What to do when you lose control of a SRT10?

[Chuck 98 RT/10]

Don't panic.

 

[Viperizer]

Seemed to be short shifting the whole time.

Plus riding the brake pedal...you missed that! That's another bad habit I have!

 

[Silver04]

I wish our region would do something like that!

+1,497,754

 

[highsierrahillbilly]

These are all great suggestions and the clinic at the VOI12 would be a good idea. Not sure how many people at the VOI12 would want to burn their tires up, but I'm sure there would be a group there for this type of event. I would say to the none racing type of Viper owner which is us majority, don't over drive your Viper especially if you don't know it's limits, it can bite you hard. Stay within you driving capabilties and sign up for a SRT track experience or an equivalent. You'll leave a bit more confident and with a better understanding of your Vipers capabilities!

 

[viperbilliam]

TonyCool,

I've had three of them on the street - both feet in (brakes and clutch) is the only thing that worked for me before I bought a Quaife that did anything worth a beans with the throttle lifting technique. Best thing is avoiding it by making sure you don't hammer the car below 60F and anytime the tires are not fullly warmed up. And it helps that the tires (particularly the runflats) are not old (over 5 yrs). Michelin will say up to 10 but that's just for easy driving. When Skip Barber was running the SRT Experience they said both feet in was the only thing that could be done when the Viper starts its nasty 360.

 

[TonyCool]

 

[Viper X]

These are all great suggestions and the clinic at the VOI12 would be a good idea. Not sure how many people at the VOI12 would want to burn their tires up, but I'm sure there would be a group there for this type of event. I would say to the none racing type of Viper owner which is us majority, don't over drive your Viper especially if you don't know it's limits, it can bite you hard. Stay within you driving capabilties and sign up for a SRT track experience or an equivalent. You'll leave a bit more confident and with a better understanding of your Vipers capabilities!

Billy,

The intent of the car control clinic was not to burn up tires, and although some of our more aggressive guys tried hard, none actually succeeded. There are these types of drivers in any group and tires are much cheaper and easier to replace than our cars or ourselves!

Our goal was to get the Viper close to and then just a bit out of control at relatively low speeds in a safe environment, feel just what the car was telling you, then teach the driver how to properly correct or "catch" it.

Feedback from our group was amazing with several stories on how members had started to lose control, then caught it due to what they had learned at the CCC.

Dan

 

[highsierrahillbilly]

Billy,

The intent of the car control clinic was not to burn up tires, and although some of our more aggressive guys tried hard, none actually succeeded. There are these types of drivers in any group and tires are much cheaper and easier to replace than our cars or ourselves!

Our goal was to get the Viper close to and then just a bit out of control at relatively low speeds in a safe environment, feel just what the car was telling you, then teach the driver how to properly correct or "catch" it.

Feedback from our group was amazing with several stories on how members had started to lose control, then caught it due to what they had learned at the CCC.

Dan

As stated, I think its a good idea Danny. I've taken a few similar courses and our group has left better informed driver's with a great deal more respect for our cars. Most have learned speed is better left on the track and to just keep it spirited on the streets. The reality is that at the drag strip, auto cross or control clinic events there is always going to be people that will get out of control and smoke their tires whether it be of lack of experience, being amped up or just sheer power of their vipers. I hope you succeed in getting this drivng clinic approved, it's never to late to teach us old dogs a new trick or two. There will always be a few hot dogs in the group that will drive fast no matter where they are, so maybe this will help them save (preserve) a few more Vipers and keep our insurance rates in check$.

 

[SlayerLS1]

I'd be very interested in doing a car control clinic at VOI. My safety means a lot more to me than a little extra tire wear.

 

[Shandon]

Let me add one important bit of advice. Always keep your eyes up and looking where you want to go! if you stare at what you dont want to hit! you most likely will. I can not stress enough how important this is. Street and on track

 

[SoCal Rebell]

Here's an on track video of arguably the best Viper road racer Terry Rossi and myself (no slouch) at the last Viper days at Willow Springs in a Gen IV ACR. If you watch the video you'll see how smooth and lack of jerking motions we do. This is a 100% stock ACR Terry turned a 1:29.6 and my best was a 1:31.1 Being smooth is everything.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_-EeT_gKQI


.

 

[ViperGeorge]

Here's an on track video of arguably the best Viper road racer Terry Rossi and myself (no slouch) at the last Viper days at Willow Springs in a Gen IV ACR. If you watch the video you'll see how smooth and lack of jerking motions we do. This is a 100% stock ACR Terry turned a 1:29.6 and my best was a 1:31.1 Being smooth is everything.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_-EeT_gKQI


.

