SRT Experience at Pacific Raceways

[Y2K10 SRT#39]

The SRT Experience schedule is out, and they are coming to Pacific Raceways 10/15-16
I have a free ride due to my 2010 SRT purchase!

PBR

 

[C-Note]

Do we still get $100 off being VCA members?

I bet James knows this one

 

[cobrapilot]

I should get a free ride too. How do i sign up?

 

[Y2K10 SRT#39]

Brian- go to this link:

http://forums.viperclub.org/vca-members-only/644474-2011-srt-track-experience-event-schedule.html

and open the link, then click on register....

Let me know if that does not work for you!

PBR

 

[Green Viper]

We just got confirmation a few minutes ago that the VCA does get $100 discount on SRT track experience, they have a separate form created, if you need a copy, please contact, Steve, Bill, Clint or me.

 

[PacificSEASnake]

We just got confirmation a few minutes ago that the VCA does get $100 discount on SRT track experience, they have a separate form created, if you need a copy, please contact, Steve, Bill, Clint or me.

...or me, or Karen, or Paul..

 

[cobrapilot]

I'm in! just signed up.

 

[C-Note]

What day did you sign up for?

 

[cobrapilot]

I am on Sunday the 16th. I check the weather forcast and it was the best day. It said rain on the 15th.

 

[C-Note]

The 16th of October? Your weather man must be way out in front!

 

[Green Viper]

So it looks like the weather will indeed provide an opportunity for this to be a great event.

How many people from the Viper Club signed up?

Brian? Paul?

Anyone else?

 

[JonB]

Doris, Dean, Jon and Brenda had signed up early, (3 ACR and SRT-8 Bee) but then Cascade reinstated the Enduro for this weekend and we had to cancel. Pace Car duty wins out.....So HAVE FUN..... and be glad Doris wont be there to snag the Auto-X Trophy. Please say HI to Mark and the crew for us? HAVE FUN!!!

JonB~~~~~:<~

 

[C-Note]

Wish I could be there, stuck in California for a few more days.

 

[cobrapilot]

It was really cool! had a great time. I kept skipping around and got to drive the 392 cars a couple extra times. They also showed us the new Gen 5 Viper! You other guys all missed it!

 

[viperbilliam]

Wow, I found out too late! I have been waiting to use my free experience for a year and now this. Cripes!

 

[Green Viper]

It appears that Seattle made the list for 2012 of the drive SRT experience! So for those that missed it in 2011, another chance!

Pacific Raceways in Kent, 4/20/2012 & 4/21/2012

 

[Drew]

Are there any course put on by professionals that teach you to drive "your" car. Looking at the SRT experience you are not able to use your personal vehicle. There is also a disclosure that "you may have access to a viper during the hot lap session only, if your selected.

Ive had access to and driven a few high end cars before I settled and purchased my 2010 viper. They all had there own quirks and driving characteristics. Am I wrong in the thought of wanting to spend the time(major premium) and money to be taught to effectively drive "my" car.

Sure there is the fun factor of driving other models of vehicles and the chance to meet new people, but with little time available I need to make plans or the good weather will pass me by.

A part of me says baby steps " gotta learn to walk before you can run", the other part says no, just teach me to drive "my" viper.

Any input, associated with experiences with the value in the SRT experience. value for time and money spent. (By the way, I live 12 hrs North of Kent in Prince George BC Canada)

 

[C-Note]

The SRT experience is a blast, but it would not bring much if any value to you as it pertains to you and your Viper. If I were you I would look into Viper days.

 

[Drew]

Thanks C-Note, Ive looked into Viper Days, closest venue is Arizona in March. 7000km return trip. Thats 70 Hrs of driving in unpredictable weather.
Im now leaning towards a Vancouver BC track with a 3 day course that utilizes your own vehicle and a professional driving instructor. May not be the same as viper days, but im sure it would be a good start.

 

[PacificSEASnake]

Too bad the closest that Viper Days is coming to the Northwest this year is Arizona.

