The King Is Back (At LAGUNA SECA)
By Maurice Q. Liang
The red Viper ACR flew down the main straightaway at Laguna Seca like a scalded cat. As it scampered past the start/finish line, the lap time flashed up on the board, and a new record was set: 1:33.915 for the 2.238-mile course, shattering the previous record by more than 1.1 seconds. The Viper was once again King of the Track as the fastest production car to lap Laguna Seca.
Laguna Seca Raceway is one of the most iconic tracks in this country, if not the world. Located near Monterey, Calif., it’s known for its dramatic elevation changes, famed corkscrew, blind corners, and dramatic scenery—it’s the ultimate driver’s challenge. Ralph Gilles, President and CEO, Dodge Brand and Senior Vice President, Product Design Office, Chrysler Group LLC, squinted out at the twisting pavement and said, “No matter how many times I drive this track, I never get bored.”
Two years ago, Randy Pobst set a track record for a production car in a Viper ACR at 1:35.117 while working on an article for Motor Trend. But recently, the Devon GTX, a specialty-built car based on the Viper, bested that time. So when engineers were out testing the 2010 ACR at Laguna Seca, they took another run at the record.
November 24, 2009. It’s a brisk sunny morning in Northern California. SRT engineers set up the “Laguna Seca Edition” ACR. It’s red with a black driver’s stripe, the inverse of the red with black hood and red driver’s stripe car that set a lap record at the Nürburgring. The rear wing on the 2010 ACR features new endplates with cutouts and a new profile. Chris Winkler, an SRT vehicle dynamics engineer and hot shoe, takes the ACR for a couple of practice runs. After a few laps, an unofficial clocking shows him to be just slightly behind the track record. Winkler brings the ACR into the pits and the engineers make some adjustments and put on a fresh set of tires. Well-known Comp Coupe racer Bob Woodhouse and his driver Kumo Whittmer discuss the optimum line around the track with Winkler.
After a couple more practice runs, it’s time for the official run. Representatives from the major car magazines are on hand to witness this historic event, including Angus McKenzie editor of Motor Trend. With yet another set of fresh tires, Winkler goes for the gold. His first run comes in just shy of the record, but the next run comes in at 1:33.915. It’s official; Viper has taken back the title as fastest production car at Laguna Seca, beating the Devon GTX’s time by over 1 second.
After Winkler pulls into the pits, he reports, “It was definitely exciting, but somewhat uneventful lap overall from behind the steering wheel. There’s still more in it.” With a little more development time, he felt could drop the time even more. But there’s more work to be done on the other Vipers that are there for testing, and the mission is accomplished. Viper is King of the Hill again at Laguna Seca.
Mike Shinedling, ACR Program Manager, applies the Laguna Seca track decal to the back of the ACR as a badge of honor. “We’ll be producing a limited run of 33 ACRs in this paint scheme,” says Ralph Gilles. “We’ll call it the 1:33 edition.” If you want one, order yours soon!
Jon Brobst
I am a big road-racing fan, especially when Vipers compete. I was fortunate to attend the US-FIA Series Championships at Sebring and Laguna Seca in 1997. Chrysler clinched both the manufacturers and drivers titles. If I close my eyes, I can still taste the spray and recall the sticky residue of the “Champagne Showers” from both Victory Lane celebrations. The excitement was palpable, and “Viper Pride” was rampant on message boards and in VIPER Magazine. Chrysler pride caused 100 GT-2 {GTS-R Replica) Vipers to be created to honor that crowning achievement, Chrysler’s first.
Team Viper won Le Mans in ’97, ’98, ’99, most of the ALMS races and the championships here. Attending several races, I enjoyed more champagne showers. It’s addicting! In 2000, Team Viper won the overall Rolex Daytona-24 hours, even beating the LMP cars. That winning Viper resides in the Chrysler Museum, and 360 “Final Edition” Vipers were built in 2002 to pay respect to the achievement. Having won everything in sight since 1997, business priorities changed and “factory” racing took a long hiatus—I miss it.
So when I heard that the 2010 Viper would be doing testing at Laguna Seca in late November, I respectfully cajoled an invitation. Stopwatches in hand, I was NOT disappointed. SRT was ready with a newly-liveried black/red 2010 ACR, whose paint scheme is an exact reverse of the red/black 2008 show car. A small but skilled SRT crew, complete with multiple sets of Michelin Sport Cup green and heat-cycled ACR tires, were ready to pull out 1-2 hot, “qualifying laps” in attempting to break the 1 minute 35 second Laguna Seca Track record. In only one day! [Like they did at ?the Nürburgring].
Accomplished SCCA champ and SRT driver Chris Winkler would have the pressure on his back, and he did not disappoint. Chris actually broke the record twice, to major displays of finish line excitement both times before his tires were past their peak.
The record result of 1:33.9 is a testament that the “decades old” Dodge Viper is still alive and well, and very competitive. High-fives, hugs, and backslaps were mandatory, as the press was invited in to a presentation and a lunch. Dodge CEO Ralph Gilles did the honors, and unveiled plans for a “1:33 Edition ACR” to commemorate the still-warm record setting ACR! Laptops blogged to the world that the Dodge Viper is back on top at historic Laguna-Seca. The VCA Web site was quickly infected with renewed Viper pride. Dodge dealers began taking orders: just 33 will be built, making the 1:33 one of the rarest special edition Vipers in history.
Congrats Team SRT, and thanks for the peek. We look forward to more surprises. And if SRT decides to tackle the records at their other championship tracks of Sebring and Daytona, you bet I’ll close shop, break the travel budget, and try to be there. The excitement is still just as real and palpable. And who knows, it could lead to yet another champagne shower.
Jon Brobst
VCA Oregon
