David Pintaric
Viper Owner
Big double SCCA National at my favorite race track, Watkins Glen, this past week end (7/10 & 7/11). After experiencing an almost catastrophic wreck during testing at Mid Ohio June 16th, I wasn't sure I was going to be able to make this event. But the crew at Kryderacing put in a herculean effort and got the Viper all back together in time to trek up to the Finger Lakes of New York.
To give an idea of how close this was to not happening: on Tuesday at 5 PM the car had NO body panels on it. None. No roof, no fenders, no hatch, nothing. A body panel party was held Tuesday night to put the car together. We left for the track on Thursday afternoon!
So Friday is the first time on the track after this car tried to kill me. The Glen is a pretty high speed track, so naturally (and I think understandably) I am a bit tentative the first two sessions. My laps times were in the 2:03 range, while my primary competition (driving a Grand Am-spec C6 Corvette) was running 2:00s.
Things went well so we amped things up on Saturday morning: new Hoosier A compound tires and a few adjustments to the alignment. I think I did a 2:00.9 for Saturday's race (I don't have qualifying result sheets yet and mylaps.com doesn't have the results posted yet, either), my competitor was at a 1:59.***. That's OK, because I don't qualify well.
On the grid I was right behind the G/A Corvette amongst GT1 Corvettes and Jaquars, Porsche GT3 Cup cars were behind us. At the start I got around the Corvette and he chased me for a few laps. His car handled better than mine, and he drove a bit better than me, but I did have a better top end speed. He got around me and stayed in front until we got a Full Coarse Yellow caused by a bad crash in the toe of the "boot."
At the restart I got a great jump on the Vette and was gone. He gave chase but eventually fell back. I was not pressured by anyone else and earned my fist win at Watkins Glen. After what we went through over the last three weeks, I was very emotional. I had several misgivings about this weekend.
I later learned that the Vette experienced an ABS failure and hence flat-spotted all four tires. Prudently the driver backed off to avoid damage to the car.
My best lap times in the race were 2:00.3 and the G/A Vette ran 2:00.7, so I feel pretty good abut that.
Sunday's qualifying was an almost exact replica of Saturday's. I started 10th on the grid and the pole sitter for STO was 8th (we were with a bunch of tube framed GT1 Vettes and Jaguars).
At the start we starting cleanly and flowed up the hill. Going into The Bus Stop I was able to get by the Vette and take the STO lead. I kept the lead by using my car's horsepower to advantage and eventually took the checkered flag.
I don't have results sheets from Sunday's race because we were so late in leaving the track. There was an 1 1/2 hour delay after a big crash in one of the other run groups. A Nissan 350Z had a massive brake failure and crashed into the guardrail in the "heal" of the boot. Car is likely written off, but the driver is OK. The track had to repair the gaurdrail before we could continue. Ugh, I wanted to go home!
I think I did 2:00.3's again but won't have official results until later in the week.
SCCA's STO class is a real winner for big bore production cars like Vipers and Corvettes. Ferraris and Porsche 911 GT# Cup cars are also in the class. It is so cool seeing these cars go head to head.
Next race is local to me: Beaverun on July 31/August 1. Hope to see you there!
To give an idea of how close this was to not happening: on Tuesday at 5 PM the car had NO body panels on it. None. No roof, no fenders, no hatch, nothing. A body panel party was held Tuesday night to put the car together. We left for the track on Thursday afternoon!
So Friday is the first time on the track after this car tried to kill me. The Glen is a pretty high speed track, so naturally (and I think understandably) I am a bit tentative the first two sessions. My laps times were in the 2:03 range, while my primary competition (driving a Grand Am-spec C6 Corvette) was running 2:00s.
Things went well so we amped things up on Saturday morning: new Hoosier A compound tires and a few adjustments to the alignment. I think I did a 2:00.9 for Saturday's race (I don't have qualifying result sheets yet and mylaps.com doesn't have the results posted yet, either), my competitor was at a 1:59.***. That's OK, because I don't qualify well.
On the grid I was right behind the G/A Corvette amongst GT1 Corvettes and Jaquars, Porsche GT3 Cup cars were behind us. At the start I got around the Corvette and he chased me for a few laps. His car handled better than mine, and he drove a bit better than me, but I did have a better top end speed. He got around me and stayed in front until we got a Full Coarse Yellow caused by a bad crash in the toe of the "boot."
At the restart I got a great jump on the Vette and was gone. He gave chase but eventually fell back. I was not pressured by anyone else and earned my fist win at Watkins Glen. After what we went through over the last three weeks, I was very emotional. I had several misgivings about this weekend.
I later learned that the Vette experienced an ABS failure and hence flat-spotted all four tires. Prudently the driver backed off to avoid damage to the car.
My best lap times in the race were 2:00.3 and the G/A Vette ran 2:00.7, so I feel pretty good abut that.
Sunday's qualifying was an almost exact replica of Saturday's. I started 10th on the grid and the pole sitter for STO was 8th (we were with a bunch of tube framed GT1 Vettes and Jaguars).
At the start we starting cleanly and flowed up the hill. Going into The Bus Stop I was able to get by the Vette and take the STO lead. I kept the lead by using my car's horsepower to advantage and eventually took the checkered flag.
I don't have results sheets from Sunday's race because we were so late in leaving the track. There was an 1 1/2 hour delay after a big crash in one of the other run groups. A Nissan 350Z had a massive brake failure and crashed into the guardrail in the "heal" of the boot. Car is likely written off, but the driver is OK. The track had to repair the gaurdrail before we could continue. Ugh, I wanted to go home!
I think I did 2:00.3's again but won't have official results until later in the week.
SCCA's STO class is a real winner for big bore production cars like Vipers and Corvettes. Ferraris and Porsche 911 GT# Cup cars are also in the class. It is so cool seeing these cars go head to head.
Next race is local to me: Beaverun on July 31/August 1. Hope to see you there!