 

[3whitevipers]

My SRT experience at Daytona last May was not very good. No skid pan, no drag race,no instruction other that follow the driver in front of you. Couldn't drive a Viper or ride in one even though I bought a 2010 Viper. I came away with absolutely no help with my new Viper in terms of knowing it's limits or handling quirks. I definitely don't think it was worth $500.00 if I had to buy it. Yes I drove a SRT Jeep, 300, Charger, and Challenger which was fun, but definitely not worth $500.00. Sure wish I got specific instruction regarding the Viper!!--Dave

 

[SmokinViperGTS]

Hi Drew,

You are absolutely right to want to learn how to drive your own Viper! I would offer you the following suggestions to consider:

• Start with autocross - it's much easier, and much less risky for beginners to understand how to control 600hp and monster brakes. Washington VCA sponsors 3 or more autocross events each year (this will be our third year), and you are welcome to join. We hold our events in Shelton, WA, at the airport, which has huge, flat, dirt and grass run-offs in all directions. We've had people from 1st timers to experts come and have a blast! Also, if the location or timing is inconvenient for you, I can help you connect with numerous other car clubs in the area that sponsor these types of events, and welcome Viper drivers. They get giddy as school children if they beat us on a run, and we just like to show off our snakes! ;-)
• Consider taking a sport-driving class - Numerous opportunities are available to take a regimented sport driving class. At Pacific Raceways in Kent, WA, Proformance Racing offers a full-day class with a half-day follow-up. You drive your car, with their instructor in your passenger seat 1-on-1, and also get classroom training. At the end, you get a "credential" which is honored for open lapping days, where you can just go out and practise on your own at a much lower rate ($). Some car clubs here offer a similar event (Alpha Romeo, Porsche, BMW, Corvette, etc). The training you will learn in car-control and high speed handling is invaluable, and it'll take a week to wipe that smile off your face!
• Join open hot-lapping sessions - once you've gained some minimum comfort level on a track, go to an event held by a local car club (WA VCA has one planned in August). All of the aforementioned clubs will open up to Viper drivers on a space available basis. Most of them offer 3 or 4 "run-groups", segregated by skill level: Novice, Beginner, Advanced, and High Performance.
• If you're nervous about lack of insurance on the track, consider taking out track-day insurance. It's available from two firms listed on Vendor Corner on our web site at www.wavca.org
• Finally, and this is the best tip, check our club web page and click on event calendar. We haven't posted the 2012 events yet, but you can see what we did for 2011. It's a long page full of events, and heavily loaded with driving events. By joining us (and you are always welcome), you will meet a group of people that has a lot of fun driving Vipers, and can give you all kinds of Viper-specific suggestions that you will not get anywhere else - out on the track!

Hope to see you out there!

Steve

 

[Drew]

Steve thank you for the write up and invitations. After Speaking with SCCBC, they are putting on Spring Driver Trainer which is 1 full day in class and two days on the track in mission with 1 on 1 training in my car. The dates are March 18, in class/tech inspection. The following weekend 24,25 March is on the track. From there I do have plans to make it Pacific Raceways in Kent, WA for a track day or two before the end of the season. As far as Prince George, where I am from, the local corvette club has autocross, and slalom courses that I have been invited to check out.
As far as insurance, doesn't seem to be any available to Canadians unless they have a US address

 

[Longdaddy]

if you are interested in safe introduction to the limits of your Viper before you dive into track experiences, racing schools or such, I highly recommend PCA Driver Skills day, we do them almost every month at Bremerton, it is a lot cheaper than a track school and gives you a good idea about basics of car control in YOUR car. I have never seen a Viper there (except for my own) - would be cool to have more! I volunteer and instruct there.

you do NOT have to be a Porsche owner or PCA member to attend, btw.

More info, schedule, etc here (nextr one is April 14th): http://www.pnwr.org/Track/driver_skills/default.asp

 

[Drew]

Longdaddy, I'm looking at June 9th. I am planning a trip for this event, and the ridge motorsport park on the 11 of June. Thank you for adding the info.

 

[Longdaddy]

sweet - I will see you there. I was also told that Oregon PCA does skills days at PIR as a part of their Auto-X events, I think it is a half day thing there.

 

[Viper007Bond]

sweet - I will see you there. I was also told that Oregon PCA does skills days at PIR as a part of their Auto-X events, I think it is a half day thing there.

Do you have any details about this? I'm looking to learn to drive my car better but have yet to be able to find any information on stuff at PIR other than the driving school there.

 

[Longdaddy]

it looks like this is once a year thing with Oregon PCA http://www.oregonpca.org/events/autocross/schedule/

you can wait until the next spring if you want to do it in Portland, or do a day trip to Bremerton and do ours (we put these on about 9-10 times a year, so almost every month). Some BMW clubs do it as well, but it does not look like the Oregon one does.

btw, this is a great activity to do with your friends/family as well, since it is targeted at improving/building up skills you would use in any kind of driving - be it a racetrack, autocross course, a school run, or just trying to get your 600HP RWD car home in the middle of a freak March snowstorm

 

[Viper007Bond]

Cool, thanks for the info. Maybe I'll make it up there sometime.