Viper ACR at Honda Track Event

[vipernut94]

I have attached a link to a YouTube video that a friend of mine downloaded today. My friend is a member of the West Michigan Honda Club, and I have been a drive instructor for their annual Gingerman Raceway event for the last couple of years. Since I recently got my new ACR, I decided to take it up to Gingerman and try it out on the track. While driving on the track, my friend overheard people talking about the "Rich Guy" who had to buy a fast car to make up for his lack of driving ability. This is why the YouTube video is titled "Rich Guy Buys ACR to be the fastest at a Honda track day". Now, I can take criticism pretty well, but I know Gingerman Raceway like the back of my hand, and have been running on this track for about 10 years. I am happy to say that I absolutely shattered my personal best time, and gave some Honda owners a ride that they will never forget, which seemed to squelch the comments.

The ACR is absolutely incredible on the track!!! I quickly gained confidence in the brakes and cornering ability, and could not believe the level of grip that this car maintained. Not to mention the 600+ horsepower that made it feel like I was shot out of a gun from corner to corner. Overall, I found the ACR pretty easy to correct during several slides (which were caused from me being a bit rusty, and simply not used to something with this much attitude). All in all, the ACR is a dream to drive on the track, and is much more forgiving that I expected it to be. But, I can also feel that it is ready to teach me an expensive lesson if I don't respect it!

The ACR was extremely out of place on the track with Hondas, but everyone was very good about giving me room to pass. I have to give a big "Thumbs Up" to the Honda club for being a great group of guys/gals, who were extremely considerate on the track!!! With that said, I also have to say that my track time started to feel like an autocross, but the cones were moving!

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=twidpQRl7v0[/media]

 

[JackDud]

Great story! You're being a real good sport with the title of the video and all =P. I can't wait to read some of the ignorant youtube comments this video gets! Would love some in-car views too!

 

[fireball]

At exactly 1:00 into the vid you caught a nice slide on the brakes. Very few guys push that hard going into the corner - nice job. It also looked like you were playing with the line a little bit - expected with a new car.

Nice driving!

Greg

 

[SoCal Rebell]

I have been at Willow Springs in a totally stock ACR with a friend in a highly modified Honda and he was a tick faster

 

[Chuck 98 RT/10]

What a car. Congrats.

 

[vipernut94]

I'm being a good sport about the YouTube title, until I pay my friend back! We have been friends forever, and we give each other loads of crap. Since the weekend at Gingerman, he can't talk to me without asking me how it feels to be a Rich guy that can't drive. And, he knew that I would want to post this on the Viper sight...and, he is a Honda guy. So, I'll take it in stride, but he is going down for this!!!

Thanks for the positive comments. The slide at 1:00 was my own mistake because I was on the brakes too late, and dove into the corner at the last minute, which upset the back of the car. It made for some great recovery practice, while running out of real estate!

 

[Boxer12]

I've been to Gingerman a few times, and there are lots of Hondas that run there. Most of them don't stay together very long, but they are avid track rats. I don't blame them for being a bit envious. BTW, you took a gun to a knife fight! Try NARRA or NASA TT sometime. PS-Gingerman is a go-cart track. Try Mid-Ohio or Road America. Have fun and see you at the track!

 

[Disturbed]

Looks like you had a blast. the mod'd honduh didn't stand a chance. Next time you go make sure they bring the beloved NSX...so you can stomp the that too.

 

[Tom Shapiro]

The boy can drive. He ran a 1:30.1 on sport cups at that event. We're even going to let him tag a long with us when we head back to the Joliet Autobahn next month.

 

[gb66gth]

With that ACR, you probably would have been one of, if not the, fastest guys out there no matter what car club you were out there with!
Also, nice driving. It looks like you got a nice wiggle under braking going into that left hander. Good save!

 

[vipernut94]

The boy can drive. He ran a 1:30.1 on sport cups at that event. We're even going to let him tag a long with us when we head back to the Joliet Autobahn next month.

Thanks Tom! I sent off my registration for the Autobahn yesterday. Although I am not familiar with that track, I am looking forward to running a clean lap. I didn't get one clean lap the entire weekend with the Honda club (always passing cars). I will do my best to follow you and just keep you in my sights. I can't wait to run with the club again!!!

 

[Viper X]

Funny correlations.

I've run with NASA a few times here in So Cal and got the same comments while driving my 2001 ACR, i.e. "Rich guy buys Viper to beat up on Hondas".

Group leader even referred to there being some "fast cars with average drivers" (the Viper guys) and some "fast drivers in slower cars" (the import guys).

While we dusted almost all of them, most of us stopped running with NASA after a while - got tired of the import guys wining about being passed.

Don't get me wrong, some of those Honda race cars, properly prepared with good drivers can be very fast.

We Viper track guys usually get "grief" from driver's of other slower cars at other events too about how we're only fast because of the power.

Next time I make a NASA event, if ever, I'll show up in my 2009 ACR and continue to get "grief".

Have fun,

Dan

 

[SnakeBitten]

You big bully.

 

[SoCal Rebell]

Funny correlations.

I've run with NASA a few times here in So Cal and got the same comments while driving my 2001 ACR, i.e. "Rich guy buys Viper to beat up on Hondas".

