So You Want To Learn To Drive Your Viper???

[Henry Cone]

So unless you're Bobby Archer you probably want to learn to drive your Viper to it's limits - so what's the best way to do this?? May I humbly suggest Viper Days!!

More specifically, if you really want to learn how to drive your Viper well come run with the Super Stock (and Stock) class guys and gals. If you can run with Chris Adam, Bill Pemberton, Alan Modzelewski, Nancy Stein, or any of the other Viper Days regulars out there running these classes then you can consider yourself to be a pretty good driver. Believe me these people are some of the best drivers around.....

Don't believe what I am saying?? Go check out the times of the fastest Super Stock class drivers and compare them to the results of the Prepared, Modified, Super Modified, and Unlimited class drivers. You will see that some of the fastest times posted outside of the race group are in the Super Stock class - and the best of them would be mid pack in the Unlimited Class.

Please understand what this means - this is a matter of good drivers taking mildly modified cars on street Michelins and driving them well enough to beat cars with far more modifications (including Hoosiers for the Unlimited cars). Now that's knowing how to drive a Viper!!

So I challenge anyone who wants to learn how to drive their Viper well to come out to the next Viper Days events. And you don't need a lot of expensive modifications to your car - the Super Stock class greatly limits what you can do to your car. Any of the Viper Days participants will be glad to help with what needs to be done to prep your car.

So it reallly comes down to driving skill. Having the Crhis Adam's and Bill Pemberton's out there setting the standard gives you something to measure yourself against. And while you are trying to learn they are getting better - the times run this year in any Viper Days class are better than those from last year ont he same tracks....

So before you spend the big bucks for HP bragging rights come make the investment in time and effort to learn to drive what you aleady have. Upgrade the software (you!!) before you upgrade the hardware. Its not really that expensive to run Viper Days compared to some of the modifications that you are considering and it is the best investment that you can make as it applies no matter what changes to make to your car of even what car you are driving.

So come on out and play with the fast guys - in Super Stock!! I dare you!! You will be a better driver for it and you will have tons of fun in the process!!!

 

[NCVCA]

Just do a search on Viper Days and read what people say.

And when Henry mentions software.... well...

 

[Fred(DrivingSchool)Kinder]

It is amazing what you can learn from a Skip Barber (or other well known schools) driving school. Viper Days is a great event and the structure makes is a relatively safe open track event. The start of fastest up front to slowest at the end reduced passing which reduces potential problems. I still suggest A driving school like Skip Barber. It starts with basic theory and practical application of same. Then builds your skill level. It is much easier to start to learn in a Neon then build up to a Viper or open wheel car. If you spin on the skid pad there is little or nothing to hit and it is their car not yours. If you want to maximize your open track experience it would be helpful to have completed at least one driving school.

 

[Mark Young]

I second that!! Nearly every Viper owner owes it to him/herself to do at least one ViperDays event. Its not expensive (you did buy an $80K car right?), its very safe, and its just about the most fun you can have (clothes on or off). Its easy to be intimidated with all the color coordinated tow rigs and race Vipers, but don't be! You can drive to the track with your helmet on the passenger seat and you'll still be treated just like the guy who shows up with the RV and 30ft Haulmark.

These are great folks! Henry mentioned only a few - everyone at ViperDays is ready to help anyone who needs it. Henry mentioned what a great driver BillP is - well I had the great opportunity to have BillP as my instructor for this year's Thunderhill event (he also happens to have sold me my car). Not only is he a great driver, but a great instructor too. There's not too many places where you can get an instructor who actually knows how to drive a Viper, ViperDays is one of them!

Anyway, just try it once. You'll be glad you did.

 

[Tom and Vipers]

Without a doubt, driver expertise is THE COMMODITY for road racing.

I had the extreme privilege of riding around Road America in my instructor's car, a 300+ HP race M3. I had more fun riding that driving, however, all that seat time in HIS car was worth its weight in gold. I probably put in about 1 hour observing how it is done, first hand.

So much for closed circuits.

It was my DISTINCT PRIVILEGE to get a FAST (3:35) RIDE up THE HILL in Virginia City this last week end in Ori Rosenbaum's 550HP Viper. (and yes, it is Ori's brother Amir that has the F40 - yikes!)

All I can say is OH MY GOD!

The climb is 5.2 miles long and a lot of the corners are blind and others have killed drivers who went off and over the hill. Back to back 180+ degree hairpins are common!

Driving is at the limit and this is for a course that you run once a year and can get killed doing it.

Clearly, extreme driving skills are need but also, the ability to assimilate the course immediately, AND the ability to REMEMBER this for a year!

The only thing I can relate to this was a day I spent at Sebring as a spectator searching for all the good places to spectate, and then doing a single parade lap the morning of the race when the "idiot" Viper driver in front of me spun out exiting into the back straight.

I watched a Sebring lap from a recent posting and guess what! I remember well over half the course. Naturally, I still have no idea where the line is. And of course, I can't drive either...

At any rate, the ride up The Hill was a completely different experience from Road America. In fact, there were times I was actually scared because I did not know the road and what was coming around on the other side of those rocks... And I have driven this road continuously while in Nevada with well over 50 trips up and down it close to the posted speed limit.

Ya had to be there....

The bottom line? I could have a 2000 HP Viper with 5000 lbs of downforce and I could probably not win The Hill.

Well... maybe with 5000 lbs of downforce.... Na, no way, couldn't steer the car between the lines at 3+ G's cornering.

 

[Paul Fischer]

Well put Henry, you are so right. The Viper has incredible capabilities built right into it at the factory, a stock Viper in experienced hands puts the wood to anything piloted by less skilled drivers, even another Viper with a lot of go fast under the hood. Seeing what a stock Snake does to certain full race trailer queen cars at club events has dropped a jaw or two as well. And anyone who hasn't tracked their Snake at least once is missing a tremendous experience.

And I couldn't agree more that the Viper Days events are terrific (Is Chris the guy with that Britiney Spears shrine on wheels?). I hope to be crewing for Jeff Ellison at Watkins Glen, maybe I'll get the chance to meet you there.

 

[Henry Cone]

Paul, come by and say hello. It will be great to meet you...

You are right about the Viper - there is far more capability to the car then most drivers can extract. And the Viper Days Stock and Super Stock class drivers are focused on getting the most out of those impressive capabilities!! I just wish that I could convince more people that after pretty straight forward track preparation that they should spend time upgrading themselves rather than spending tons of $$ on go fast goodies for their car.

 

[Henry Cone]

Based upon the number of people planning to participate in the Viper Days event at Watkins Glen, I can only assume that really learning to drive your Viper is too much of a challenge for most of you. Wimps!!!! There really isn't any excuse not to take advantage of this incredible opportunity. If you live anywhere in the Northeast you simply won't get a better opportunity to experience a Viper Days event.

There really isn't anything to be afraid of - Skip, Courtney and the rest of the Viper Days crew will help make sure that you have the time of your life. So unless you're simply afraid to get your doors blown off by Nancy Stein or one of the other Viper Days drivers come join us!!!! I guarantee you will have the most fun that you can have with your clothes on...

 

[motomike]

I don't disagree with the points made here. However, have you considered that some of us can't make Watkins Glen because of the Monday and Tuesday scheduling? Granted Viper Days is probably a great opportunity and some of us ARE disappointed for missing this particular event. However, some of us do have to work for a living. It has nothing to do with not wanting to improve one's driving skill or learning to drive our Vipers well. There are other driving events taking place that some of us WILL be attending, scheduled at a time more convenient for some of us.