[Janni]

Thanks for posting some questions about Viper Days.

As I was "watching" the Sebring World Challenge race, I was thinking about how proud the Viper Days folks should be - as they are quite responsible for turing out some excellent drivers - drivers that are holding their own against "real professionals" and factory teams.

Mike McCann, VRL alumnus and all around good guy, raced several seasons at Viper Days - honing his skills in an environment that encourages participants to help one another and believes that helping someone else go faster only serves to improve the competition for everyone. All this in a fun, safe and no contact environment. 2004 brought Rookie of the Year honors to Mike in SCCA Speed World Challenge.

And maybe even a better example is Sonny Whelen. Sonny's first ViperDays was Motorsport Ranch in 2001(?) and he spent at least one full season in the Michelin Challenge Series - LEARNING how to go fast in a Viper. Measuring his progress against the VRL guys at the time (folks like Mike) and finally moving to the VRL where he was the GT1 Champion last year. And, as Chuck said, even though Sonny's driving Tupperware now, we still can enjoy his recent success as the highest finishing rookie at Sebring. (More intersting, IMO, is that I think he put down the second fastest lap of the race.....) My money is on Sonny for this years Rookie of the Year.

So, where else can you get this? Certainly not trading pointers with the front drive Hondas and Acuras at open track days. Certainly not at SCCA racing where track time is measured in minutes for the course of the weekend.

ViperDays is the ONLY Viper specific venue that TEACHES the beginner through the wheel to wheel racer. ViperDays is the only venue with a points system and championship series for Solo II type driving (not that any of us is competitive). ViperDays is the only series that helps any driver that wants to advance to run the wheel to wheel series. ViperDays is the only challenge and race venue that travels with their own car and driver SUPPORT vendors. Where else can you go and get your car set up by the fabulous Russell from Archer Racing? You get trackside alignments from recognized EXPERTS at open track events? How about tires / wheels / safety equipment? - Bobby Archer brings everything you need and will work tirelessley (pun intended) to make sure you don't miss any track time. And, who could forget the best damn team of event organizers in the WORLD. Between Courtney, Tracy, Penny, Tom, Kevin and Skip, you have eerything you need to have fun and be successful.

So yeah, you can run less expensive events, and some may even be less expensive on a per track minute basis - BUT - it's been my experience, and most everyone elses, that the track time you get at Viper Days is focused on improving you as a driver. You are out there with like vehicles so the closing speeds are safe and passing is reasonable (not passing 14 Miatas a lap - unless you are into that, of course...) and you have other drivers, in similiarly prepared cars (i.e. the points matrix) with which to compare your times, lines, experiences. And timing - none of this "everyone run their own HotLap timer" crap - where you never know of the times are real or it's working right, or if your buddy is telling you the truth... they have real timing and Penny gets you your times faster than you can put in a lap at Sebring. And depending on how you do - there are trophies and bragging rights.

Ask the current crop of Speed GT guys where their practice and training money was best spent.

And THAT'S why Viper Days isn't your regular open track day event.