The Pit

Dodge welcomed the Viper back home with the 10th Viper Owner’s Invitational in Detroit! The event was held August 26-31 and was a big hit. This was definitely the year for the Illinois Region… Read on!!!

The week began with caravans being arranged to cruise as a group to Detroit. The Tuesday caravan headed down there early, and a second caravan on Wednesday was also arranged.

For many of our members, Tuesday was a day of arrival since a last minute change with the Connor Tour forced a Wednesday morning visit to the plant.

The cruise down to Detroit was brisk and seemingly short. We stopped for breaks and a group lunch at Bog Boy. The group arrived in Detroit at 3:30pm. The entire VCA was split between two hotels, the Motor City Hotel and MGM.

Shuttles were available for those needing to go between the hotels for events. The Motor City was the place where all of the action happened. Luckily, almost all IL Region members registered in time to get into the Motor City Hotel.

As members arrived, they got comfortable and headed down to VOI registration. The goodie bags were pretty good. Members received a great bag (that fits perfectly in the Viper) along with shirt, poster, thermos, emergency light, RideMakerz gift card, and other things.

During the day, we had ample time to wash our cars if needed. We also had time to pay a quick visit to Prefix, they were hosting a pre-VOI gathering at their plant. We got to see a lot of cars during their paint process.

But most notably, we saw a LOT of new Vipers with special paint jobs (orange with the ACR paint scheme, new light blue Viper, etc..). Some members even spent time looking for their new car that was on order - and some even found them!

Wednesday morning began with the Connor plant tour. Members boarded buses that whisked them directly to the plant.

Folks we’re greeted by a historic Viper display upon first entering the large factory. Connor was operational and members were led in small groups throughout the entire facility. They were able to tour every area of the plant. They witnessed the engines being assembled all the way through to the finished product.

Some even got a chance to see the barebones cars undergo their first testing on the dyno. There were even a few VIP's joining us who gave some valuable insights as to little known Viper facts.

Of course before we left, members had to hit the Connor Store. Here you’ll find merchandise that you can’t buy anywhere else. The prices are reasonable and the selection was great. Shortly thereafter, members reboarded the buses and they headed back to the hotels.

Midday was warm and sunny. Other members began to arrive along with the rest of the VCA. The hotels started to become busy as a lot of friendly faces met once again. The parking garages (having 24 hour security) were getting filled, the display of cars was phenomenal. It was fun perusing so many Vipers. It seems each year the modifications to these cars gets crazier.

Ralph spent some time talking about the Viper and its connection to the VCA. He actually highlighted many of the IL Region members by showing pictures and telling stories, what a thrill! This should have been a sign, this was our week! It felt great to have such a big name acknowledge so many of us. The dinner went along great. The great centerpieces were given away, lots of happy people. The VOI 10 Special Edition Viper was unveiled. It had a special silver paint job, a color combo never to be offered again. The room immediately stood and headed for the car as the banquet made its close. Folks then retired to their rooms (or the casino)!

Thursday was a track day for the IL Region. But the early morning began with a panoramic photo in front of the Chelsea proving grounds. Luckily the weather held off and the picture went well and so did the rest of the day.

Cars headed into Chelsea, escorted by a lead car. This is a sacred place to many, lots of secrets behind these walls. The IL Region is no stranger to this place since we come here every year to race the SRT executives. But we did visit new places within the compound that amazed us. We started with the autocross. Two of them were laid out in the sprawling area known as Black Lake. The winner of the autocrosses would be decided by averaging their best scores from each of the courses. The morning went on with tires screeching, our group set down some good times.

We were then lead to another location within Chelsea. This time we entered a large area that led to a road course. Members got to go on the track (with a lead car pacing them) and play around on their test road course.

Our members in particular salivated wondering what it would be like going “all out” on this awesome course. Afterward, there was a tech session that highlight SRT’s racing programs and car modifications. There was also a head-to-head challenge driving SRT Calibur’s. Shortly thereafter, lunch was served under a large tent.

Once lunch was done, it was time to head out to the next stop, Drag racing!

We headed to Milan Dragway. This was a VERY nice facility. The track was fast and clean. Members took their time running the track as much as they wanted. You could hear the screeching tires and the smell of rubber from the stands.

Another tech session was also held under the tents. The session described the technology that went into the new Viper and many of it's core components.

Shortly after, the herd began to thin and people began to head back to the hotel. The drive back was of course fun as many Vipers were still in the mood for some horseplay. The locals really got a good sense of what these cares can do!

