JBenko
Enthusiast
Got back last night from Atlanta and I'm still not over the adreneline rush from the Petit LeMans races. Without a doubt
the most emotion I've ever felt at a sporting event. Some miscellaneous ramblings are:
Congratulations to the Corvettes. They ran a great race. Hats off to Andy Pilgrim and especially Pratt and Miller
(Engineers). Both #3 and #4 made it to the end of the race, and ran **** hard all day long.
**** the M3 BMW. Were it not for the oil line you laid down directly on the race line for a half mile through corners 10 &
11 there would not have been a full course yellow with 11 laps to go in the race. This oil caused several cars to almost
lose it, caused the demise of one of the GTU Porsches, and most importantly gave the #4 Vette a full lap advancement
on Tommy Archers #92 Viper. The motor was obviously way gone, why didn't you move off line ???
Archer drove one hell of a race. When racing resumed with just 11 laps to go the #4 Vette had the #91 and the #92 Viper
in front of it. Pilgrim got around the #91 car in either the 1st or second lap. It took several before he finally got around
Tommy.
To the most people it may have looked like the Vettes were pulling the Vipers down the main straightaway. Actually it
wasn't the motor, it was that the Vettes were faster off the high speed corners - ie. the last one leading onto the main
straight. I haven't seen the tape yet but I'm willing to bet that there were no passes (Vette passing a Viper) down the back
straight. This is because turn #7 leading onto the back is a low speed turn. What does this mean ? ANSWER =
suspension is more important than motor. Had the Vipers been more stable coming out of #12 there would be no passes
going into #1.
There is a reason why the Vipers rarely fail due to mechanical problems - Oreca is meticulous. Little things - every time
Oreca works on the cars in the garage they wipe it down with Mopar cleaner, completely. I watched the guy polish the oil
filter !!! In contrast the Pratt & Miller team seemed way laid back and I don't think I ever saw them clean the car.
Even though it's a 427 the block has "5.7" cast in the front of the motor. It must be that the bigger Vette motor uses the
old block. Bored, stroked ???
I was lucky enough to be in the Oreca team meeting (actually in the garage !) the night before the race. A true honor to
be present. They spent approximately 30 - 45 minutes going over strategy / rules / cars. Darn shame I didn't understand
a dang word they said - it was all in French !
I offered to help drive the Patriot Team car (Viper #12) when they were looking for a 3rd driver. Neil Hanneman thought
that my not having an FIA lisence might be an issue ...
I got to sit in the #92 car. AWESOME !!! Must drive one someday !!!
Chris Kneifel is a hell of a nice guy. You're welcome to come to MN and drink more beers and talk racing any day...
Vipers do pretty darn good on an Oval track. I've got some amazing video of Bobby Archer testing his world challenge car
at the 1/2 mile oval across the street from Road Atlanta. Someone said his times were better than the purposefully built
circle trucks ...
Rental cars (Caveliers) push considerably when on 1/2 mile oval tracks. No comment as to how I know this ...
Rob Foster is a hell of a driver. Anyone who wants to badmouth Viper Days can watch his performance in a Mustang in
World Challenge. Way to go Rob !
Panoz has more money than God. Chateau Elan, wow ... And I think it's great that so many of the older guys that hang
out there after the race bring their daughters ...
It's hard to get the feel for a track when your only laps were in the back of a pickup truck driven by a Security guy at
midnight that you talked into "runnin' a few".
It's darn cold in the back of a pickup truck at midnight running laps at Road Atlanta ...
The sound of the Prototype cars running down the back straight is religious in nature. The thoughts of the drivers of the
Prototypes that flip while driving down the back straight are likely religious in nature ...
An apology to the Viper Corral and any local Viper owners at the race. Sorry I didn't get to meet very many of you ...
States that were over represented at the races (based on # of Vipers in their state and distance from Atlanta) - MN and
Nebraska. Where were all of the IL guys ?
Thanks one last time to Team Oreca. Remember - La voiture numero catra va duez va ganyea !!! (The only French I
picked up ...)
