Re: I don\'t drive my GTS anymore..
Is your's a GTS-R, or a wanna be? And how long ago was that win?
oh wait, SRT's don't have any wins... unless you count drifting
I guess you never heard of Tommy Archer and his Gen III?
It's not quite LeMans and not a Dodge sponsored team (I think). Still great efforts, but speaks more about the greatness of the drivers rather than their platform of choice... not that I'm knocking the CompCoupe, but I want to see Dodge stand behind their Viper in a competition where you get as much attention losing as you do winning... and WIN!
Does anyone NOT want the Viper back in LeMans?
Comp Coupe teams ARE privateers, but they are running against factory big buck teams like Cadillac which makes it even more impressive to me. And yes, I would like to go back to LeMans too. Read the following account by Bob Woodhouse and you will see what I mean about Speed GT and the Cadillac team..................
Race report from the windshield of the Woodhouse Viper Comp Coupe
First thank you all for your calls, those who watched the live broadcast Sunday, you know things got ugly, but no bones and no bruises. I can’t start there, let’s back up, we will get to the race in a few moments.
That feeling , the one you get from a track driving experience, when you, the car, and the track all come together; oh what a feeling it is. Most of you know that feeling. It makes you love the world you are in, it makes you happy to be alive, exhilarating, your fingers and toes tingle. (Hey hey, don’t go there.) Friday, the second day of practice, I have that feeling, Rick and Nancy have the car dialed, I am one with Laguna Seca and this wonderful #13 Viper Competition Coupe. If this were music it would be Bach, if it were dance; ballet, if it were romance; the first time. You also know it is as addictive as smoking.
I ran across another guy who knows that feeling. Jonathan Martinez, fellow Viper Club member and west coast racer, you could see the joy in his eyes. He was giddy, having the greatest time living out a dream, pro racing his red 97 GTS Viper clothed in the makeup of the winning 2000 ALMS Viper. He teaches school. “I am so delighted to just be here, this is my alter ego, nobody would believe this at work.” With him in the paddock were other California Viper racers, John Deering, Al Bacera, Ted May and Joe Brigante. A vibrant group of folks that make you appreciate their presence. They coordinated with Maurice Liang and mad scientist John Penn to get us all together for a Club Dinner with the Northern California Viper Club. Good people, good time.
Our Saturday qualifying times told us we had matched the pole sitting time of 2004, that was then, this is now; we are still off by 1.5 seconds from this year’s pole. This game is being played by teams of people no less professional in their roles than those that launch a moon shot. I have respect since I understand what it takes to bring another second to the game. This gets past the “oh what a feeling” and into serious business (pressure); from all directions: sponsors, team members, competitors, sanctioning bodies.
Now for the race: Leighton Reese said it best Sunday night at the SCCA Speed W.C. banquet. “I came to a bar room brawl this afternoon and somehow a race broke out.” If you were expecting gentlemen racing this was not the day. Testosterone, anxiety, grudges, and the price people are willing to pay for winning all exposed their demonic chemistry for this final race. Both Manufacturers Championship and Drivers Championships for 2005 were still up for grabs. Rookie of the Year was the only done deal in the record books. (won by Sonny Whelen, a man of character that red mist will not compromise).. I must spare you the details, for you will find them elsewhere but understand that these Championships came at a price; that of exposing the character of individuals under pressure. Not pretty. The phenomena of the desire to win is called “red mist”. Familiar Lou, yes?
There was mist everywhere Sunday afternoon It. helped end my day after one entire lap of racing. The back half of the Woodhouse Auto Family sponsored Viper CC #13 had the likeness of humpty dumpty at the base of the wall when Jimmy McCann’s yellow Viper CC came careening downhill out of control, fresh off of an altercation with the Mike Davis Saleen Mustang. I was told they went to war at the top of the hill where Mike attempted a pass on Jimmy. That piece of track referred to as corner one, is actually part of the main straight at a 130 mph hillcrest. Mist? Racing incident? Who knows but that bull fight ended with both cars spinning sending Jimmy cart wheeling along the exit lane concrete wall, across the gravel trap into the center of corner two, then explosive deceleration as his Viper torpedoed ours in the middle of the turn.
It was like getting a shock from a light socket. When you were a kid and your brother blew into a paper sack then popped it next to your ear? That’s the sound. What the ……? “There’s nobody behind me, this didn’t happen” as my brain fumbles with the obvious. This was just the first of several full course yellows that “red mist” influenced. In Nascar, where the driver gets out of the wreck and throws his helmet as the other car passes; yeah it entered my mind.
I love this car, slammed sideways by a 3300 pound anvil that produced around three full rotations gets your attention but I felt protected. The helmet slapped that ear on the racing seat designed for this very purpose. Safety crews do not like you climbing out of your car so I stayed put causing a few friends to call that were watching this “live”. After the crew pulled the car to safety, they efficiently got Jimmy and I out of there.
Mike McCann had said earlier that he felt Laguna was a Viper friendly track and that our brakes were a strength that displayed well here. He set out to prove it, making some passes under braking that put your neck hair at attention. He was in second when the bullfighting got serious and the three car Cadillac team decided to eliminate the competition. Mike got punted to the sand as did Robin Liddell in the Porsche leaving Tommy to his own battles with the Caddies. It does us no good to judge, that is for SCCA. Tommy’s patience/aggression and skill were show cased in the few green laps available but it was all he could do to find the last podium spot.
Got to hand it to the Cadillac team and their effort, they proved they had what it takes. They also proved that they had just one professional driver, Andy Pilgrim, the other two missed kindergarten, they never learned to play well with others. Bad karma to be settled by the rules makers. Top 10 Finishers: Max Papis, Max Angelelli, Tommy Archer, Andy Pilgrim, James Sofronas, Tim Wiens, Leighton Reese, Mike Davis, Tony Gaples, Lawson Aschenbach
It has been a heck of a year for the Woodhouse Auto Family Viper Competiton Coupe # 13. Trouble clung to us like smell to garlic. Kenny Hawkins diagnosed our incidents this year and determined we need a number change for number next year. Could be. Just keep going to
www.woodhouse.com, and keep being our friends, thanks for caring. See you next year, and stay tuned, there could be a surprise coming.
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Now leave the rest of us classy guys alone.... what a bunch of losers... hahahahaha, sorry had to laugh there..