This evening we had a nice dinner boat cruise that was arranged aboard the Detroit Princess Riverboat. Buses brought the VCA members to the boat and we left dock as the sun was setting.

Dinner was great and the evening was left for lounging on deck to watch the city skyline. It was a slow, romantic tour. The lights from the city reflected off the river.

After our two hours on the water, the boat arrived back to dock and we were whisked back to our hotels for some much needed shut eye (or MORE casino time) depending on who your were…

Friday was a tour day for Saleen and the Chrysler Museum. Saleen was definitely a first rate operation. Here members witness everything from the Viper components being painted to Saleen supercars on display. The factory was up and running and members had the joy of perusing the facility and talking with the workers.

This was a good time to wash cars or peruse the many Vipers that were parked in the garages. The evening brought our first visit to Belle Isle as dinner was served at our trackside Chalet! Buses moved all VCA members to our tent and a good dinner was served along with several speakers. The evening concluded and it was once again back to the hotel

Saturday was filled with sunshine and dedicated to Belle Isle racing. Cars left their hotels and Viper crossed the bridge onto Belle Isle where they were parked in a Viper Corral.

A Viper car show took place as members arrived. The show was judged by the members in attendance who brought their cars. There were only 4 classes and only one winner for each category – Gen I, Gen II, Gen III/IV, and Viper custom. There were literally hundreds of great Vipers representing every flavor you could imagine! Once the ballots were in, members headed in to the track for some racing fun.

The grounds were huge, and Penske did it in style. Vendor tents surrounded the areas, the VCA had its own Chalet tent with TV’s, the Paddock was available for us to visit, and we could also visit the pits! Saturday morning and part of the afternoon was filled mainly with qualifying runs. Around noon we broke for lunch under the chalet as cars whizzed by literally 10 feet from us. The location of our chalet was great as people lounged under the umbrellas and watched the cars fly by (ear plugs were provided!).

In the early afternoon it was time for the ALMS race. Cars lined up (including one Viper) and they hit the track hard. Members were provided grand stand passes so we could watch the race from high above. Cars roared on into the evening. At 6:00pm the Vipers were given an opportunity to make a run of the track. Speeds were moderate and we got a nice view of what these drivers get to do. Not an easy track to drive!

Once the parade lap was done, the Vipers caravanned back to the hotels to get ready for the big Saturday night dinner. The evening dinner was held off for an hour to allow members still traveling from Belle Isle.

People started to arrive, and yes folks, the IL Region had it's typical club shirts on hand. We designed a great VOI 10 logo with the snakehead rising over the Detroit skyline. The black shirts were worn by the IL Region members who attended the reception. Dinner started with a bang as video submissions were played from the various regions for the “Viper Commercial” competition. The IL Region submission (carefully constructed by our VP Gary Grube) was shown at the very end and raised quite a bit of commotion! You could already tell who the crowd favorite was: Click HERE for the IL VCA "Viper Commercial" video.

Dinner service began and we all took our seats. Tables were reserved for much of the IL region up front near the stage, we had a good view of the action. There were several guest speakers during the night.

As we were getting to dessert, a special video presentation was provided. We were first to watch the highly secret visit of the Viper ACR to the Nurburgring!! This video would be released to the public that day, it was a big deal.. Why? Because the Viper set a new record on that track, and not by a little... It beat the pants off the ZR-1 Corvette which held the top spot… not by 1, not by 2, but by over 4 seconds!!! Click the picture to the right to view the actual video - ->

It was a thrill as we watched the in car footage of the driver pounding the course. It was exhilarating watching the Viper getting tossed around the track and being driven hard. In the end, the Viper set a record that no car has even come close to – 7:22.1. The audience was thrilled and we were the first to see it!

The evening continued into the awards segment. This is where the IL Region took over! First off, the IL Region once again had more members in attendance than any other region – Over 80!! Now that is what we call support and pride for a club, you can tell our members are enthusiastic! By nights end, the IL Region took awards home in EVERY category! Dale Naffziger won in the Autocross, Ralph Cook won in the Drag, Alex Ristanovic won in the car show, Howie Frank was awarded IL Region Member of the Year, Steve Ferguson (Past IL Region President) was inducted into the Hall of Fame, and we brought home the win in the Viper Commercial contest (Thanks Gary Grube)!!! What a night!

Our President Alex Ristanovic was on stage several times receiving awards throughout the night. But there was one award, kept secret from our entire group, that was among the most prestigious. It was time for Region of the Year award, an acknowledgement that the IL Region was intently focused on bringing home one day. Only one VCA region across the world could win it, and guess what… The IL VCA won the Viper Club Region of the Year!!!

