First track experience in an SRT-10

[Frank Parise]

On Thursday, Tony Estes and I shared a 30-minute hot lap session in a factory owned SRT-10. We were on the west track at Firebird International Raceway in Phoenix. I'm still recovering from the shock of what I experienced.

As a matter of background, I've spent the last six years road racing a 96 GTS. I've poured well in excess of $70,000 into modifications on the car, including complete safety, suspension, exhaust, aerodynamic, weight reduction, and wheel/tire packages. Countless hours have been put into tuning and testing the car including the completion of 75 wheel to wheel races and logging approximately 18,000 track miles. The SRT-10 that I drove on Thursday is a better car....way better!

Throughout last year, Tony had been telling me that the new SRT-10 was as much an improvement over the GEN II cars as the GEN II cars were over the GEN I cars. It's one thing to hear somebody make that statement, but it's another thing to actually get a completely stock SRT-10 on the track and come to the realization that it's better than my racecar.

Without making this post the novel that it deserves to be, I'll summarize by saying this car isn't good, it isn't very good, it's a WOW. On worn out Michelin Pilot Sports, this car handles better than my racecar ever did. The overall grip and handling balance is supreme. The brakes are unbelievable. It's the most forgiving Viper I've ever driven. It instills confidence in the driver. It does everything you ask it to do and then it asks you to give it more.

There is just the right amount of understeer that protects you from entering corners too fast. Simply easing off the throttle points the car right back where you want it to go. The tires sing a chorus that congratulate you on a well executed movement. There is no hint of oversteer unless you pull a moronic move.

Put a roll cage and a hardtop on this beast and you can have as much fun racing this car on Michelin Pilots as any GT-1 car in the VRL. You can keep the $70,000 you saved in race modifications and spend it on your wife.

I've got to leave now for the Barrett Jackson. I'll say more about my SRT-10 experience when I return. Anybody want to purchase a 2001 ACR for real cheap?

 

[GTS Dean]

Frank -

THAT'S the kind of report I wanted to hear on the SRT. The only other question I want answered is: Lap Time Differential?

 

[Wing King]

Sweeeeet!

Thanks for the report Frank. Yea, this is all well and good, but don't you realize the only really IMPORTANT thing some people may care about knowing is........ did you have your breakfast eggs cooked on the sidesills afterward?

I have this image in my mind for a great "gag" picture. We should stage a photo, with a copy of a certain magazine laying on the sidesill, with a fan blowing on it...... unsuccessfully trying to get it to catch fire! Then we could send the picture, attached to your report...... to that same magazine...

.... and challenge them to print it in their letters to the editor!

 

[Frank Parise]

Dean, we didn't have a timer in our car but Tony Estes told me he was 4 seconds quicker in the SRT-10 than he was a couple years ago in his Super Modified 96 GTS Racer (and his racecar was on Hoosiers!)

After thinking about it for a couple of days, I believe the reason for the big improvement in the SRT-10's handling capabilities are: (1)suspension geometry; (2)brakes; (3)Michelin tires.

SUSPENSION: The anti-dive and anti-squat design found in the GEN II car has been changed. John Fernandez said that the difference in angles between the upper and lower control arms are completely different in the SRT-10. This has freed up the suspension movement, reducing its tendency to bind up. What we used to feel as the "car taking a set" was probably the suspension going into a bind. As good as the GTS is compared to other cars, the SRT-10 is far superior. Last January at the Arizona proving grounds I remember Herb Helbig continually emphasizing that their focus on the SRT-10 was balanced handling.
I think they have catapulted the new Viper into brand new territory.

BRAKES: ABS is an obvious improvement, but the large 4-piston Brembos on both front and rear ala Porsche have made a huge difference. Other than the brake pad compound, this appears to be the identical brake system used on the Competition Coupe. The first word out of everybody's mouth when they drive the Comp Coupe is that the brakes are phenomenal. Last Thursday I was right there when a world class racecar driver/icon and previous 24 hours of Le Mans champion was given the opportunity to drive the Comp Coupe. I cannot give you his name since he has factory support from another car maker, but the first words out of his mouth were, "These brakes are unbelievable."