Nice video but I wish you also had an in car camera to show your steering inputs. Agree 100% with you though that smooth is everything. When I've driven with a friend of mine who is an outstanding driver (he's won the Cannonball One Lap of America twice outright) it is amazing how smooth his inputs are.

 

[1994viper]

http://vimeo.com/24450140

Here some of my bad driving highlights. Things get out of hand fast, even in GEN I car. The point is, that I think everyone should go through that a bunch of times in a safe environment to get a feel for the car. Also, losing a car a dozen times, makes the driver more confident during the critical seconds of lost control and may help the driver make some decisions that may help to avoid a catastrophe. Like at "EDIT": 3:42, even the car was lost, I would have reacted differently if I had a wall to my left or oncoming traffic. I wouldn't have lifted and just let it over steer and run off to the right, instead of risking over correcting and going off to the left. Another boo boo at 6:20, the car started to over steer way before the expected point, and I had to lift too early to swing it in to upcoming turn. Lost line and high momentum put me in to the lawn. Also, I didn't want the risk having a car to rotate to much and go of the curb sideways didn't use Both Feet. I probably could have made the turn with high oversteer coming in to the next right, and I might have been in more trouble by then. But that is for the next time… No talk will save one in a critical moment, only personal experience will help one operate safe.

 

[Viper X]

Ron,

Willow's surface was recoated last year.

Track is faster now than it was then.

Had several of our guys run 1:27:5 - 1:28 last time out.

Dan

 

[TonyCool]

I would recommend the book "Going Faster - mastering the art of racecar driving" by Skip Barber. They will explain in detail all the different ways you can lose control and the corrective actions to take. They explain the physics of traction and weight transfer behind different types of oversteer and understeer. It's no substitute for a car control course but at least you will understand what can and will happen if you are too aggressive with gas, brakes, steering in different circumstances. In my experience during oversteer, the back end of the Viper comes around really fast. The few times I spun on the track I just wasnt fast enough to correct it and just did 2 feet in. You have to be careful because if you over correct things will get even worse by causing you to spin in the other direction.

Thanks for the advice I will definitely get the book. I know it's not like practicing and can't replace first hand experience but in my opinion knowing the theory is better than not knowing it. Hopefully I'll eventually get into a formal class and I'll have the opportunity to learn some of this in a safe environment but it's unlikely I will be able to do this before I get the car or right away after. So the plan is to drive very carefully and hopefully don't get my self in a bad situation but if I do now I at least know a couple of useful tips.

 

[TonyCool]

The biggest thing for me is check your EGO at the door. When you get in the car realize that it really lives up to its name. It will bite quick. I have been in a couple of unsticy situations and managed to recover due to some skill and lightning quick reflexes. On thing I did lean. If your going to hot rod, dont rest your left elbow on the window sill. It seriously reduces the motion of your arms when the back end comes out sideways. Other that that this car is completley drivable under normal situations. Its under the full throttle surge that things happen fast. Easy into the corners. No gas or brakes. No sudden movements of the wheel. Everything must be easy if you wand to push the car a lot.

And above all. Dont panic when you fell your body suddenly get pushed up against the drivers door. Just steer into it and easy on the gas. Dont brake.

I like that advise. I bet sometimes it's going to be harder than it sounds especially with other people being stupid around the car. Most people seem not to understand that a viper above any other super car is meant to be raced on the track and not in the street and unlike other vehicles it won't save you from your own stupidity. However I've to wonder from the percentage of vipers that end up wrecked or totaled (which is kind of high) how many were because honest mistakes, downshifting by mistake, being caught in the rain, etc. In my opinion people that know what to do and have plenty of seat experience is much more likely to save themselves and the car that people who don't.

 

[TonyCool]

Best thing to do is go to a driving school. The book referenced above "Going Faster" is very good it describes in detail what Skip Barber teaches in his school. However, there is NO replacement for seat time. I would seriously recommend going to a school with a skid pad session. You can then lose the car in a safe environment and see how to recover. Of course most schools use a sedan and you will likely have to be a passenger at some point so try not to puke. I've taught my kids the "look where you want to go" technique if they skid because it teaches you not to focus on things you DON'T want to hit.

Agreed seat time is very important. Not sure I'll be able to do that soon though. So for now getting some knowledge is better than nothing.

 

[TonyCool]

The Southern California Club has taken a very proactive approach to teaching Car Control thanks to my predecessor, past President Dan Everts.
In a nutshell, we rented a huge parking lot at Auto Club Speedway. The first 2 times we did it, we set up 4 stations.

....

Bottom line is this, we spent an entire day out in a empty parking lot and practiced basic car control skills. It was structured and we had some great instructors and a brilliant Club President that was willing to spend the time and money putting on this event.