Alex stepped on stage and accepted the award on behalf of the club. The crowd went wild and the respect could be felt. We met our goals, the proud members of the IL Region hooted and yelled as the awarded was handed over. What a night it was!! The evening came to a close, many IL Region members stuck around to hang out and even take a quick photo (this was only half of them!) with some VIP’s up on stage. What a great close to VOI and an honor bestowed on our region. Congratulations lasted into the night.

The next morning was our last day and belonged to Belle Isle. Once again members flocked to the race track for two very important races – Speed WC GT and Indy! The weather was absolutely perfect, nice and warm with sun in the sky and no threat of rain. It was to be a great day to cap off an already great week.

Breakfast was served in the Chalet in the morning. Members spent the day jumping between the chalet, grandstands, pits, and paddock. The GT race had several Vipers in it and they represented well. Each time they passed, you could see the crowd get excited. The drivers waved to the crowd whenever they were under the caution flag, it was an electrifying feeling. After that, it was Indy time. Earplugs went it and we watched some of the fastest cars (and drivers) on the planet take to the track. It was a great race and a nice high point for our weekend.

Soon after it was about that time… to say good bye. Friends from within the IL VCA and other regions bid each other their farewell as they headed back to their cars to start their journeys home. Vipers could be heard firing up in the car corral and leaving in their many directions.

Of course, the walk to the Viper corral wouldn’t be complete without discussions of a VOI 11… Well, the news is in… There will indeed be a VOI 11!! I guess we’ll see you there!

Big thank you to all those who made the journey to attend VOI 10. Particular thinks to those who helped during the event with some of the IL Regions special plans like car caravan, dinner, shirt distribution, seat reservations, etc… This was a big investment in time and finances, but well worth it. You guys are the ones who make this club work, and our presence was definitely made known among the near thousand people in attendance!

Every year our club custom designs and creates its own Illinois License plate (yes it’s real). We go through a LOT to get the state to approve its design. We’re the only Viper club that does its own plate!

The plate is not a fund raiser for the club, it’s offered at cost to all those enthusiasts wanting a Viper plate for their car or a very unique collectible. We’ve completed our 2008 plate and it looks great! Our theme was the Detroit Viper Owners Invitational. And of course it has the attitude we love to put on our own products!

Keep in mind, because they are commemorative plates, they are only good for 90 days. We’ve scheduled these plates to be used during the period over the Viper Owners Invitational, so for the great many of you going, it’s a good time to show it off! Go grab a set, for your Viper, other cars, a keepsake, or for the garage wall. It’s unique, collectible, and won’t be available again. Every year is a different design.

Any questions can go to Gary Grube (who coordinates these plates for us!), his email is GaryG@illinoisVipers.com. Get your orders in now, the simple form is below!

Our club dyno day was hosted by one of our respected members (and hardcore racers) Ron Adee. The event was held at his shop in Gilberts, Illinois. The weather worked out this time (this was rescheduled from an earlier event), and now we were glad that it was! Sun was shining and members came out to see what their cars were making, also a few members coming out just to visit.

We got going a little after 7:00am, donuts and coffee of course the fuel of choice. Ron has a big shop (lots of his toys sitting around), plenty of room for everyone. Cars entered the rear door and were driven on the in-ground dyno and hooked up. Ron’s setup was fantastic. Easy to get cars on and off the dyno. Literally took a minute to hook up (far better than past locations). He had several of his folks running the show. About 18 cars were dynoed and we probably could have handled 100 cars if we wanted to.

We started with Glenn Davis’s car and moved ahead. Cars couldn’t come at a better time. The second we’d get one done, another would pull up. Cars were done in less than 10 minutes, no waiting, no line. Most members came in the morning, hitting its high point before lunch. At lunch we took a pizza break and then continued. Everyone who planned on arriving made it. We even had several Vipers making the long haul from Wisconsin. Was a great time. Things slowed to a trickle and we closed up shop around 3:00pm.

The day was filled with levity, we had plenty of time to kick back and share old stories and jokes. We witnessed a pretty wide array of cars, all generations, and most years. Some were modified and some weren’t, but they all put up big numbers. We even had a couple Vette’s.

The event was great, it was a good informal gathering. Big thanks for Ron for the hospitality and lunch. We posted some good numbers. Now let’s put the power to the pavement out there!

