getting and since I do have track experience, autocross, lots of drag racing, and some roadcourse it just didn't look appealing and coupled with having to drive the challenger and Jeep it just didn't seem like a good fit.

for the SRT day I did at NJMP I knew in advance no vipers.... I drove mine there and they joked about getting it out on track..... the instructors were not very good.... they missed their lines all over the place... it was definitely designed for a new track driver who probably thought 110mph was crazy fast down the front straight.... definitely not a quality experience for anyone with some real track time..... I bet we did 6/10's at best at any given point while on the actual track..... auto-x was up to the driver to display their abilities...

I would not do another SRT day.

[sparkrn]

"It wouldn't be fair to only let the viper owners drive the vipers".....Are they fckn serious!?!?! Who's running SRT (or this event), the obama administration...? Im sorry and not trying to offend any1 but that some serious bullshit and sounds like liberal logic!!!

I attended the ZR1 school which was topnotch but even there due to this "fairness" bullshit, they wanted all participants (meaning non ZR1 owners) to get a chance to drive the ZR1. I bought a ZR1 and had absolutely no interest in driving Z06's or bullshit Grand Sports!!! And now this...

Andy, I agree wholeheartedly with you about this whole thing. Who goes out and spends 100K plus on a car such as a Viper, then wants to drive an SUV or whatever else around...then to top it off, they wont even let you bring your own Viper....SHAME ON YOU SRT!!!

Obama would have vipers for everyone and color coordinated with there free phones!

[cashcorn]

Yeah, when I went to there site and noticed no vipers were being used. I thought WTF! What makes me unhappy is that it is priced into the sticker on the car. What a joke, they don't include a car in the track experience that was purchased for spirited driving or tracking. Especially there flagship model. It's not like there is a shortage of vipers for God's sake.. How about we protest for a refund/monies back for our non Viper track experience day that we HAD to pay for on sticker.

[cashcorn]

BTW. My dealer told me that there were Vipers to drive which is part of the track experience.

[slowhatch]

Had no idea you were there and left that morning, guess i must of missed you somehow. You should of stuck around man, it was a blast. Yes, the cars/trucks are relatively slow but it was another type of fun. We got rained on and got sunshine within a 4hr period so not only did we get to run all the pigs back to back, but we got to slip n slide out there in the wet--which was fun. It's no viper, but sneaking 4 wheel drifts in the SRT Jeep is fun no matter what you got in the garage. Plus, if you and Tony had actually run the autocross would of been cool to have you guys warming up either sides of my shoulders on that podium.

[FLATOUT]

I went out on Sunday, for about 10 minutes lol. I went home and slid the tail out on the TA in the National Forest. To "Me" at least it was more fun than autocrossing a jeep in the rain lol. Not saying the SRTTE isn't a good time, just not was I thought it was.

Had no idea you were there and left that morning, guess i must of missed you somehow. You should of stuck around man, it was a blast. Yes, the cars/trucks are relatively slow but it was another type of fun. We got rained on and got sunshine within a 4hr period so not only did we get to run all the pigs back to back, but we got to slip n slide out there in the wet--which was fun. It's no viper, but sneaking 4 wheel drifts in the SRT Jeep is fun no matter what you got in the garage. Plus, if you and Tony had actually run the autocross would of been cool to have you guys warming up either sides of my shoulders on that podium.

[bluesrt]

when I took the srt drive, was not all that excited about it, but after the whole event was over, it really was a lot of fun, well worth the time spent and travel. srt is top of the mark on putting this event on.

[Fursty]

To put a little lighter spin on the conversation, if you want some time in your Viper, at a Viper only event, please accept my personal invitation to our Viper Rendezvous at Motorsport Park Hastings, Hastings, Nebraska on June 13-15th.


It it is a three day track weekend for Vipers only and Graham Henckel, an engineer from SRT, will be on hand with one or two Vipers. He will be riding shotgun in an SRT Viper and giving all those that are registered for the event a few laps behind the wheel of a Gen V. We will have instructors on hand in addition to Graham.


We have Vipers coming from about 8 states so far. This is a big year as it is the fifth anniversary.

Here is is a link to the registration page.

http://www.racemph.mycustomevent.com



Ryan

[FLATOUT]

Hey Ryan,

Got this in your PM and its greatly appreciated. Thank You Sir.

To put a little lighter spin on the conversation, if you want some time in your Viper, at a Viper only event, please accept my personal invitation to our Viper Rendezvous at Motorsport Park Hastings, Hastings, Nebraska on June 13-15th.


It it is a three day track weekend for Vipers only and Graham Henckel, an engineer from SRT, will be on hand with one or two Vipers. He will be riding shotgun in an SRT Viper and giving all those that are registered for the event a few laps behind the wheel of a Gen V. We will have instructors on hand in addition to Graham.


We have Vipers coming from about 8 states so far. This is a big year as it is the fifth anniversary.

Here is is a link to the registration page.

http://www.racemph.mycustomevent.com



Ryan

[Fursty]

Hey Ryan,

Got this in your PM and its greatly appreciated. Thank You Sir.

