Mid Ohio Viper Days

[BJ MOTORS]

This last weekend was incredible. The weather was perfect the Viper turnout was great. You almost felt like you were surrounded by celeberities. Bob Woodhouse, Fred Baker, Bobby Archer, Joe Ellis (Evil Joe), and of course the famous Bill Permberton. The track went hot on Saturday and lasted until Sunday Afternoon. It was my first at Mid Ohio what a great technical track. Viper Days (Skip, Courtney, Tracy) put on such a well organized and flawless event. If you have not attended a Viper Days Event you are missing out on what your car was made for, it is based in a safe enviroment and there are people like Archer Racing, Autoform, and lot's of other vendors who are just a book of knowledge when it comes to information about our cars. I know I am rambling but if any of you out there that are considering running in Viper Days I highly recommend you do so.
I also wanted to thank everyone who was instrumental in helping me out through the weekend with my ride. Bill if your out there stick to selling those beauties, because as a anouncer I don't think you could make a carrer out of it!

 

[Bill Pemberton Woodhouse]

Darn, Bernie, I wish you could have stayed for the Sunday Race, as my announcing got all the way to the semi-passable on Sunday!!
Great to finally meet you and your Daytona looked phenomenal!!!!!

 

[Jason-Middle Tennessee]

Bill I loved your Mr. Rogers song you sung on Sunday....

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[Rich Wesorick]

Yes it sure was a great event. It's been over two years since my last Viper Days - lots of things have changed, but one thing that remains is the great bunch of people that are there. The level of car preparation has associated equipment has sure gone up too...

Nice to meet many of the new faces, and, of course, see the Thomas family again. Watch out folks when Skip gets his new GTS completed!

As for me, well I was a bit rusty on Saturday but finally put together a few decent laps on Sunday. If I could have only gotten my co-driver (some guy named Archer) out of the car a bit more... Anyways, I posted a write-up of Bobby's weekend on the Racing Forum on this board.

One more thing, just how many accents can Bill Pemberton imitate? The man may have missed his calling...

 

[MichaelThurston]

What a week!!! 48 hours driving a 45 foot trailer across America, and another 6 hours getting to and from the trailer. Tired doesn't begin to describe it. Excellent event, kudos to the entire Viper Days staff. Maybe next year they will let us drive the go carts....

 

[Tom Sessions]

All I can say is WOW.I spent part of the day at VIR last year and had a blast watching.But getting to do the whole weekend thing was just great.Thanks have to go to Henry and Janni for letting me ride up with them and the famous Bill Pemberton for providing a place to stay.I'm still recovering from that

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It was like being with family.Thanks to Alan M for the ride on Sunday I did recover but it took awhile.Can't wait for VIR in july.

<FONT COLOR="#ff0000" SIZE="1" FACE="Verdana, Arial">This message has been edited by Tom Sessions on May 03, 2001 at 20:15</font>

 

[Bill Pemberton Woodhouse]

WHAT TOM DIDN'T MENTION:
1. He spent alot of time helping me with my car!
2. He hslped Henry and Janni Cone with adjustments on their cars- I think he helped Janni more, but she is an awful lot cuter than Henreeeeeeeeeee!
3. Tom installed parts on Alan M's Snake, which Alan drove to a strong trophy position.
4. He ran all over the country picking up parts for various other drivers and he never complained, once.
5. He ran an engine hoist back to the Rental Store for Woodhouse.

Somehow the innocent offer to come up to a Viper Days Event and hang out,turned into Tom playing Santa Claus for all of us. Any of you folks near Wilmington, N.C. ( D & E Dodge ) should make sure you let this gentleman work on your Snake!!

 

[Janni]

Um, and let's not forget

1. Tom dropped his truck and trailer off at Art Davis's house so that on the way back Monday he could load up Art's sick 2000, drive it back to Wilmington and get it well.

2. That while I wasn't looking Henry and Tom swapped engine controllers on our 2 cars (grrr....) so they could continue to diagnose Henry's ailing snake.

3. After Saturday's runs, Tom and Henry pulled and changed all the plugs on Henry's car to see what was going on. (#10 plug was definitely "different" - somewhat stick, but smelled like a lawn mower engine - NOT like coolant as this car DOES NOT use coolant. hmmm.... any thoughts, gurus?)

4. After the initial wheel, tire and rotor install, all I required was a pad change. So I think I was pretty easy. Bill, on the other hand had some sort of marital aid / shifting device installed in his car, a pad change, and God knows what else....

5. Rode with Alan for 20 stomach churning minutes, and managed to keep his cookies.

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Barely. Think he recovered Sunday about hte time we reached West Virginia....

All this after spending WAYYYYYY too much quality time with Bill. Ohio was a treat, but now I am afraid I have been very spoiled having all the help. But, since I have new rotors, and pads, and wheels and tires... (big weekend...) I should not need too much trackside service.

Here are a few other thoughts:

Everyone appeared to be driving very safely. The passing signals were forthcoming and drivers used the right finger...

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My claim to fame over the weekend was that I made my instructor sick. (And I am proud of that?) But hey, I did get the early sign off....

The Saturday auction rasied almost $5K for the selected Ohio Children's Burn Hospital. Bill even spent some money. He also stole the poor Michelin guys jacket and made him buy it back for $200 or freeze to death. What a motivator.

What GREAT vendor support we had this event. John Archer, Bobby Archer, Autoform, WERX portable dyno, StopTech, Forgeline, John Purner of Complete Custom Wheel, Team tech. Want great products for your car? Come to Viper Days. Have some other observations about some of the products / suppliers above, but I'll save that for another post.

VCA Pres Tony Estes was there and presented a check to ViperDays as the VCA is now OFFICIALLY supporting the series. YEAH and its about time. 80 or so Vipers were at Mid Ohio. Besides VOIs and the Regional Rendevous(s), this is where you go to see Viper owners.

Its a great start to a 2001 season. Missed everyone over the winter and can't wait for Gingerman.

If you have never been to a ViperDays, contact your regional president about discount coupons and SIGN UP NOW!

 

[Arthur R Davis]

I was reading the posts and came across these. Tom is working on our sick snake............seems to be low on power and odor of anti-freeze around the right bank. Did not steam for the "doctor" as it did earlier for me,(that's the way it always is), but the odor was still LOUD! I thank Henry and Janni for taking the time to wait on and meet Tom here next to the house. We would have gone to the Ohio meet, but our GTS got sick at the Charlotte Auto Fair and we felt it would not be ready by then. We are going to VIR and hope to at lease keep everyone in-sight and not be in the way! Again Thanks, Art and Debbie