TCCRA times at Willow Springs Jan 5 & 6

[SSpeed Racer]

First off I just want to thank everyone I met from the Viper Club at Willow Springs last weekend. You guys were a wealth of info. Special thanks to Ron Wasserman, Paul Schley (hope everything is OK with your car) and Chris from The Viper Shop.


Saturday I started out running times of 1.42 down to a 1.39 by the end of the day.
I did have one mishap (STUPID) coming down the front straightaway entering turn 1 I entered the braking zone pushed the clutch in and while I was downshifting from 5 to 4th I accidently dropped it into second..(Dumb) and went into 3 360 degree spins....what a ride. I'll never do that again. Car was OK and not to much dirt on the inside. I guess i now have joined the turn 1... sand and gravel club!!!

Sunday much better (but still thinking about turn 1...yikes)
Myfirst session I got my times down to a 1.37 average and by the end of the day I had run a 1.36 and a 1.35. Felt preety good about these times.

Thes times dont even come close to Paul Schley's team of Vipers...I was clocking them at 1.27, 1.28,1.29 & 1.30's these guys know how to race!!!!!!


The only question I have is what should I be running with a Stock GTS. The only mods I have are smooth tubes and K&N Filter and racing brake pads. I do not know how to judge my times.


Thanks and glad to be a member VCA!!!

John Dearing
VCA # applied for
2002 GTS Grey Graphite

 

[K Adelberg]

John,

My compliments! These are great times. I didn't get a chance to really meet you. Love the car! Only other mods I would suggest is a baffled oil pan and oil overflow set up. Not sure what to call it. Both Mumford and the Schley's had that on their car. That is my next move. Other then that maybe some brake ducting.

It was a great weekend and TCRA is a great club to race with or get some track time.

Great story about you getting the car from Woodhouse and driving straight home to Willow Springs. Great way to break it in before the track event.

 

[Halnasp]

John,
Those are very respectable times.
Go to www.viperdays.com and check out the past results
area, and you can see what times other stock Vipers have ran.
Fred

 

[Roger Morgan]

Hey John,
Are you by any chance the same John Dearing of Impala SS fame at the Silver State.
I didn't think you would ever trade in the SS.
If I am wrong , sorry.
If not welcome to the Viper Club

 

[SSpeed Racer]

that is correct Rodger... but I did not trade in the Impala SS. It caught fire at a NASA event on the Big track at Las Vegas Internation Raceway. It was my first side by side event. i was doing preety well until the car caught fire. The car has been in the shop for 6 months now and I could not stand not racing. Heck I was so bored I had to go Skydiving just to keep my adrinalin up!!! Thats a rush!! Did it once...still alive...wont be doing it again.


Anybody know what kind of times I should be running at Laguna Seca? I would like something to go by.

 

[K Adelberg]

Laguna Seca is awesome! I would say comparable time to what you ran at Willow would be something around 1:47 range. I think Rich Bontempi holds the record for a stock GTS with brake pads and Hoosiers at a 1:37. I thiink that was his time.

 

[SnakeBitten]

Wish I owned a Viper....I have the next best thing....Im going to attempt to do a 1.37 at Laguna Seca in an unmodified[just brake upgrade like was said] Viper on Gran Turismo 3......At least I can feel a fraction of the rush you guys get to feel......

 

[Tom Glenn]

Hey SnakeBitten, You don't have to own a Viper to try one. Check out the Arrive & Drive program at www.g-pmotorsports.com.
Our Super Stock Viper ran 1:32 at Willow Springs last year.

 

[SnakeBitten]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Tom Glenn:
Hey SnakeBitten, You don't have to own a Viper to try one. Check out the Arrive & Drive program at www.g-pmotorsports.com.
Our Super Stock Viper ran 1:32 at Willow Springs last year.

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Thanks Tom Im heading there now[the website that is]...

 

[SoCal Rebell]

John, you make me sick, I spend 8 months of intense road racing to get a 1:38 and here you come with 1 week of Viper ownership and turn a 1:35, where's my gun

jk. Seriously you did GREAT, I was happy to be a part of your first Viper track event and see the metamorphosis of your psyche from wanting to run beginner group (so as not to damage your new snake) to wiping out in turn 1, to going at it full bore on Sunday and turning those fabulous times. I guess all those years of Impala racing helped a little, see ya at Viperdays at the end of the month, good luck this weekend at Laguna Seca, e-mail me your times.

 

[SSpeed Racer]

Guys thanks for the vote of confidence!!

I just had the cars alignment done at Strokers Tire. Dan from the Viper Shop in Santa Monica sent me there and I had a track alignment done today.

Jeff is the one that did the work and he said he does alot of the guys in the Club that race. So I wont be driving it on the street anymore until after Viper Days.

At Laguna Seca I ran a 1.51 on Kumo tires in my 96'Impala SS this should be fun in the Viper!!

At Willow Springs I ran a 1.38 on stock tires in the Impala SS so if I can drop 3 seconds i hopefully can get down to a 1.47 at Laguna. I will work hard at it!!!

I will report back to everyone on Monday.


Once again Thanks you guys really make a NEWBEE feel right at home!!!.

 

[PMUM]

John, those are great times for your first time ever in that car. Don't try to compare them to the Viper Days "Stock" times. Lots of those cars were running larger front tires (285s and even 325s), Stop Tech brakes, MXX3s, etc. I know Les Quam ran a 1:34.8 in a bone stock coupe a couple of years ago. He's easily one of the best drivers around, so you should be very proud of your times.

Also, don't try to compare your car to Tom Glenn's. He's the reigning 2001 Cheating Champion. I swear I'll get my Cheating Championship back!!!

 

[Tom Glenn]

Paul that hurt! You know I bow to the master when it comes to 'Creative Rule Engineering'. I heard you are moving to WTW this year. I am sure the Godfather will be glad to here this since it means he won't be getting his tires icepicked anymore.
Best of luck.
Your friend,
Tom

 

[K Adelberg]

SMACK FEST!!!

Mumford is a has been. This past weekend he got a DNF on Sat. and a DNS (did not start) on Sun. The Viper demons took control of his weekend. Couldn't get the thing running right even after depleting all the Godfather's part inventory. Oh Mumphy, no machanic with you? Poor baby...

The Godfather was flying! 2nd on Sat. and a DNF on Sun. He spun in turn 5 and got worked over by a drainage ditch two feet from the pavement, a real hazard at Willow Springs.

Tom is so fast he starts brush fires. Guess my spark throwing corded Hoosiers are no match for you. The only driver to show up with fire insurance.

 

[WCKDVPR]

PMUM,

You really can cheat in unlimited this year - run Goodyears.

 

[PMUM]

Mike, one of the reasons why you'll never receive Tom Glenn's coveted National Cheater Championship Trophy is because you talk too much. If Tom were in your shoes, he'd have Al Roberts fabricate up some Hoosier stickers and put them on the side of his Goodyears. Then of course, he'd leak 15 psi of air outta your tires when you're not looking. I'm afraid you're gonna have to step it up in the Creative Engineering Dept. next year.

 

[Tom Glenn]

Ok, the gloves are off. There is a strong family resemblance between you and Kenny. And what is with the ****** cannons in your fog lights? Those can't be legal. Who knows how many years of analysis goes with that mod.

 

[SoCal Rebell]

Courtesy of ACRLarry I came across this old post when John Dearing was turning 1:42s at WSIR

 

[SoCal Craig]

Thanks Ron. I don't feel so bad with my 1:40 now