Messages

Dan,

Sorry I can't make this one either. NASA is running the same weekend at WSIR. I'm leading in points for both TT3 and ST3, and planning on going to Nationals this year. So I have to stay focused there for now. Hopefully there will be some non-overlapping events soon.

Doc

The lot gets VERY busy around 6:45 - 7:15 and you will likely get directed to the satellite lot if you are not in before that.

Looks like we will be bringing two Vipers from our shop in Carlsbad to CnC. If at all possible can you guys save two spots for us?  >g

The lot gets VERY busy around 6:45 - 7:15 and you will likely get directed to the satellite lot if you are not in before that.

Cool. We will plan to be there earlier. See you guys tomorrow.

Doc, Irvine it is!  When do you think you can make it?  I spoke with MFujita and he had a great idea.  I'll prob swing by his place en route, then head into the lot together.  We will save a spot in between our cars and fold out a couple lawn chairs until you arrive.  How does that sound?

Hoping some more snakes can make it out early too!  

Sounds great. We should be able to get there before 7. How early do you think I need to get there to make sure they don't turn us away at the turn in point? (That happened last time i tried to go... different car but ...)

I was actually thinking Irvine. What time do you have to get there these days to be able to park in the main lot?

Thats exactly how I felt at the dealer btw!

Oh man, congrats!  We need to get together a 96, 06 First Ed and yours.  Blue and white mania.  Myself, the wife is out of town this upcoming weekend, I plan on swiping the baby seat and taking my 2 year old for a first run to Cars and Coffee Irvine.  Shhh...

Sorry I didn't see all the responses earlier. Thanks guys.

Krafters, that would be cool to get some shots together. I might be able to get away for CnC this weekend. LMK if you are still planning to go.

I placed an order for a 2013 Viper after finding the local dealers all wanted 25-50K premiums late last year. For some reason my order never resulted in an official "start" or a VIN number (one rumor is that SRT cut 2013 production short and plans to resume production with 2014 models this summer).

Just for fun I decided to see if there were any 2013 Vipers in SD or OC... I figured I'd at least go sit in one for the time being.  <I

Oddly enough, I found approximately 10 sitting on showroom floors within an hours drive, per Auto Trader. Half of them were launch editions, which I was originally told were all spoken for.

Most had been marked up. But just for the heck of it I corresponded with several of the dealers re the launch edition cars they had in stock, indicating I wouldn't pay over MSRP. And wouldn't you know it, three wrote back and said they'd sell at MSRP.

Well that turned out to be too much to resist. So I went to look at one... As my fellow members of Car-a-holics Anonymous all know, that's likely to lead to trouble. And so it did... I left the dealership in #53 of #150 last night. Needless to say, I'm stoked!  <2

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_e5elscCqHA

Unfortunately I can't make today's club drive. But maybe I can get a kitchen pass for the next event.

FWIW, I successfully got my order from Steve. But it took daily calls and emails to get everything sent to me. I believe it took roughly 3 months from the start of my order until the time I received everything, though I didn't start the daily calls/emails until after about 2 months of waiting.

I don't know what's going on with Steve. He seems like a nice guy from what I can tell and he seemed to want to make things right. But I doubt I would buy from him again given how much trouble it was getting the parts I ordered.

Dan,

You can count me in for Fontana. I will need to run my NASA race car that weekend for testing purposes, and may not be able to run the Viper much. But I can instruct if any of the Sidewinders or would be Sidewinders needs assistance.

Cheers,
"Doc"

+1

So when do we get to take our cars on the track again (as a group)?   <2

Doc, those are fantastic pics! Do you mind if I post some of the pics of my car on my FB pages? Can give you attribution?

Also great to see you guys there. Hope to meet more of you at the next event.

Doc II

P.S. Doc I, when Cathy asked for a name for my sidewinders hat I went with my nickname from other activities. Sorry I didn't realize there was already a Doc on the Forum. (Are there two "Docs" with sidewinder hats too? If so maybe I can add a roman numeral 2 on mine.)

Dan,

I sent you an email last night. I'm new to the VCA but hopefully as of Saturday I will be an official "Sidewinder" member. (Guys if there is anything else besides owning and tracking a Viper that is needed to become a Sidewinder please let me know!). If there is any space available I would really like to attend.

Though I am new to VCA, I've raced (SCCA, NASA, Grand Am Cup and many others) since 1996 and instructed off and on since 1998. I'm just new to Vipers, having recently bought two that I've lusted after for many years, a 2000 GTS and a 2009 Coupe/VOIX edition. Neither will be a trailer queen. I'm more at home on a track. This year I'm racing some other marques--including two snakes of a different vintage that have some kinship with the Viper. This year's race cars are a 2009 Mustang in NASA ST3/STR3, a 1966 Shelby GT350 in HMSA and maybe SVRA/VARA, and a 1964 Shelby King Cobra (1 of 6 original Shelby team Cooper Monaco V-8 "widow makers").

Please let me know if you've got some space!

Yours in speed,
Donn V.
Carlsbad, CA

I think you'll enjoy our group if you're a track guy.  Many of us do drive our cars on the track and some of our guys are pretty good drivers.

We also do the occasional Auto Cross.

See you at the track,

Dan  <2

Sounds like a good fit to me. An autocross would be fun too. Haven't done one of those since the 90s. But I'm sure it would come back pretty quickly.

Hi Doc and WELCOME to the CLUB !!
I'm looking forward to meeting you too.  We have quite a few Viper members that will be out at WSIR this Sat, so don't be shy !  Come over and make yourself at home.

Lance

Will do. Thanks Lance. Nice to find a club that actually drives their cars on the track! Sometimes I've felt like an outsider in other clubs, given the odd look they give me when I talk about driving my club car on the track.

Hey Doc,

Wow! That Mustang crash was gnarly, I always wondered what was out there off of turn 8.
Maybe they should flatten out those berms or are those supposed to prevent you from hitting the wall?

Nice race car collection you have there! Looking forward to seeing them, I had a 1970 Boss 302 Mustang so I appreciate the Fords too!  <1

Thanks for posting the videos.

Ben

That sure was a crazy crash. I wish they'd put in a gravel trap and some tire walls before the green monster. And get rid of the dirt mound.

Love the old Boss 302. What a cool car!