Kid97GTS
Enthusiast
DISCLAIMER: This is NOT a "kill" story, it is a track story. The events described below took place in a controlled track environment. The following cars lined up for a little grudge match, errrrr scientific testing:
(1) 2001 Ferrari 550 Maranello. Upgraded exhaust, lightweight carbon fiber seats, highly upgraded nut behind the steering wheel.
(2) 1997 Viper GTS. Smooth tubes, K&N, 3.55 gear, aluminum flywheel, Borla cat back, stock nut behind the steering wheel (424 rwhp with just tubes and filters).
From a standstill to about 100, no competition; GTS eats 550's lunch repeatedly, unless 550 driver gets serious roll and jumps the start coming out of the toll booth, errrrr staging lane. By the way, the toll booth operator, errrrr track marshal, almost creams himself while watching the runs take place, and ****** and his family vacationing in their pickup nearly jump out of the cab trying to get a better look at this "Clash of the Titans."
Now things start to get interesting. The cars engaged in several roll-on runs to simulate in this track environment what might happen on a freeway, or such. Through numerous trials it was discovered that the 550 is one mean mother above 120. Thus, the key to beating a 550 to 150 is to build up enough of a lead that when the red witch starts to come on, the GTS has enough of a buffer that it can hold off the onslaught until 150 is reached. Pretty much anything above 150 and it is "goodnight now" to the Dodge.
Basically with the 3.55 gear set, the highest speed from which the Viper can start and have a chance to beat the 550 to 150 is about 80 mph. Start any higher than 80 and there is no way the GTS can build up enough of a lead to hold off the inevitable push that the 550 is going to bring somewhere between 110 and 120. In fact, every time (all 4) the slow-to-learn GTS driver started in 5th gear at 3000, the 550 walked it. Only when GTS driver smartened up and started in 4th around 4500-5000 did the Viper build up such a lead that it was able to fend off the 550.
If the GTS can get the 550 to start from speeds closer to 60-65 mph, it's all over for the prancing stallion. The Dodge can build such a lead that even the tsunami that is the 550 above 110 can't catch it. However, I don't have the empirical evidence to prove this exact scenario, since the 550 driver refused to drop below 70 at any time during roll-on testing (******).
Anyway, to sum up a day of data gathering:
0-150: GTS wins hands down
roll under 75 to 150: GTS builds up a lead and holds on
roll 75-80 to 150: REAL, REAL good race
roll above 80 to 150: advice to GTS driver: pretend like you are adjusting the radio and not racing, because you'll get a real good view of the 550's taillights
Additionally, the above numbers would likely have to be adjusted down for a 3.07 geared GTS that wouldn't get quite the same jump on the 550 at the listed speeds, and for '00 and later "creampuff" V10's that are consistently putting out 10-15 less hp.
(1) 2001 Ferrari 550 Maranello. Upgraded exhaust, lightweight carbon fiber seats, highly upgraded nut behind the steering wheel.
(2) 1997 Viper GTS. Smooth tubes, K&N, 3.55 gear, aluminum flywheel, Borla cat back, stock nut behind the steering wheel (424 rwhp with just tubes and filters).
From a standstill to about 100, no competition; GTS eats 550's lunch repeatedly, unless 550 driver gets serious roll and jumps the start coming out of the toll booth, errrrr staging lane. By the way, the toll booth operator, errrrr track marshal, almost creams himself while watching the runs take place, and ****** and his family vacationing in their pickup nearly jump out of the cab trying to get a better look at this "Clash of the Titans."
Now things start to get interesting. The cars engaged in several roll-on runs to simulate in this track environment what might happen on a freeway, or such. Through numerous trials it was discovered that the 550 is one mean mother above 120. Thus, the key to beating a 550 to 150 is to build up enough of a lead that when the red witch starts to come on, the GTS has enough of a buffer that it can hold off the onslaught until 150 is reached. Pretty much anything above 150 and it is "goodnight now" to the Dodge.
Basically with the 3.55 gear set, the highest speed from which the Viper can start and have a chance to beat the 550 to 150 is about 80 mph. Start any higher than 80 and there is no way the GTS can build up enough of a lead to hold off the inevitable push that the 550 is going to bring somewhere between 110 and 120. In fact, every time (all 4) the slow-to-learn GTS driver started in 5th gear at 3000, the 550 walked it. Only when GTS driver smartened up and started in 4th around 4500-5000 did the Viper build up such a lead that it was able to fend off the 550.
If the GTS can get the 550 to start from speeds closer to 60-65 mph, it's all over for the prancing stallion. The Dodge can build such a lead that even the tsunami that is the 550 above 110 can't catch it. However, I don't have the empirical evidence to prove this exact scenario, since the 550 driver refused to drop below 70 at any time during roll-on testing (******).
Anyway, to sum up a day of data gathering:
0-150: GTS wins hands down
roll under 75 to 150: GTS builds up a lead and holds on
roll 75-80 to 150: REAL, REAL good race
roll above 80 to 150: advice to GTS driver: pretend like you are adjusting the radio and not racing, because you'll get a real good view of the 550's taillights
Additionally, the above numbers would likely have to be adjusted down for a 3.07 geared GTS that wouldn't get quite the same jump on the 550 at the listed speeds, and for '00 and later "creampuff" V10's that are consistently putting out 10-15 less hp.
