Comp Coupes Notch Two Top-Tens at Sebring

[RAM MAN]

Dodging rain showers all week, the Dodge Viper Competition Coupe contingent at Sebring, Fla., for the inaugural SPEED World Challenge race of 2007 was keyed by the No. 5 Mopar Autohaus Motorsports Comp Coupe of Tommy Archer, who scored an eighth place finish. Archer was followed by Brian Smith in the No. 13 Woodhouse Auto Family Comp Coupe, who took the ninth spot.

"Our performance was a combination of things," Archer said. "The Comp Coupes were running well, but the SCCA is always interested in keeping these races competitive, so they put a restrictor on our engine and added 100 pounds to our weight. It's difficult to overcome those disadvantages."

A bright spot for the Comp Coupes was the performance of rookies Jason Daskalos and Jeff Robbins. Daskalos, who qualified 17th, made a strong run in his No. 05 Daskalos Development Comp Coupe, moving up to ninth-place before a last lap bobble cost him a top 10 finish. Robbins, in his No. 6 RSIG Security Comp Coupe, was excited and pleased to make it through his first SPEED World Challenge race.

"It was an exciting experience and with my teammates, Tommy Archer and Brett Pearson, giving me so much help, I'm sure we're going to do a lot better in the future," said Robbins.

[threetwos]

I love Viper Racing and have been following Tommy Archer since Chrysler's triumphant victory at LeMans. Why do the racing organizations keep penalizing or restricting the Vipers?

[RAM MAN]

I have no idea

yeah, I first started watching Bobby and Tommy Archer when they were racing mini trucks in a road racing style

[threetwos]

There are good guys. First year the Vipers won LeMans they were restricted to no further engine power increases and 100 Lb. weight addition for the following year. They won again the next year even after G.M. had "poured" over 100 million to "enhance" the performance of the struggling Corvette and Caddillac programs. Porshe did the same and they all still lost to the mighty Dodge Viper which captured the World Championship again and won LeMans, that year also Chrysler introduced their awesome LMP car which was powered by a W-8 Small block, it was virtually untested and new, it finished a respectable 13 overall and 8th in class. Then the next year withdrawl nothing nada what the hell happened. Can anyone tell me why Chrysler doesn't compete anymore? FIA rules I bet. It's sad that we went from king of the mountain to having the vette as the champ. Ughh! Of course after 50+ years of developement the vette should have won decades ago. The Viper was the first American production car to win LeMans,(GT-40 was hand made prototype not available to the gen. public).

[Plumcrazy]

Go Woodhouse !!!

[SUN RA KAT]

That's one reason there's a Viper Racing League - the rules are fair.

[threetwos]

That's one reason there's a Viper Racing League - the rules are fair. What channel or cable do they broadcast on? I will pay to get mine changed if they do. I love to watch those cars race! (who wouldn't) :rck: SUN RA KAT have you got you car running the way you want yet? :gr_patrio

[SUN RA KAT]

The Viper Racing League is part of Viper Days, which is a school on learning how to drive your Viper on a road race track.


Mid-Ohio Raceway (http://www.midohio.com/)
Lexington, OH - May 21 to May 22
Eastern Region
Details (http://www.viperdays.com/page.htm?id=79)



Putnam Park Raceway (http://www.putnampark.com/)

Mt. Meridan, IN - Aug 10 to Aug 12
Eastern Region
Details (http://www.viperdays.com/page.htm?id=82)


These tracks above are the ones close to Indiana and Ohio this year. They run all over the country, so click http://www.viperdays.com (http://www.viperdays.com/) for the other dates and tracks near you. The tracks vary from year to year. I did the Mid Ohio Viper Days in 2003.





I think you have to be there live to watch, but it may be on the Speed channel sometimes.

My car hopefully will be picked up later this week and transported to be completely inspected and corrected - I've been told not to drive my Viper until all the internals in the engine are right - click on link in signature for just one of several reasons why.

I hope to have my Viper back by July 2007 and it will be running right for the first time since November 2005 and $29,000 ago to date.

[threetwos]

Wow. Those plugs are not even close. Good thing you didnt damage anything. Those heads are contoured very nice and smooth with a very shallow approach. Looks very efficient. Nice valves. You have to be the most patient man I heard of! I would have done something stupid by now! :D

[SUN RA KAT]

Those heads aren't mine. I don't know how my $6,500 heads look inside yet...the bare sharp inprotected threads in my heads could be damaged from having the combustion start in the spark plug hole rather than the combustion chamber. There's also the mystery of my car being delivered to me with almost half the coollant mix missing - 5.5 quarts missing out of 12.8 quarts total - internal engine damage possibly blown head gasket, cracked head, cracked block, or the denied by Macedo not filling the coolant system - which one is it or is it something else? I can't find any evidence of a leak on my garage floor. There are interior issues, too - seats changed positioning and now I can't fit in my own car without being extremely uncomfortable and can't even sit upright with a helmet on because the roof had become too low and roll bar cutting into the seat and interior side panel and roll bar and side bar no longer fitting together - it seems the list of things found not right goes on and on. It gives me no confidence in any of the work done for $28,000 plus $1,000 lawyer bills to even get my car back.