Car Owner
Dieter Fahrenbach
Kim Peterson
Mark Schumann
John Smith
Jason Nikolay
Bob B.
Dan Woods
Ron Adee
Tom Mikolas
Rob Salus
Glenn Davis
Mark F.
Andy Ferguson
Alex Ristanovic

Horsepower (Rear wheel - add 15% for crank horsepower)
451
362
511
426
491
383
383
424
444
425
541 (Stock 2008!)
447
362
547 (Stock 2008!)

Every year the IL VCA hosts a huge annual club party for its members. Though our cars are in hibernation, it’s a festive time for our group as we reflect on the last season and look ahead to another incredible year! It’s always a memorable evening, drawing members from far and wide!

The event was a HUGE success! Another marvelous party is under our belts as one of the largest extravaganzas we’ve done in some time turned out to be a heck of a bash! Our event took place at the Pheasant Run Resort and Spa. This venue was picked to create a convenient place for members to let their hair down for the party while just being steps away from a comfortable room to hit the sheets shortly after. It seems many members made it a weekend as they brought their significant other and took an extra day to relax and spend a couple days away from home.

We were set for the party! The setup began earlier in the day and was done in time for member arrival. Many hands were on deck as Tim Waedekin, Denise Braun, Kristina Ristanovic, Howie Frank, Mark Schumann, Steve Loudin, and many others came early to help get things in order. Members began to arrive a bit early. They were greeted by a check-in and a good-bye poster signing for recently retired Herb Helbig. Members then entered the room and were amazed at what was arranged. The room was huge, it was adorned with Viper memorabilia, live/silent auction item display, raffle display, and banners hanging. Everyone was also greeted by a big surprise… there were two 2008 Viper’s at the stage in the same room we had our party. It served as a great conversation piece and a chance for members to see the new machines up close. One of the cars was actually Alex Ristanovic’s new bright green metallic convertible with a very fresh custom Prefix paint job.

Appetizers were traveling around the room and members mingled until it was time for things to get underway. Gary Grube and Alex welcomed the group and kicked off dinner with officer introductions and a peek of what was to come for 2008. The food was great, and the Pheasant Run staff were extremely attentive.

Sprinkled throughout dinner were some great raffle prizes for both the men and women. And as dessert was served, the customary video presentation by our resident videophile Gary Grube was played on the big screen. Members laughed as the cowboy themed flick featured many members throughout the region singing to the music video. It was a hoot. Shortly after, the 2008 club banner was revealed. It continued the devious celebration of the Viper  - with the usual attitude!

The final BIG raffle items were given away and then we were on to the live auction! Lots of great items were on hand this year, they helped raise almost $10,000 for the club!

Shortly thereafter, it was time for the awards segment. The club spirit award was given to the top 10 active members in the club -  highlighting their involvement, help, sponsorship, and attendance. What a group. Our winners were: John Gastman, Mark Schumann, Dave Pinder, Glenn Davis, Larry/Nancy Friend, Jeremy Walker, Rob Salus, Steve Loudin, Mark Les, and Kim Peterson. Some specialty awards were also handed out. The Rookie Driver of the year went to Rob Salus. The overall Rookie Member of the Year went to David Catalanello. And The Bill Braun Competitor of the Year Award went to Mark Schumann. Congratulations to all winners

Last on the agenda was the phenomenal centerpiece giveaway. Tim Waedekin made some wild aluminum standing Sneak Pete and Fangs centerpieces. Thrilled winners quickly snatched them up! What a gift for so many!

Alex and Gary then bid their final thank you’s and farewell to the group. After that, members milled around and chatted. Club merchandise was flying out the door as the new annual club shirts were revealed… a beautiful black polo with embroidered IL VCA snakehead logo. Also shown for the first time was the new club white T-shirts with IL VCA logo. There were also over 15 new items along with nearly 100 other merchandise items. Members spent a lot of time shopping and enjoying the great things available.

The event went on and members lingered past 1:00am. Many hands were on deck for the breakdown which took only 20 minutes. (thanks to all of you!)

The event was among our best attended, it boasted over 115 IL Region members from all over IL, WI, IN, and MI! VIP’s were in attendance (driving quite a distance) as Herb Helbig paid us a visit along with Mark Giannotta. We even had 4 out of 5 of our own IL VCA past/present president’s in attendance. This was a great event and a pleasant surprise to many members. We did it in style! We hope you had a good time!

The 2008 IL VCA Dream Weekend was a HUMONGOUS success!! The event sold out in two weeks. It was a multi-region affair hosted by the IL VCA that included over 90 people throughout 18 VCA regions!! There were members joining us from all over the world, five of the furthest came from Germany!