Great! The offer stands for ANY and ALL Viper owners!
Ryan

[slowhatch]

I went out on Sunday, for about 10 minutes lol. I went home and slid the tail out on the TA in the National Forest. To "Me" at least it was more fun than autocrossing a jeep in the rain lol. Not saying the SRTTE isn't a good time, just not was I thought it was.

Dont knock it till ya try it.

[Coloviper]

Funny, if it is a cost thing, I can think of a bunch of older crushed Vipers which could have been rechecked and used for racing instructions purpose as they were not street legal. Not new but still very instructional for racing purposes.

[FLATOUT]

Dont knock it till ya try it.

Lol I Autocross my car quite a bit actually I still need to get you up to College Station for one of their events.

[Mamba52]

Thanks Flatout I didn't read the fine print and paid over $800 I will be canceling my order today. What a waist of time SRT.

[bluesrt]

Thanks Flatout I didn't read the fine print and paid over $800 I will be canceling my order today. What a waist of time SRT.

its more than 800 worth of fun.

[FLATOUT]

its more than 800 worth of fun.

The only place I would pay that much for a track day would be in my own Viper at COTA. No thanks I pay a 4th of that for 4 hours of private track time in my Viper at the same track (MSR) that they were holding the SRTTE on. No way driving SUV's and Challengers around an autocross track is worth $800!

[Viper Girl]

Not saying it's worth $800, but that Jeep isn't a normal SUV... It's included in the price of the car, I'll go... Hopefully to Laguna Seca next year...

At that mini SRT experience at VOI9, I had a great time... In the beginning the staff kept saying "Don't pass the Jeep" over and over before we got into the cars... fact was, No one could catch the jeep... LOL
I also drive my buddies SRT8 Jeep. His IS supercharged but that Jeep is awesome to drive. We have even taken it to the drag strip... An SUV at a dragstrip that puts most cars in the rear view mirror... who woulda thunk...

[FLATOUT]

Most cars not Gen V Vipers. I have been racing and building cars since the mid 90's, fast SUV's just don't do it for me. They may for some though. I have owned an SRT8 Jeep and it was fun but it's no where near the performance envelope of the Viper.

Not saying it's worth $800, but that Jeep isn't a normal SUV... It's included in the price of the car, I'll go... Hopefully to Laguna Seca next year...

At that mini SRT experience at VOI9, I had a great time... In the beginning the staff kept saying "Don't pass the Jeep" over and over before we got into the cars... fact was, No one could catch the jeep... LOL
I also drive my buddies SRT8 Jeep. His IS supercharged but that Jeep is awesome to drive. We have even taken it to the drag strip... An SUV at a dragstrip that puts most cars in the rear view mirror... who woulda thunk...

[slowhatch]

Most cars not Gen V Vipers. I have been racing and building cars since the mid 90's, fast SUV's just don't do it for me. They may for some though. I have owned an SRT8 Jeep and it was fun but it's no where near the performance envelope of the Viper.

The argument isn't that the viper is leaps and bounds better in every measurable performance category than a 2.5 ton Jeep, this is a given. It's the fact that it surprises you with you how well the jeep carries its weight around a track--and it's not something that would be evident by someone punching it from stoplight to stoplight (although it does that well too). It has sharp turn-in, exceptional balance on transitions, minimal understeer, and not a hint of the high-centerdness one would expect from chucking something 6ft tall into a sweeper at 60mph. It claws to the asphalt with greater tenacity than you would expect, and it even seems to shrugg off deliberate attempts at upsetting the chassis like making stabs at the throttle mid-corner. Its just, fun. Its not viper fun, but fun nontheless. You can have blast without going a million miles an hr on the track--just ask the miata guys

I could think of worse ways to spend a day of my weekend than tearing around in SRTs and burning their consumables on their dime.

Ps. They canceled C&C this weekend.

[FLATOUT]

Thanks for the update on C&C

One question for you, would you rather:

1. Drive am SRT8 Jeep Grand Cherokee spirited for the day

2. Drive a 2014 SRT Viper TA spirited for the day

Never did I say the jeep wouldn't be fun, nor did I ever say that it wouldn't have been a enjoyable time. What I did say was that I was much more interested in proposal number 2 rather than proposal number 1.

And since C&C is cancelled we need to find some more fun to do Hey lets park our Vipers and go find some Jeeps (Sorry couldn't help myself).

The argument isn't that the viper is leaps and bounds better in every measurable performance category than a 2.5 ton Jeep, this is a given. It's the fact that it surprises you with you how well the jeep carries its weight around a track--and it's not something that would be evident by someone punching it from stoplight to stoplight (although it does that well too). It has sharp turn-in, exceptional balance on transitions, minimal understeer, and not a hint of the high-centerdness one would expect from chucking something 6ft tall into a sweeper at 60mph. It claws to the asphalt with greater tenacity than you would expect, and it even seems to shrugg off deliberate attempts at upsetting the chassis like making stabs at the throttle mid-corner. Its just, fun. Its not viper fun, but fun nontheless. You can have blast without going a million miles an hr on the track--just ask the miata guys

I could think of worse ways to spend a day of my weekend than tearing around in SRTs and burning their consumables on their dime.

Ps. They canceled C&C this weekend.