The 2013 SRT Viper GTS-R will return to racing in just 15
days at the American LeMans Series (ALMS) American Le Mans at Monterey
Presented by Patrón with the hopes of returning to the glory seen by the Viper
GTS-R in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Just in case any Viper fans out there have forgotten just how well the
Viper race program did in the world of endurance racing, the folks from the
ALMS have been good enough to put together a very brief 3 minute video
detailing the greatness of the original Viper GTS-R.
In the first year on the ALMS tour in 1999, the pair of
Vipers fielded by Team Oreca missed the first two events of the season but they
made their debut in the GTS class for the third race of the season.The Team Oreca Viper won their first race of
the ALMS season and went on to win all six races throughout the rest of the
1999 season.A Viper also turned the
fastest lap for the GTS class in all six of the wins in 1999.
The Team Oreca Vipers came out running hard for 2000,
starting the season with a class win at the 12 Hours of Sebring.The Vipers went on to post GTS class wins at
the next five events of the season for a streak of 12 straight class wins that
was eventually broken by a Corvette. However, Viper went on to win the last 4 races on the 2012 season.
Sadly, in 2001 the Viper race program was no longer operated
by Team Oreca and with fading factory support, the Viper found itself on the
outside looking in.Luckily, with the
introduction of the 2013 SRT Viper GTS-R in just over two weeks, Dodge and SRT
fans may soon see a Viper driver atop the winner’s podium.
Check out the video below courtesy of the American LeMans
Series.
"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.
"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.
"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.
"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.
"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.
The 2013 SRT Viper GTS-R will return to racing in just 15