RT/10s at Thunderhill - legal or not?

[Tomer]

Good thing they didn't lift the hardtop themselves, thereby getting a sense for how much (or little) roll protection the top provides

Tomer

 

[ntmatter]

The rear stay in your RT/10 has a rollbar integrated. I'm not sure of the spec, but it's pretty stout. JonB could give you exact details since Dodge mailed him a cutaway sample. In fact, the rollbar integrated into the back of the RT/10 is also present in the GTS. I've heard that some tracks will ask that the rollbar be at least and inch or two taller than the driver's helmet, in which case the RT roll protection probably wouldn't cut it. However, I believe it's pretty rare for a production Viper to be excluded from an event.

 

[Tom F&L GoR]

Lime Rock Park in CT has a rule that your helmet has to be below a yardstick bridging the windshield and the sport bar. They don't want your head to hit the ground if you flip. I removed the seat adjusting tracks and bolted the seat to the floor to lower it a little over 2". My fat head is now below the stick, just enough to see over the steering wheel, door is now shoulder high (no more elbow hanging out.) If you do this, you will find your right elbow may not find a comfy spot on top of or next to the center console. I ended up cutting a hole in mine and padding the transmission tunnel itself.

 

[prodiver]

I have run at Thunderhill a number of times and at least 3 times without a top. It all depends on the club you run with.

 

[MtHam ACR]

Hey Tom,

What provider said^^^^^^^^^^, its all club/organizer dependent.

When you are running?

I've run a couple events with Trackquest, and I think they are a good outfit for first timers. The instruction is of a reasonable quality, but in comparison to other open track clubs, the are a bit on the more expensive side. That said, you will get a ton more Viper specific instruction at Viperdays, ex: Buttonwillow ~Sept 7. These guys are awesome.

In terms of the excersize you describe, you can learn a bunch yourself in a big empty parking lot. Get the car going in a big circle maybe 70-100' diameter. Slowly add throttle and bring the speed up, not moving the input on the wheel, until the tires start squeeling and you experience a little push or scrubbing in the front end. Lift off the throttle and watch the car dive to the inside. It's pretty cool when you experience this the first time. It's about weight transfer, the abrupt lift unloads the weight from the rear and deposits it on the front end so the tires bite and you turn way more agressively even though you haven't moved the wheel. The deal you describe is to push the envelope, but I think that suddenly lift and spin thing only happens in Porsches (the favorite car of Todd Serota, the Traquest organizer) where the as*-end has all the weight.

You can figure out how to 'catch' the car too if you've ever driven a go-kart or on ice -- it's called steer into the slide.

 

[Tomer]

Does anyone know if I can run? Even with the hardtop? I do not have an aftermarket roll bar. I have read that Thunderhill requires some form of roll protection for convertibles...

I was told good things about www.tracquest.com. Anyone here attend one of these events? I am particularly interested in the skid pad type event, driving in a circle at 50 mph, suddenly lift and spin...Repeat, employing techniques to "catch" the rear end. I think this would be marvelous...The track time and instruction would be fun, but probably not as useful on the street as this skid pad type practice.

Tomer
96 RT/10

 

[SoCal Rebell]

I've run there 3 different times with 3 different clubs and my hardtop has always been OK. You're gonna LOVE that track, it's my personal favorite.

 

[Tomer]

Eric, thanks for the note. I believe we were together at the Skip Barber class in Monterey back in June...I have been looking for that big parking lot, without all those concrete barriers...I need to try some of these techniques in my car, get the feel for it...

I will let you know if I find a suitable venue here in the East Bay!

Tomer

 

[Tom F&L GoR]

Eric, the helmet-under-stick rule is from the track itself. Two different clubs, the local AX and the Performance Drivers Association (track events only) both had to conform to this rule. It's supposedly always been a rule, but starting this year strictly enforced.