Jay Herbert
Enthusiast
It is getting close, Hope to see many of you there! Jay
Saturday, March 27, from 9am to 4pm.
VCA Southwest Zone Viper Technical Seminar
Among other benefits enjoyed as part of living in our Southwest Zone territory, we are blessed by having probably Daimler/Chrysler's most knowledgeable Viper field engineer, Rich Carlson, headquartered at the Dallas DCX Training Center. He is one of the two remaining, original dealer Viper Tech trainers, going back to the origination of our cars in 1992, and an incredible asset to the Viper Nation. While Detroit Viper engineers may have more expertise in their own isolated specialties, it's been my personal observation over the years that NO ONE in the world knows MORE about the Viper, OVERALL...... from the bottom of the tires to the top of the roof....... than Rich Carlson. Since 1995, Rich has been conducting an annual technical seminar for North Texas owners, and during the last several years, VCA members from other regions have heard about it, and more frequently asked to attend.
As we all know, the more knowledge you have about your car, the more enjoyment you are likely to derive from the ownership experience. Our current PVO (now in process of a name change to "SRT", short for "Street and Racing Technology") management also believes this is an important issue. For the last year I have been in discussions with both Rich Carlson and Dan Knott, the head of "SRT", along with Ted Roepsch, North Texas region President, about the possibility of working together to stage what may be the most comprehensive Viper Technical Seminar in the VCA's modern history. Im pleased to be able to announce that plans are now finalized for this incredible opportunity. It will be held at the Daimler/Chrysler Training Center in Dallas, the same place where dealer service technicians from around the country come to receive service training for all the various DCX brand models, including Viper........ and, the SRT team in Detroit is sending several of their own Viper engineers down to assist with the program. Understand, this will be more than just classroom instruction. The Training Center has all generation Vipers available, that are already used for training purposes........ and you'll likely have some chances to even get "hands on" in some cases. (The final agenda and topics will be released as soon as all the engineers have agreed upon them. If you have particular SUGGESTIONS of your own, send them to me right away!)
Now, here's ALL the GOOD news details:
Date: Saturday, March 27, from 9am to 4pm.
Location: DCX Training Center, 8100 Jetstar Drive, Suite 175, Irving, TX 75063 (5 minutes east of DFW Airport).
Host Hotel: Best Western Irving Inn & Suites at DFW Airport, 4110 W. Airport Freeway, Irving, TX 75062. Phone (972) 790-2262. Discounted VCA room rate.... $42 per night, plus tax. Yes, I said only $42!!!!!! Ask them for the Dodge Viper Club block, and mention the rate. And, best of all, ..........
1. It is FREE (and, limited to VCA members only, of our Zone).
2. FREE lunch on Saturday, catered courtesy of the North Texas Region.
3. There will be an optional Saturday night buffet dinner social at the famous "Sneaky Pete's" Marina and Restaurant located on Lake Lewisville that evening. Cost will be $25 per person, which includes tax and gratuity. Booze is available, and extra if you want it!
4. Other activities:
a. One of the nation's LARGEST shopping malls, Grapevine Mills, is only about 3 miles from the Training Center...... if you're bringing a significant other who may not want to spend the day at the Tech Seminar, this is the place.
b. The new Gaylord Texan Resort, site of the upcoming VOI.8 in September, is ALSO only 3 miles from the Training Center, close to the mall. The Resort will not be open yet, but we will try to arrange a late afternoon TOUR if we have enough people wanting an advance peek at this incredible new hotel complex.
c. Texas Motor Speedway is only about 25 minutes from the Training Center, for those interested. We'll also try to get an official tour of this site approved as well.
4. The next morning, Sunday the 28th, the "one of a kind" Mopar Speed Shop at Texas's largest DCX dealer, Dallas Dodge, will be holding their annual Mopar Only Car Show. Hundreds of high performance Mopars (including the Vipers), and thousands of spectators will be on hand for this spectacular show. As good if not better than a trip to the WPC Museum in Detroit. Oh, yes, lunch at noon is also FREE again! See the show, get fed for lunch, and then head on home if youre coming from a distant area of our Zone.
Is this enough FREE stuff, included with such a unique event, to attract some of you and your members from the farthest corners of our Zone? Along with the $42 room rate, I certainly hope so.
Now...... the only bad news. In order to keep things at a workable level for the Tech Seminar, we are going to have to limit this event to the first 125 attendees. I would ask that if your "significant other" is not really as passionate as you, or mechanically inclined, then perhaps they might think about passing on the Tech Seminar to give another car owner/driver the chance. Well try to play this by ear as reservations near the attendance limit. We've initially blocked 20 rooms at the hotel, exclusively for members outside the North Texas area. Even more rooms are available if we need them. ALSO, attendance preference WILL be given to those coming from other regions and the farthest distances. Let's make this a truly "Zone wide" event.
I will need advance registration notice from you and your members. Please send an email or phone call, giving me the details listed below. If it's by phone, just leave a message on the machine at my business office, (972) 369-0595:
1. Names of all persons coming, and specifically those wanting to attend the Tech Seminar.
2. Number of people planning to attend the Saturday night social.
3. Any interest in seeing the Resort or Speedway?
4. Whether you plan to attend the Mopar car show on Sunday morning, as either a participant (that entry is FREE too) OR spectator, and have lunch.
Remember, you are on your own for hotel reservations. I hope to see people from every region in the Zone. If this works out as well as we hope it will, it just means more participation from our friends at SRT and Dodge for the future. Please get all this info out to your members ASAP. Since registration is first come, first served, it's important. Best regards,
Kingman Hitz
Zone Director
Saturday, March 27, from 9am to 4pm.