MICHELIN TIRES: These are apparently the new run-flat tires. They look like nothing more than a Michelin Sport street tire but in concert with the car's suspension, they feel more like a Hoosier. I was told by PVO representatives that the SRT-10 on these tires have measured 1.2 Gs in constant radius turns, with spikes even higher than that on other corners. Two years ago at the VOI in St. Louis I was told that the highest cornering G- force ever recorded in Dodge Viper testing on Michelin Pilots was 1.07. If these figures are correct, the combination of a newly designed Viper and tires has resulted in 12% more cornering grip.

Wing King, in Arizona you can fry eggs on the top side of any body panel on any year, make, model, or color of car during most of the year. The nitwit journalist who came up with that publicity stunt was the same guy who used to fry ants with a magnifying glass when he was a kid. (OK, I did that too.)

 

[Tony Estes]

Dean
Give me a call and I'll be able to explain the differences in the two cars. I would try here but I would take me two days to type it

.

 

[Gary Lashinsky]

There is a lot to say about the new SRT 10. I have about 400 miles on ours and can put it in one word. . .great! Great performance, brakes, handling and the WOW factor is there. On my way back from Daytona International Speedway yesterday with Skip Thomas who was our guest speaker at our first VCA meeting of the year, we had teenagers speeding up and slowing down and giving thumbs up to the SRT 10 (they were in a GEO)as well as rubber necking from many other cars on I-4.
Speaking of the Daytona Meeting, we ran into the Corvette Club who also was at the track for there meeting. Thanks to my friend Robert (RT) Hall, Director of Corporate Entertainment for the speedway, we were first on track in front of the Corvettes for our track tour. While they waited outside the speedway, we were ushered into the Winston Cup Garage area to form up our 40 Vipers to take a whirl around the fabled Daytona race track.
On our way out of the infield to the Winston Tower for our lunch and meeting, we passed by 100 or more Vettes going into the track for their tour. You talk about eye popping , thumbs up reaction, I got it in the new Viper. It was the only SRT 10 there in the group and was it ever a standout. Nothing like showing off what Dodge has given us.

 

[GTS Dean]

Man, I still don't have a VIN yet. My dealer changed ownership right when the certificates were being submitted. There are 4 of us in limbo. It will probably be delivered in August again like my first black RT - too freakin' hot to drive.

In the meantime, I'm spring-cleaning the garage, doing monoballs on the GTS and praying for the stock market.

 

[Hans Christian]

Frank,

Thanks for your great write up - I cant believe that I am still many monts away from my 2004 - ARGH, I cant wait.

Thanks

 

[Brian Kelly]

Thanks Frank,
Great news from a couple of people I know have a ton of track time and go fast in Vipers. Please, please, please let me (us) know how the times shake out at the 1st Viper Days event at Willow this weekend. Four seconds better is nuts especially figuring the Hoosiers into the equation. Mine is still in the showroom until the salt disappears off the roads but I'm licking my chops for Mid-Ohio in April.

 

[monnieh]

Wow, if the cruiser style convertable is this good, how incredible will an ACR SRT be????

 

[JonB]

I heard about that press day at Firebird....did you drive the SRT/4 as well??

PAC-NW VCA had our SRT/10 track day PIR-Portland back in Aug '01.
This was NOT a mule, but a PVP SRT/10, vin # 30. My on-track test at PIR was almost identical to Frank's, (altho Frank is a better driver than me!)

One note: The awesome viscous-coupled rear end is a major improvemnet factor in getting the power down exiting corners. Performs much like a Quaiffe. Amazing.

The lower CG and rearward/lowered Motor/trans really helps turn-in and rotation and is very noticable improvement. The thing is flat and tires are grippy.

And the BRAKES!! If you wear contacts, they may pop out.

Glad to see that a hard-drivin man also was as IMPRESSED as I

 

[JonB]

NOTE 02 THREAD DATE BUMP for comparos w/ 2006