The Dragon swallows the Viper

[Wayne Finch]

For those who have driven the "Tail of the Dragon" in North Carolina, you will understand. I drove the tail this past week in my Prowler along with 100 other Prowler owners. What a blast. Over 300 curves in 11 miles. Road is even banked. On average, there are 2-3 cars/trucks/motorcycles a day that get "eaten" by the dragon. We had one Prowler that went over and down 25 feet but sustained only minor damage. The Viper (a factory test vehicle) did not fair as well.

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[Craig 201 MPH]

OUCH!

Glad to hear you made it back OK. Now tell the truth, did you really want to have the Viper there instead of the Prowler? How well does the cat hold when pushed?

 

[Wayne Finch]

No way Craig, the Prowler handled the corners awesomely - you would not believe how well it handles. The 13" wide 20's on the back allowed this thing to hug the road. The new gears I just put in also helped it fly out of the corners. There is no spot on this road where you could ever get the car - any car - out of second. The Viper has too much power for a road like this.

(I heard at a recent DC autocross testing, the little Neon SRT-4 actually beat the snake - now the drag strip is a totally different story)

 

[GR8_ASP]

Ouch - it looks like we have one less SRT on the road now if the damage is as bad as it looks.

 

[iwantaviperbad]

breaks my heart to see such a sight.

 

[Snakester]

Ouch - it looks like we have one less SRT on the road now if the damage is as bad as it looks

We will probably see that Viper up on E-Bay soon as a "light damage, easy fixer".

It looks like a fun road, if you keep a cool head.

As far as smaller cars being faster in autocross, there is no surprise there, IF the course is small enough then Honda Civics can beat a Viper.

Thank goodness that it's VERY different out in the real world. The Viper handles fantastically.
You just need to know the limits of the car, and the road.

-Dean.

 

[Nexus-6]

I've been on a a few roads like that in the West Hills in Portland - fun stuff. BUT I've heard and read about the great mighty dragon a lot over the past few years...

The SRT was a test vehicle - was it being driven by volunteers or paying renters? Salesmen? Dodge reps?

 

[SylvanSRT]

i have a lot of friend in the miata club that have gone down to NC to try to tame the dragon and all say what a great road it is. another wonderful road is the drive to Hana from any where else on Maui 60 miles of road that usually takes at least 3-3 1/2 hours to drive all curves. that SRT was a manufactures car?

 

[SylvanSRT]

For sale Silver SRT lightly broken in, in as new condition needs only minor attn. ready to drive.

 

[Phoenix SRT]

(I heard at a recent DC autocross testing, the little Neon SRT-4 actually beat the snake - now the drag strip is a totally different story)

That seems unlikely, assuming the Neon was anywhere near stock and the Viper still had its engine and wheels attached. I drove both cars on autocross courses at the recent Western Regional Rendezvous in Long Beach and there was no comparison at all. Although there were different courses for the Neon and the Viper, it was obvious that the Viper handled a world better than the Neon; there was so much understeer in the Neon that I found myself thinking "Jeez, why won't this little bugger turn?!" There was a bit of push in the Viper, as well, but it was manageable.

If someone can lap faster in the Neon (regardless of how tight the course is) than a talented driver in a Viper, the Neon driver probably should pack his/her helmet and head to the next F1 race looking to replace one of the Schumachers.

 

[slaughterj]

For sale Silver SRT lightly broken in, in as new condition needs only minor attn. ready to drive.

That'll buff right out!

 

[Fang]

I'd bet if you owned a towing & recovery buisness close by
you'ld get there "faster" to owning one
I'm w/ya, on the same road to ownership!

 

[1TONY1]

The Dragons tail is a killer. If you saw my post about the magazine article with the SRT-RAMS in that area.......it was probably in the same group.....ouch.