VCA Southwest Zone Viper Technical Seminar
Among other benefits enjoyed as part of living in our Southwest Zone territory, we are blessed by having probably Daimler/Chrysler's most knowledgeable Viper field engineer, Rich Carlson, headquartered at the Dallas DCX Training Center. He is one of the two remaining, original dealer Viper Tech trainers, going back to the origination of our cars in 1992, and an incredible asset to the Viper Nation. While Detroit Viper engineers may have more expertise in their own isolated specialties, it's been my personal observation over the years that NO ONE in the world knows MORE about the Viper, OVERALL...... from the bottom of the tires to the top of the roof....... than Rich Carlson. Since 1995, Rich has been conducting an annual technical seminar for North Texas owners, and during the last several years, VCA members from other regions have heard about it, and more frequently asked to attend.
As we all know, the more knowledge you have about your car, the more enjoyment you are likely to derive from the ownership experience. Our current PVO (now in process of a name change to "SRT", short for "Street and Racing Technology") management also believes this is an important issue. For the last year I have been in discussions with both Rich Carlson and Dan Knott, the head of "SRT", along with Ted Roepsch, North Texas region President, about the possibility of working together to stage what may be the most comprehensive Viper Technical Seminar in the VCA's modern history. Im pleased to be able to announce that plans are now finalized for this incredible opportunity. It will be held at the Daimler/Chrysler Training Center in Dallas, the same place where dealer service technicians from around the country come to receive service training for all the various DCX brand models, including Viper........ and, the SRT team in Detroit is sending several of their own Viper engineers down to assist with the program. Understand, this will be more than just classroom instruction. The Training Center has all generation Vipers available, that are already used for training purposes........ and you'll likely have some chances to even get "hands on" in some cases. (The final agenda and topics will be released as soon as all the engineers have agreed upon them. If you have particular SUGGESTIONS of your own, send them to me right away!)
Now, here's ALL the GOOD news details:
Date: Saturday, March 27, from 9am to 4pm.
Location: DCX Training Center, 8100 Jetstar Drive, Suite 175, Irving, TX 75063 (5 minutes east of DFW Airport).
Host Hotel: Best Western Irving Inn & Suites at DFW Airport, 4110 W. Airport Freeway, Irving, TX 75062. Phone (972) 790-2262. Discounted VCA room rate.... $42 per night, plus tax. Yes, I said only $42!!!!!! Ask them for the Dodge Viper Club block, and mention the rate. And, best of all, ..........
1. It is FREE (and, limited to VCA members only, of our Zone).
2. FREE lunch on Saturday, catered courtesy of the North Texas Region.
3. There will be an optional Saturday night buffet dinner social at the famous "Sneaky Pete's" Marina and Restaurant located on Lake Lewisville that evening. Cost will be $25 per person, which includes tax and gratuity. Booze is available, and extra if you want it!
4. Other activities:
a. One of the nation's LARGEST shopping malls, Grapevine Mills, is only about 3 miles from the Training Center...... if you're bringing a significant other who may not want to spend the day at the Tech Seminar, this is the place.
b. The new Gaylord Texan Resort, site of the upcoming VOI.8 in September, is ALSO only 3 miles from the Training Center, close to the mall. The Resort will not be open yet, but we will try to arrange a late afternoon TOUR if we have enough people wanting an advance peek at this incredible new hotel complex.
c. Texas Motor Speedway is only about 25 minutes from the Training Center, for those interested. We'll also try to get an official tour of this site approved as well.
4. The next morning, Sunday the 28th, the "one of a kind" Mopar Speed Shop at Texas's largest DCX dealer, Dallas Dodge, will be holding their annual Mopar Only Car Show. Hundreds of high performance Mopars (including the Vipers), and thousands of spectators will be on hand for this spectacular show. As good if not better than a trip to the WPC Museum in Detroit. Oh, yes, lunch at noon is also FREE again! See the show, get fed for lunch, and then head on home if youre coming from a distant area of our Zone.
Is this enough FREE stuff, included with such a unique event, to attract some of you and your members from the farthest corners of our Zone? Along with the $42 room rate, I certainly hope so.
Now...... the only bad news. In order to keep things at a workable level for the Tech Seminar, we are going to have to limit this event to the first 125 attendees. I would ask that if your "significant other" is not really as passionate as you, or mechanically inclined, then perhaps they might think about passing on the Tech Seminar to give another car owner/driver the chance. Well try to play this by ear as reservations near the attendance limit. We've initially blocked 20 rooms at the hotel, exclusively for members outside the North Texas area. Even more rooms are available if we need them. ALSO, attendance preference WILL be given to those coming from other regions and the farthest distances. Let's make this a truly "Zone wide" event.
I will need advance registration notice from you and your members. Please send an email or phone call, giving me the details listed below. If it's by phone, just leave a message on the machine at my business office, (972) 369-0595:
1. Names of all persons coming, and specifically those wanting to attend the Tech Seminar.
2. Number of people planning to attend the Saturday night social.
3. Any interest in seeing the Resort or Speedway?
4. Whether you plan to attend the Mopar car show on Sunday morning, as either a participant (that entry is FREE too) OR spectator, and have lunch.
Remember, you are on your own for hotel reservations. I hope to see people from every region in the Zone. If this works out as well as we hope it will, it just means more participation from our friends at SRT and Dodge for the future. Please get all this info out to your members ASAP. Since registration is first come, first served, it's important. Best regards,
Kingman Hitz
Zone Director
