2011 Dodge Viper Cup Round 1 - Sebring
Morgan wins first Dodge Viper Cup Race of 2011
Newcomer A.J. Morgan, a 21-year-old veteran racer from Darien, Ill., won the first Dodge Viper Cup race of the 2011 season. He averaged 28.5 mph on a drying track, passing Texan Ben Keating prior to the back straight on the final lap at Sebring International Raceway, Sebring Florida on Saturday.
That's not a misprint. The average speed is correct. The race was only four laps long; two under full course yellow after Dave Fiorelli's single-car crash right at the green flag took out the concrete wall just past the starting line. The race was finally stopped while crews repaired the wall, then the field formed for a scored lap behind the pace car leading to the re-start with Morgan at the head of the single file pack.
The starter threw the green and the white flag NASCAR style, and the race came down to one flying lap free-for-all to the checker.
Keating grabbed the lead from Morgan into the first turn, but Morgan jumped on a chance to get him back late in the lap: "I got beside him coming out of ten," said Morgan, a former go kart and midget driver. "We hit some puddles into the next turn and touched. A little rough racing, but I held him off to the end. We have a little work tonight to make sure the left front is OK for tomorrow."
Billy Gropp brought his Dodge Viper ACR-X from sixth to third during the lap while World Challenge vet Jeff Courtney came fourth in the melee.
Fiorelli was unhurt in the crash, but had to convince the rescue crew that the blood on his driving suit came from a small cut earlier in the day in the pits and not from the wall banging. His car was too damaged to run in Sunday's Race 2.
2011 Dodge Viper Cup Round 2 - Sebring
Jeff Courtney survived an event-filled race to take Dodge Viper Cup Race Two this weekend at Sebring International Raceway. He was gridded third for the standing start and fell in behind second fast qualifier A.J. Morgan as pole man Ben Keating got a great start and entered the fast Turn One car lengths ahead of the pack. Keating did not make it through as he carried too much speed and spun off into the tire wall. He was able to back out, taking a few tires with him, and re-joined the field in last place, his passenger door stove in and various parts loosened in the undercarriage.
The course was under a full-course yellow for two laps and when the race went green Courtney out-dragged Morgan, taking a short-lived lead until Morgan got a good run on him out onto the back stretch and went by. Morgan led easily, but for only a couple of laps before losing his clutch. He slowed entering that same back stretch and Courtney went by again.
"At around Bishop's Bend I wanted to go from four to three and it wouldn't go," Said Morgan. "Then I noticed that the clutch pedal was flat on the floor."
Morgan dropped way back as he sorted out clutchless shifting and Billy Gropp's Mopar Dodge Viper inherited second place. Gropp was black-flagged for an alleged yellow flag violation and served a drive-through penalty re-entering the fray in last place. That penalty is under review by race officials, so the finishing order is not yet official.
Morgan got going again but then blew a front tire and was out of the race. By then Courtney had a huge lead on new second place man Todd Nelson. Keating clawed his way back up to third, dragging his undertray behind. Back in the paddock he acted as if he had won the race after an epic drive. Dave Fiorelli drove Keating's back-up car in the race after heavily damaging his own Dodge Viper ACR-X at the start of Race One.
Oscar Gomez Lap.mpg
Oscar was given a ride in Dave Fiorelli's Viper ACRX. They were able to run the 1.3 mile course at Motorsport Ranch Cresson on November 5, 2011. Oscar had never riden in a race car before. The car used was the number 81 Dodge Viper Cup entry. This car was last raced to victory at Daytona International Raceway on October 23, 2011 by Kuno Whitmer.
Rusty Wallace Racing Experience Phoenix Ride Along
RWRE goes to Phoenix International Raceway. This is your chance to lose that yellow rookie stripe. Climb in, buckle up and ride shotgun in a NASCAR stock car driven by a professional instructor for a 4-lap qualifying run. This is the ride of a lifetime, you are riding shotgun in a real NASCAR Sprint Cup car. There's a TRD Race Motor under the hood that has previously competed in a NASCAR race. Oh yeah....that driver to your left has thousands of laps in a car and is comfortable at corner speeds that are nothing short of amazing. (Every so often that driver just happens to be one of NASCARS 50 greatest drivers of all time.)
PST Viper Hallett Test Day-Fast Lap
Viper Days at Hallett Motor Racing Circuit August 13, 2010
Test Session for Race Group Cars
PST Viper Driven by Dave Fiorelli
Fast Lap of Test: 1.16.3
Qualified on Pole @ 1:17.43 in 100+ degree F ambient temperature
Turned a 1:15.6 during the race later that day.
The Viper has near 700HP at the rear wheels and weighs about 3200lbs with fuel. Fisher Motorsports tuned Motec provides us the proper fuel and spark. Performance Speed Tech built and valved Penske shocks help keep the power on the ground. The car runs Hoosier R100 race slicks. The front tire size is a 305/650-18 and the rear is a 355/645-18. Performance Speed Tech sells what it races!
Contact www.performancespeedtech.com for more information!
The Drivers Edge Lotus Exige Driving Instruction with Race-Keeper.avi
Rich Soulle of The Drivers Edge talking a lap around MSR Cresson 3.1 in his Lotus Exige. Forgett about taking notes during your driving event, its all recorded with driving data on the video! This was recorded with a 3-camera Race-Keeper video/data system. PST is offering a $150 gift certificate to The Drivers Edge events with purchase of any Race Keeper system. The offer is good through 12/2011. Offer is only valid on full system purchases made through Performance SpeedTech. www.thedriversedge.net www.performancespeedtech.com www.race-keeper.com
PST Viper Cup Testing at MSR - Fast Lap 1:13.9
Pre-Season Viper Cup Testing at MSR Cresson. Dave Fiorelli is getting a handle on the ACR-X. The car is as delivered from Dodge with exception for an alignment and setup. We have some work to do before the first race but this is an excellent start! Look for more videos from the Viper Cup race series begining in May.
Fiat 500 Abarth Autocross Race Track Challenge
This video shows Zeroto60Times.com Chief Editor Tommy Johnson at the helm of a new Fiat 500 Abarth during the Autocross competition in Las Vegas against other teams comprised of prominent car website reps, Facebook fans, pro drivers and men's publishing reps. The Fiat 500 Abarth handled and accelerated surprisingly well. The passenger guiding Tommy through the track is Kuno Wittmer, a world class racing driver (currently racing the 2013 Viper).
