Viper TA Track Attack #9, New track 8-19-14...and maybe the most fun yet!

[Bruce H.]

Canadian Tire Motorsports Park (aka Mosport) has a Driver Development Track (DDT) that they've expanded and upgraded this year. It's a safe track with minimal barriers to run into, and a good place to feel out your car and skills at the limit. This was my first time on it, as was it for all but the McLaren owner at this 6th Gear event. They had an advanced run group that I was in, and an intermediate group, and we alternated 30 minute sessions on the track. It was a gorgeous day with several high-end performance cars.

The track has countless corners as you will see in the video, 3 short straights, one long high-speed stretch with some kinks and crests to mess with you, some modest elevation changes, and a bunch of technical bits. I didn't think I'd enjoy a smaller and lower speed track, but it was a blast...and I've never been busier behind the wheel with all those corners. I was amazed how well the TA did in this tighter configuration, and when I say it did well it was completely DOMINATING!!! By the end I found myself desperately looking forward to dicing it up with the C7 Z06 Hopefully it won't be too heavy, prone to heat soak, or fragile to last a full session.

Check out the video selecting 720P and full screen for your Gen V Viper fix where a Vette, 911 GT3 and a 911 Turbo all add to the fun...

http://youtu.be/KRknb_hHW5w

Still bone stock, still original Corsa tires with 8 previous track days and over 8000 miles, still gripping like crazy. I'll rotate the fronts for my next track day Sept 1st, and have new fronts whether I need them or not for my day with Kuno on Sept 3rd.

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Bruce



2014 Black TA 23/33 Pics...http://s49.photobucket.com/user/GT28...ary/Viper TA, Track Videos...https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpM...fq6Frm1-DuoDsA

 

[steve e]

Bruce, that was awesome. is your Viper a automatic trans.

 

[Bruce H.]

What, you can't see me shift? Geez I must be FAST! Haha, that's partly my response to the Porsche guys bragging about their mind-blowingly fast shifting trannies that keep them in their powerband all the time. And it was partly demonstrating that my powerband is so wide I just don't need to shift at all, hauling out of the tight spots as low as 2000 rpm! I used 2nd many times earlier in the day when making a quick pass between corners when the advanced group was allowed to pass "anywhere" with a signal. Well, we really did, so they figured they better change it to 3 straights only and 3rd got the job done there dozens and dozens of times

There were a few guys there with CCB brakes too...haha, whatever

 

[Bruce H.]

Another clip chasing the Vette and GT3...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AbKJNnavMGw&feature=em-upload_owner

 

[SnakeBitten]

What, you can't see me shift? Geez I must be FAST! Haha, that's partly my response to the Porsche guys bragging about their mind-blowingly fast shifting trannies that keep them in their powerband all the time. And it was partly demonstrating that my powerband is so wide I just don't need to shift at all, hauling out of the tight spots as low as 2000 rpm! I used 2nd many times earlier in the day when making a quick pass between corners when the advanced group was allowed to pass "anywhere" with a signal. Well, we really did, so they figured they better change it to 3 straights only and 3rd got the job done there dozens and dozens of times

There were a few guys there with CCB brakes too...haha, whatever

LOL.....You said that last line with certain relish....Point taken lol. But you'd be cooler with CCB's Nice vid as usual. Thx for sharing. Stay safe.

 

[Bruce H.]

LOL.....You said that last line with certain relish....Point taken lol. But you'd be cooler with CCB's Nice vid as usual. Thx for sharing. Stay safe.

Thanks. I don't think I could stand it if the car were any cooler! It was a mob scene at the gas station the other day. I lifted the hood three times for photos as people kept pulling in and coming over.

I guess I do tend to get a little annoyed about the effect that marketing has on some enthusiasts. I noticed the track rat with Porsche's most advanced ever '14 911 GT3 didn't check off the $10,000 CCB option on his car, but the guy who drives one to work each day probably does! He probably liked that it had a nifty dual clutch transmission that he's heard about, but yet another previous GT-R owner at the track told me he sold his because he hated the DCT. Another GT-R friend raved about his DCT, yet chose the manual for his C7 Vette optioned for the track. I just hope the guy who could find his Holy Grail with the Gen V won't miss out because he fell victim to slick automobile marketing, and an automotive journalism machine that thrives on it. My passenger at the track already knows everything he needs to about Gen V performance, and how it compares to some others

 

[SnakeBitten]

Thanks. I don't think I could stand it if the car were any cooler! It was a mob scene at the gas station the other day. I lifted the hood three times for photos as people kept pulling in and coming over.

I guess I do tend to get a little annoyed about the effect that marketing has on some enthusiasts. I noticed the track rat with Porsche's most advanced ever '14 911 GT3 didn't check off the $10,000 CCB option on his car, but the guy who drives one to work each day probably does! He probably liked that it had a nifty dual clutch transmission that he's heard about, but yet another previous GT-R owner at the track told me he sold his because he hated the DCT. Another GT-R friend raved about his DCT, yet chose the manual for his C7 Vette optioned for the track. I just hope the guy who could find his Holy Grail with the Gen V won't miss out because he fell victim to slick automobile marketing, and an automotive journalism machine that thrives on it. My passenger at the track already knows everything he needs to about Gen V performance, and how it compares to some others

Yes it appears that it is not a "needed" option so much for track dominance but for the Porsche-like crowd many want those bells and whistles.

Its similar to the HP/Ltr nonsense that have caused many forum fights lol between the fans of the newer hardware vs fans of cars like the Vette/Viper that still use proven but old school methods to kick everyone butt on track. Many many have said on many forums that they wouldnt purchase a Viper because of its hp/ltr numbers. I used to argue that those newer cars are getting worked by the older-tech engined Vette/Viper but that just made them angrier lol.

But sadly the general auto marketing approach you mentioned is responsible in part for the slow sales due to the oversaturation of certain "myths" in regards to hp/ltr etc. So how do you sell a car that is for the most part, the antithesis of what is produced today? I would imagine they would have to bow to some of the hyped bells and whistles such as CCB's etc to increase the desirability to the oversaturated masses no?

Or hit tracks like you are doing and embarass the competition with your perceived lesser package a la what they did with the late great ACR.

 

[Bruce H.]

There's been plenty of threads devoted to everyone's opinions for changes they need to make to sell more cars in the future. I'll just continue to enjoy the car to the fullest, demonstrate how well SRT executed their vision for today's Viper, and maybe gather a little more support for a type of car that finds itself under seige by the "machine".

 

[SnakeBitten]

There's been plenty of threads devoted to everyone's opinions for changes they need to make to sell more cars in the future. I'll just continue to enjoy the car to the fullest, demonstrate how well SRT executed their vision for today's Viper, and maybe gather a little more support for a type of car that finds itself under seige by the "machine".

Fair enough....