We'll get 'em next time !!! Laguna and Vegas are still ahead as possible road trips, Australia for the really adventurous. I
know I'll make at least one of them...
the most emotion I've ever felt at a sporting event. Some miscellaneous ramblings are:
Congratulations to the Corvettes. They ran a great race. Hats off to Andy Pilgrim and especially Pratt and Miller
(Engineers). Both #3 and #4 made it to the end of the race, and ran **** hard all day long.
**** the M3 BMW. Were it not for the oil line you laid down directly on the race line for a half mile through corners 10 &
11 there would not have been a full course yellow with 11 laps to go in the race. This oil caused several cars to almost
lose it, caused the demise of one of the GTU Porsches, and most importantly gave the #4 Vette a full lap advancement
on Tommy Archers #92 Viper. The motor was obviously way gone, why didn't you move off line ???
Archer drove one hell of a race. When racing resumed with just 11 laps to go the #4 Vette had the #91 and the #92 Viper
in front of it. Pilgrim got around the #91 car in either the 1st or second lap. It took several before he finally got around
Tommy.
To the most people it may have looked like the Vettes were pulling the Vipers down the main straightaway. Actually it
wasn't the motor, it was that the Vettes were faster off the high speed corners - ie. the last one leading onto the main
straight. I haven't seen the tape yet but I'm willing to bet that there were no passes (Vette passing a Viper) down the back
straight. This is because turn #7 leading onto the back is a low speed turn. What does this mean ? ANSWER =
suspension is more important than motor. Had the Vipers been more stable coming out of #12 there would be no passes
going into #1.
There is a reason why the Vipers rarely fail due to mechanical problems - Oreca is meticulous. Little things - every time
Oreca works on the cars in the garage they wipe it down with Mopar cleaner, completely. I watched the guy polish the oil
filter !!! In contrast the Pratt & Miller team seemed way laid back and I don't think I ever saw them clean the car.
Even though it's a 427 the block has "5.7" cast in the front of the motor. It must be that the bigger Vette motor uses the
old block. Bored, stroked ???
I was lucky enough to be in the Oreca team meeting (actually in the garage !) the night before the race. A true honor to
be present. They spent approximately 30 - 45 minutes going over strategy / rules / cars. Darn shame I didn't understand
a dang word they said - it was all in French !
I offered to help drive the Patriot Team car (Viper #12) when they were looking for a 3rd driver. Neil Hanneman thought
that my not having an FIA lisence might be an issue ...
I got to sit in the #92 car. AWESOME !!! Must drive one someday !!!
Chris Kneifel is a hell of a nice guy. You're welcome to come to MN and drink more beers and talk racing any day...
Vipers do pretty darn good on an Oval track. I've got some amazing video of Bobby Archer testing his world challenge car
at the 1/2 mile oval across the street from Road Atlanta. Someone said his times were better than the purposefully built
circle trucks ...
Rental cars (Caveliers) push considerably when on 1/2 mile oval tracks. No comment as to how I know this ...
Rob Foster is a hell of a driver. Anyone who wants to badmouth Viper Days can watch his performance in a Mustang in
World Challenge. Way to go Rob !
Panoz has more money than God. Chateau Elan, wow ... And I think it's great that so many of the older guys that hang
out there after the race bring their daughters ...
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It's hard to get the feel for a track when your only laps were in the back of a pickup truck driven by a Security guy at
midnight that you talked into "runnin' a few".
It's darn cold in the back of a pickup truck at midnight running laps at Road Atlanta ...
The sound of the Prototype cars running down the back straight is religious in nature. The thoughts of the drivers of the
Prototypes that flip while driving down the back straight are likely religious in nature ...
An apology to the Viper Corral and any local Viper owners at the race. Sorry I didn't get to meet very many of you ...
States that were over represented at the races (based on # of Vipers in their state and distance from Atlanta) - MN and
Nebraska. Where were all of the IL guys ?
Thanks one last time to Team Oreca. Remember - La voiture numero catra va duez va ganyea !!! (The only French I
picked up ...)
We'll get 'em next time !!! Laguna and Vegas are still ahead as possible road trips, Australia for the really adventurous. I
know I'll make at least one of them...