This sounds like a whole lot of fun while you learn stuff that could help you save your life and your car in one piece. I hope I can do something like that one day.

 

[TonyCool]

TonyCool,

I've had three of them on the street - both feet in (brakes and clutch) is the only thing that worked for me before I bought a Quaife that did anything worth a beans with the throttle lifting technique. Best thing is avoiding it by making sure you don't hammer the car below 60F and anytime the tires are not fullly warmed up. And it helps that the tires (particularly the runflats) are not old (over 5 yrs). Michelin will say up to 10 but that's just for easy driving. When Skip Barber was running the SRT Experience they said both feet in was the only thing that could be done when the Viper starts its nasty 360.

I will certainly keep this in mind thanks viperbilliam

 

[TonyCool]

Here's an on track video of arguably the best Viper road racer Terry Rossi and myself (no slouch) at the last Viper days at Willow Springs in a Gen IV ACR. If you watch the video you'll see how smooth and lack of jerking motions we do. This is a 100% stock ACR Terry turned a 1:29.6 and my best was a 1:31.1 Being smooth is everything.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_-EeT_gKQI


.

That looks like a whole lot of fun.

 

[TonyCool]

http://vimeo.com/24450140

Here some of my bad driving highlights. Things get out of hand fast, even in GEN I car. The point is, that I think everyone should go through that a bunch of times in a safe environment to get a feel for the car. Also, losing a car a dozen times, makes the driver more confident during the critical seconds of lost control and may help the driver make some decisions that may help to avoid a catastrophe. Like at 1:42, even the car was lost, I would have reacted differently if I had a wall to my left or oncoming traffic. I wouldn't have lifted and just let it over steer and run off to the right, instead of risking over correcting and going off to the left. Another boo boo at 6:20, the car started to over steer way before the expected point, and I had to lift too early to swing it in to upcoming turn. Lost line and high momentum put me in to the lawn. Also, I didn't want the risk having a car to rotate to much and go of the curb sideways didn't use Both Feet. I probably could have made the turn with high oversteer coming in to the next right, and I might have been in more trouble by then. But that is for the next time… No talk will save one in a critical moment, only personal experience will help one operate safe.

I've heard gen 1 and 2 lose control even easier than SRT10's. Thanks for sharing the video even though I asked specifically about SRT10's that's only because that's what I'm planning to buy soon. Up til now (before the gen5) all vipers share huge power, rear wheel drive and no traction or stability control so reading through your insights on what happened at 1:42 and 6:20 in the video is useful.

 

[TonyCool]

When in a spin, both feet (clutch and brake) in.

Then hold on tight and poop pants.

Like this?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJAH78nahWM

I bet the driver feared for his life on this one.

 

[1994viper]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50lGdQvVF3Q

And here is how things can develop. Sometimes it can't be saved even by guys who race. Its one of the fastest bites I've seen. I think it will be safe to say that it was a similar situation to what happened to me @ 3:42 in my clip, except 10 x faster speed and a different result.

 

[TonyCool]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50lGdQvVF3Q

And here is how things can develop. Sometimes it can't be saved even by guys who race. Its one of the fastest bites I've seen. I think it will be safe to say that it was a similar situation to what happened to me @ 3:42 in my clip, except 10 x faster speed and a different result.

Wow I didn't see that coming at all.

 

[TonyCool]

Looks like the response from this girl is let go of the steering wheel and grab your boyfriends arm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SvnRfGrwdTg

 

[10 BANGER]

Call it a day!

 

[ViperGeorge]

Like this?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJAH78nahWM

I bet the driver feared for his life on this one.

Why was a "1000 HP" Viper getting its butt kicked by a Porsche?

 

[Longdaddy]

check in with your local chapter of Porsche Owners Club, most regions put on "Driver Skills" events on a regular basis. I volunteer and instruct for the one in our area. There are multiple car control excersizes in a safe and controlled setting, that is hard to set up during a track day or even autocross. We actually have water put on the skidpad area so that you do not have to use up your tires to get some slide/spin recovery practice.

if you cannot find something like that, try autocross.


out of various cars I have driven on the street or racetrack, I would say that Viper requires immediate and precise correction if you start losing traction at either end, but also rewards prompt correction with predictable response. It is definitely not a skill one could learn by reading or watching a video.

 

[David Pintaric]

What to do when you lose control of a SRT10?


Tony

Scream...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50lGdQvVF3Q

 

[SoCal Rebell]

Ron,

Willow's surface was recoated last year.

Track is faster now than it was then.

Had several of our guys run 1:27:5 - 1:28 last time out.

Dan

Yeah Carl was telling me he was turning those kinda time in his race prepped Gen 2, can't wait to try it out.

.