On the other hand, Macedo did do a lot of work and replaced things he found bad out of his own pocket (I found this out within the past week), but he would tell me very little what he did for the 5 months he had my car for his second chance to make it right, so all I had was negative feelings towards him. But the way things were going, I don't think I'd have my car back without my lawyer's help.

[threetwos]

Unbelievable! I have to give you mucho credit for NOT giving up. Many people would have let that experience get the best of them and drop the Viper program and buy a Foreign Car. I have seen it happen,(not with a Viper), I really hope your car comes back unscathed. Have you found a new Viper Tuner who is professional and Honest?You have an awesome car,(I have seen and read all the viper posts on this and other boards), and if it wasnt for my vintage muscle car, I would have already owned one.(I have driven a 95,96,97) I have way more in my old Dodge than even a new 08. Hope you get it back undamaged. I would at least bore scope it to determine the extent of the damage, as aluminum isn't as tolerant of detonation or "uneven" combustion as cast iron. I would also conduct an oil analysis.But as much as you have in it, a complete teardown inspection may be necessary when your making the power yours is capable of, everything must be correct to insure reliability.

[SUN RA KAT]

The engine will be totally disassembled, inspected, corrected, and reassembled.

Already it's known that I did not get stronger connecting rods. I lot of people say you don't need stronger than stock connecting rods in a 2002 Viper even with the power I was promised and was paying for and never got ("at least the high 700's in power"), but the Viper engine engineers (and many tuners) think differently about that and I trust the Viper engineers more than someone who puts in the wrong reach spark plugs on purpose.

Hopefully the close to 200 miles regular driving and at least a dozen dyno runs with the wrong spark plugs have not damaged anything.

[threetwos]

With the Power you are making, I would not use anything but U.S. Made 4340 Connecting Rods. I used Ray Barton Manley 4340 USA made and machined, The fasteners are equally important and look no further than A.R.P.. Oliver, Lentz, and Carillo make excellent rods and Oliver makes special runs if you order enough 10-20 I think. I hope you find a great tuner and machine shop, I know many, but none that specialise in the V-10 and Viper platform. Good Luck, Eddie

[SUN RA KAT]

My previous builder did use ARP bolts. He does produce a lot of winning cars - I even won the Fastest Viper on Street Tires at the ViperNationals with a blown fuse that shut off the engine right around the finish line last year in Columbus, Ohio. The other cars that won were Macedo cars, too.

My new builder will be using all the good parts where needed. I think the connecting rods were the only thing not upgraded.

My car will be overbuilt as was the the first builder was supposed to do, except this time everything will be done right and I will confidence in the build from the get go.

My new builder is responsible for this - have your sound up -

World Record Video

Dr. Roof

7.89 @ 183

Twin Turbo, Auto, IRS


1/4 Mile
Right Click & Save Here (http://www.undergroundracing.com/video/DrRoofWorldRecordAuto.wmv)

[threetwos]

Very impressive. With the IRS, just incredible! Sounds like you have a good plan, hope it works out the best for you. Eddie SRT-10 owner wannabe :D :rck:

[SUN RA KAT]

Eddie, that's one beautiful Challenger!

I had a purple 1970 Plymouth Duster 340 with the factory drag racing package - 3.91 rear gear, LSD, viscous drive fan, etc. I put a Hone overdrive in it for top end. That was the fastest car I had until I got my Viper 32 years later.

[threetwos]

Eddie, that's one beautiful Challenger!

I had a purple 1970 Plymouth Duster 340 with the factory drag racing package - 3.91 rear gear, LSD, viscous drive fan, etc. I put a Hone overdrive in it for top end. That was the fastest car I had until I got my Viper 32 years later.Thanks SUN RA KAT, like I said, if I hadn't "found" this rare example then invest enough to buy a couple Vipers, I would be at the Dealership this minute eagerly awaiting the new 08! I'm not kidding! I read the recent Motor trend Article,(with the 08 on the cover!). It, as well as all Vipers, are impressive. I have driven them enough to have ruined me for any other car. My Challenger is strong but a Viper is in another league altogether and I would be as addicted to the Serpent as I am to the older stuff! Maybe some day! :rck: :rck: