1999 to 2002 Dodge Viper ACR - The Last of a Dying Breed
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| This was my Uncle Lloyd's favorite plane, not because it was particularly agile, but due to its amazing thrust and Mach 2.2 (2,334 km/h or 1,450 mph) top speed. Something tells me he would enjoy the Viper ACR. (Photo: RCAF.com) |
When I was a kid there were a few things that I promised myself I had to experience before I got old. 1) Fly in one of my Uncle Lloyd's jet fighters (they weren't actually his but you know what I mean). 2) Drive a big rig. 3) Drive a racecar. Well I'm almost old now and I haven't yet flown a jet fighter, while the closest I've been to manhandling a tractor-trailer was behind the wheel of a Dodge Ram 3500 with a fully-laden gooseneck trailer out back. But that said I did recently drive a racecar.
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| The Viper ACR in the pits at the Vancouver Indy. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press) |
It all started at the Vancouver Indy when DaimlerChrysler gave me the opportunity to experience some hot laps in the passenger seat of a Dodge Viper ACR (American Club Racer), with one of the very talented pace lap drivers at the wheel. Sliding through the full-cage roll bar into the all-encompassing wrap-around passenger seat I cinched the 5-point racing harness snug tight. The burbling V10 rumbled with anticipation, enough to match my boyish excitement as we cruised out of turn one with what seemed like very little effort. Snaking through turn two we hurled through a sharp right hander onto the back straightway.