This was to be one of our biggest and busiest Dream Weekends ever. Knowing this would quite certainly be our last visit to some of these places, we planned on making this a trip to remember. Planning for the event began in September of 2007. A lot of time, and a lot of diligence (and of course a few great connections with Chrysler and Viper HQ) helped to lay the foundation. Our members were in for a treat!

The event began Thursday as members converged at the Hilton Suite in Auburn Hills. A great dinner was arranged in the atrium of the hotel to kick off the weekend. Pretty much all members who registered made the dinner. People started to assemble early. Dinner started at 7:00pm. Many stayed into the late hours chatting away, then retired to their rooms to prepare for the long day head.

Friday morning started early, 7:00am. Members gathered in the lobby. They were in for a treat as they were greeted by a Viper 2008 hood that everyone in attendance signed to commemorate the event. Shortly thereafter, members were split into groups and loaded on the buses that would take them on their journey in style.

On the other side of the world, the other half of the group was being led on a fantastic tour of Prefix.

It was our first time here. The good folks at Prefix rolled out the red carpet and led us on quite the tour of their grounds. We got a good peek into the type of business they do. We witnessed cars from the early stages of modification all the way to the end result. We got a glimpse into how they do those stunning snakeskin stripes. The precision of their work is amazing.

We were given the freedom to explore the plant and speak with the workers there. This was a well organized facility and their work is unparalleled. The cars were spotless as they were worked on. This is no ordinary paint and interior shop, they truly of top of their game at finishing off these cars. One-of-a-kind are the words you constantly heard. There are going to be a lot of happy owners out there.

After both groups toured their first stops, the buses crossed paths and the tours were repeated with the opposite groups All the tours went well. After everyone’s morning at Prefix and Connor was complete, the buses headed north for a break and a good lunch spot that offered members a choice of many restaurants to choose from. Members split up and headed off to grab a bite and discuss the morning’s events.

After an hour, members arrived back to the buses and now our afternoon began! The buses stayed together the rest of the day since the following facilities were able to accommodate our entire group at once. Our next stop was The Chrysler Museum!

Buses unloaded in front of the large facility and members gleefully entered the complex. A photo opportunity was of course taken while we were there.

For those that have been there before, it was a welcome return. There were also many who were visiting for the first time, they were in awe as they ran through three floors of pure bliss. There is plenty to see here. The basement seems to be an especially common meeting place for us, lots of goodies down there. Members continued to peruse the exhibits, take pictures and shop in the museum store before heading back to the buses for the nest stop in the adventure.

The buses didn’t drive a very long distance as they arrived at a very prominent building… They had reached the historic building called the Chrysler Technology Center (CTC). This was no ordinary stop. The members were given a true glimpse behind the scenes at a fairly high security place. After being led for some distance, they arrived at a room with a Viper ACR!

Members gathered around and took photo opportunities, being among the first to see the automobile in person. It looked stunning in person. Another big surprise was a visit by recently retired Herb Helbig. Members had a chance to thank the man known as the “Grail Keeper” for keeping the Viper true to what it always was… an all business machine.

After moving on, the members were lead to a large room to get a formal presentation and discussion over many SRT products, which of course included the Viper. A detail discussion ensued on the Vipers engine, performance, and development of the ACR. We were lucky to have enjoyed the presentation by many big names in Chrysler. The stop was already running late due to the long discussion, but of course the most entertaining tour was yet to take place.

Members were led through a maze of corridors and hallways that along the way had many interesting things to view. They then came upon an area known as SCI Labs, the area that Chrysler tests its engines. Members were in for a treat as they toured the lab and even witnessed a Viper engine on a full dyno run. The engineers ran the engine hard, it easily made more than 600 horsepower on the big screen. It was a great sight and lots of sound, the headers were glowing red!! This was indeed a high point, how cool!!

After CTC, the group was truly fulfilled. The group headed off to the last stop which was “Lelli’s”, not far from CTC, for a really great dinner. Some stopped at the hotel to drop off the goodies they collected throughout the day. Lelli’s was a great way to finish the evening, it’s a very well known steakhouse in the area as well as a common haunt for the Chrysler crowd. One bus stayed behind to finish transporting the remaining members to the hotel. The long day was done, and what a smile the group had on their faces.

Saturday was the last day of our event. Members converged in the lobby early to caravan down to the North American International Auto Show. This was actually opening day to the public. Our members already had their tickets provided to them previously, so they stood in the short line to enter the great hall just as the doors opened. They witnessed a lot of new concepts, new production models, and of course… Vipers! There were several on display, two of them in ACR form!! Of course flash bulbs were popping.