Group leader even referred to there being some "fast cars with average drivers" (the Viper guys) and some "fast drivers in slower cars" (the import guys).

While we dusted almost all of them, most of us stopped running with NASA after a while - got tired of the import guys wining about being passed.

Don't get me wrong, some of those Honda race cars, properly prepared with good drivers can be very fast.

We Viper track guys usually get "grief" from driver's of other slower cars at other events too about how we're only fast because of the power.

Next time I make a NASA event, if ever, I'll show up in my 2009 ACR and continue to get "grief".

Have fun,

Dan

LOL, yep I saw it also Dan. When we took the SoCal Viperclub to that NASA event at Willow Springs, the Vipers had their own group (probably to stop the ********), but I ran Mark's ACR in HPDE 4 and I never saw such a bunch of whiney bitchs in my life. They run their track prepped cars for like 2 clean laps and cry about anything that doesn't give them a clean lap. One guy ******* at me for not getting out of his way and he did not turn one lap faster then me

 

[fireball]

I've had Miata's for years. A few times a year I bring a STOCK Miata to the track - then they know it's more than the car.

3 weeks ago I was running with a Ferrari 599GTB, a GT3RS (on Cups) and a Ford GT. I'd lose a lot of time on the straights but I'd make it up in the corners. Over a lap I was slightly quicker than all 3 of them - and this is on a track with the longest straight in Canada!

I'm not saying I'm good, but I am saying that, on that day, I was better than those guys.

When you do that, word gets around pretty quickly and instead of whining about your car they instead ask for a ride. I told my wife that we don't have an ACR, we have a track taxi.

Greg

 

[Ken Lally]

LOL, the Hondas are like irritating gnats to be swatted out of the way -

 

[Catwood]

I have been at Willow Springs in a totally stock ACR with a friend in a highly modified Honda and he was a tick faster

I knew you were slow but sheese......slower than a honda?

 

[vipernut94]

I'm not saying I'm good, but I am saying that, on that day, I was better than those guys.

When you do that, word gets around pretty quickly and instead of whining about your car they instead ask for a ride. I told my wife that we don't have an ACR, we have a track taxi.

Greg

It was funny to watch the transition that took place during this Honda event. Most everyone was looking at me like I was a two headed alien that didn't belong there, and there were several comments (as mentioned above). While working with my student, who had never been on a race track, he asked if he could have a ride with me. As Fireball mentioned, we own Track Taxi's! I got him all strapped in, and told him that we wouldn't be able to hear each other very well during the session, but if he felt sick, scared, or dizzy, just tap my right arm and let me know that he was done. He sort of laughed at me, and I clarified that I was serious. None of us want chunks in our Track Taxi!!!

I can't really repeat the comments that he used to describe his ride in the ACR, but his friends were taking notice of his excitement. He then asked me to drive his Honda S2000 in the next session so that he could learn from me driving it. I took him for a ride in his own car, and we were running down cars that were much faster, and they were pulling us in the straights. I should also mention that I was having a blast driving his car. That little S2000 could have used a few hundred more horsepower, but it sure handled great!

At this point, the Track Taxi was open for business, and the ride requests came pouring in! I wasn't able to give everyone a ride that asked for one, but it was pretty cool to know that they were changing their attitude about the guy with the ACR. He can actually drive - Who Knew?

 

[granturismonut]

Looks like you had a blast. the mod'd honduh didn't stand a chance. Next time you go make sure they bring the beloved NSX...so you can stomp the that too.

In fact there was a highly modded NSX in attendance, and yes the ACR made quick work of it as well.

As a passenger in the "track taxi", I can thank vipernut94 for a quicker lap around that track than I will ever manage in my "Honduh".

 

[fireball]

We're all part of the track 'brotherhood'.

There's the odd guy that thinks everything except his 'Superfly 1000' is crap, but almost all real track folks appreciate everything.

The point is to have some fun!

Greg

 

[vipernut94]

Here are some pics that my buddy gave me from the event.

Have you ever just had that crazy feeling like someone is following you???

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[BennyBad]

that last picture shows the one flaw in that beautiful car, please powder coat that gas cap black or grey to blend in

 

[Chuck 98 RT/10]

that last picture shows the one flaw in that beautiful car, please powder coat that gas cap black or grey to blend in

You consider that a flaw? I love it. I wish they'd stick another hole in the side for a catch can.

 

[Leslie]

You consider that a flaw? I love it. I wish they'd stick another hole in the side for a catch can.

yehp I agree!

 

[vipernut94]

Unlike my previous Vipers, I don't plan on making any cosmetic changes to this one (other than the temporary decals). I think Dodge pretty much achieved perfection, so I'm simply going to enjoy it. I do kinda wish that they would have continued the drivers stripe down the back end, but that is just me being a little picky!

 

[Viper X]

vipernut94,

I have the same color combo 09 ACR that you do.

Mine is turning into a "track taxi" too.

Wish I could find a way to relocate that amp under the passenger seat so that I could lower it a bit. It's pretty tight for passengers with helmets.

So Cal Rebel,

Same experience for me with HPDE 4 at NASA......this is why I don't drive with them any longer. So called "Download Sessions" turn into gripe sessions - which almost always means beat up on the Vipers, even if the "race car" lap times are slower.

Dan