ADRENALINE HIGH: My Comp Coupe Drive

[JonB]

Joel Siegel of BC-VCA is man of his word. He promised that if I helped him find a Comp Coupe, he'd bring it to PIR-Portland, and let me drive it
{ Years ago, I 'hooked' a bunch of guys on Viper Club track events. Old timers like Skip Thomas will remember. Joel was hooked. He attends 10-15 events a YEAR that began with my VCA track days. JonB the Pusher-Man.)

So today, I closed early and went out to watch Joel's solo at an ICSCC track school. There is a LOT to learn about this car. Bob Woodhouse provided some sage advice, and John Archer some technical input, to our 'rookie' band. Thanks, guys. The DEBUT of a Comp Coupe in the NW. Lots of spectators, and admirers. Car guys galore. Some said "Who Makes it?!" Lots of drool was spilt.

I tried to take a few laps in my ACR "nearby" for photos, but NO FLIPPIN WAY. It is NOT the same car. Its stretching to say approximately the same power, but the brakes and handling are in another solar system, far-far-away. Thankfully, my strobe-lighted pace car can short-cut chicanes, use the emergency roads, etc, to stalk and photo the car!

When Joel came in from his 1st solo, he said the magic, Canadian-accented words: "Ay, Jon, Wanna take 'er out?"

Does a bear _____ ? Is the Pope ______? Does JonB want to _______?
HECK YES! So, the corner workers were advised (dont say alerted) and out I went, in an intermediate group. Workers waved and hollared and Thumbs-Up. They knew my glee. By lap two, I felt that every other car was a turtle, towing an anchor. Trying to ruin my laps! When I had the privilige of driving a PVO SRT-10 last August at PIR, I was amazed at the brakes...and for a street car they are wonderful. But the COMP COUPE is truly a BIG race-car setup, and your eylashes will straighten themselves under braking. Flipping thre the page screens was way cool! Race specialist FMR set the car up for PIR, and this car was truly, truly a dream to drive. WHAT? A CHECKERED FLAG???

Joel, smiling, as his Black Beauty thumpuhtas back in: "HOT inside, AY????"

Thanks, Joel, for the generous and trusting gesture...But now, Ill probably NEVER be as satisfied again in my own Vipers! Who's the pusher man?

Tomorrow, Joel brings his BATMOBILE to the OR VCA meeting, and it gets drooled on again.

OWNERS: My only question is the 4-5 gearing.....the RPM drop seems HUGE vs OE. Gotta read more I guess........ I am REALLY jealous now.........

 

[Docta Vipa]

JonB -
All I can say is WOW!
I'm just way too jealous.

 

[Gary Lashinsky]

Hey Jon, the Comp. Coupe is the best bang for the buck when it comes to a race car for the money invested. Thanks the PVO for buildiing it. I have been running in the VRL with #6 CC since Thunderhill.

 

[Russ Oasis]

Jon...and you sponsor mine. Thanks.

 

[bad viper]

I never took that car to the track as I didn't want to thrash it for the next owner.The time spent enroute from A to B was a rush also!
GLAD JOEL IS HAPPY WITH CC#22!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[JonB]

PS.

The PIR-Portland track record in SCCA-T1 is held by a 98 GTS of Dr Roger Stark, Cardiac Racing, [proudly sponsored by PartsRack.] Doc turned a 1:26 with the chicane format. Consistant Race laps at 1:27-28;

VCC #22 turned a 1:21 lap, in "learning" mode, short-shifting at 5000 RPM with GT-3 Champ Gary Bockman (Guiness Book "Open Road Land Speed" Record Holder)at the wheel........

CART cars do it in 1:00 or so. CART record is :578. 1.98 miles.

 

[KenH]

And here is a spy photo of Jon secretly applying a PartsRack logo to the front splitter while Joel wasn't looking....

 

[KenH]

And I should add a note of thanks to JonB for arranging to have the Comp Coupe at our VCA meeting at Timberline Dodge. Great to finally get to see and hear one in person. I'm sure the sales guys enjoyed him rapping the pipes on the showroom floor as well

 

[Viperzilla]

That looks **** in all black. I think it looks better that way than with silver stripes. I'm not saying I don't like it w/ stripes, because I'm definitly a stripes guy. Thanks for posting the pic.