SRT Motorsports - SRT Viper Cup Series Race - Road Atlanta  

April 15, 2013 , AUBURN HILLS, Mich. -  The SRT® Viper Cup Series opened its fourth season in impressive fashion this past weekend at Road Atlanta in Braselton, Ga. Turning in a dazzling performance in the season opener was 18-year-old Louis-Philippe (nicknamed LP) Montour.

The series features the SRT-designed Viper ACR-X, a special-edition model of America’s ultimate sports car.

Montour made it a weekend sweep, winning the opening event on Saturday and backed up the performance with an impressive win on Sunday in a steady rain. To add power to the performance, the Canadian driver was the overall winner on Sunday, edging competitors in the GT-U, GT-1 and GT-2 classes as well as his SRT Viper Cup Series foes – all on the track at the same time. With the two race wins, Montour leads Dan Knox by 21 points (131-110) in the early season standings.

Sanctioned by the North American Road Racing Association (NARRA), the SRT Viper Cup Series in 2013 will run as a distinct class within the NARRA USGTC races. In addition to Road Atlanta, other venues are Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International (May 3-5), New Jersey Motorsports Park (June 7-9), Pittsburg International Race Complex (Aug. 16-18), Virginia International Raceway (Oct. 2-5) and Sebring International Raceway (Nov. 22-24). Each venue will host two races during the weekend. The American Le Mans Series will also be competing at the 3.27-mile VIR road course during the same weekend.

“There’s no better way to start the 2013 SRT Viper Cup season than by seeing a young driver perform so impressively,” said SRT Motorsports Racing Manager Gary Johnson. “We couldn’t be more proud of LP and what he did on the track this weekend.

“Competing within NARRA’s USGTC races in 2013 adds the challenge of multi-class racing, giving drivers an experience similar to what it’s like for the SRT Motorsports factory drivers at places like Sebring and Le Mans.

The SRT Viper Cup Series has earned a reputation for developing future talent. Ben Keating, who won the series title in 2011 and 2012, will compete full-time in the American Le Mans Series this season. And after the first two races it appears that Montour is ready to add his name to the list of champions. Keating swept both races at Road Atlanta last year en route to his second championship.

Following his victory on Sunday afternoon, Montour said that driving on the wet asphalt was much like winter driving conditions in his native Saint-Donat, Quebec.

“I like driving in the rain,” Montour said. “It’s very fun. It’s like driving in the snow because in Quebec, we have a lot of snow in the winter. I know how to control the car when the surface is slippery. This was my first time racing in the rain in SRT Viper Cup.

I didn’t expect when I arrived here Friday night I would be winning these two races. I’m very happy about that.”

Montour says the experience he gained last year is paying off in his second year in the series. “I learned a lot last season,” he said. “I finished third in the championship and for me that was very good learning. I’m just 18 and I raced against people that had a lot of experience behind the wheel. The difference compared to the last season is that I know a couple of the tracks. Last season, every track that I raced at was new for me and gave me an additional challenge.”

The Canadian teenager added that competing in the SRT Viper Cup Series does a lot to sharpen his skills as a driver because of the amount of driver discipline required.

“Due to the spec-series rules, the discipline is much higher and it is really the driver skills that make the difference,” he said. “The ACR-X is a big, powerful race car. Driving this car requires some abilities and I am improving my driving skills every time I touch the steering.”

Drivers will be competing for more than $50,000 in cash and prizes during the season and will receive free entry for each of the 12 rounds of competition at the six venues.

Mopar returns as a partner in the series and is joined by Arrow Racing Engines to sponsor the contingency program. The top-five drivers at each race will earn vouchers toward engine rebuild parts and labor supplied by Arrow Racing Engines through Dodge Motorsports South. Also new for the 2013 season is a spec Pirelli tire. The National Breast Cancer Coalition continues as the official charity.

“The Viper ACR-X takes all the performance attributes of the production Viper to an even higher level to create a purpose-built racing machine,” Johnson added. “The high performance nature of the ACR-X and the fact that the specifications of each car are carefully controlled means this is the ultimate drivers’ series for all skill levels, amateur to professional.”

The revised contingency program for the 2013 season includes:

SRT Season Championship Cash Awards
1st -- $10,000 2nd -- $5,000 3rd -- $3,000

Mopar Voucher Awards (per race)
1st -- $1,000 2nd -- $500 3rd -- $250 4th -- $200 5th -- $200

Arrow Racing Voucher Contingency (per race)
1st -- $300 2nd -- $200 3rd -- $125 4th -- $75 5th -- $50

Road Atlanta
Race 1 Results
Saturday, April 13, 2013
1. Louis-Philippe Montour
2. Dan Knox
3. Eric Galerne
4. David Mazyck
5. Kurt Sollberger

Road Atlanta
Race 2 Results
Sunday, April 14, 2013
1. Louis-Philippe Montour
2. Dan Knox
3. David Mazyck
4. Kurt Sollberger
5. Eric Galerne

SRT Viper Cup Series
Point Standings
(After 2 of 12 races)
1. Louis-Philippe Montour 131
2. Dan Knox 110
3. David Mazyck 82
4. Kurt Sollberger 68
5. Eric Galerne 45

The 'Ultimate' Special-Edition Viper
The SRT Viper ACR-X combines the best performance attributes of the record setting, street-legal Dodge Viper American Club Racer (ACR) and the safety equipment of championship-winning Dodge Viper Competition Coupe. Powered by the SRT-developed 8.4-liter V-10 engine and equipped with factory headers and a low-restriction exhaust system, the Viper ACR-X produces 640 horsepower (40 more than the production model) and 605 lb.-ft. of torque (45 more than the production model).

The suspension also is tuned and upgraded specifically for on-track usage with unique springs, two-way adjustable shocks and adjustable sway bar links.

Curb weight is a full 160 pounds lighter (compared with the standard-2010 production Viper) to take on even the most challenging road course. Additional aerodynamic upgrades, including quad-dive planes and underbody ducts, improve down force while enhancing stability and significantly improving grip in high-speed cornering.

Similar to the Dodge Viper Competition Coupe, the 2010 Viper ACR-X contains factory-installed safety equipment such as a factory-designed roll cage, fire suppression system, fuel cell and race seat. Additional racing components, including a transmission cooler, rear differential cooling system, unique front rotors with larger surface area and improved brake cooling via scoops in the front fascia, are added to meet the significant durability and reliability requirements for on-track competition. Only 50 units of the 2010 SRT Viper ACR-X were built and all have been sold.

Viper Racing Heritage
The Viper has enjoyed a successful racing heritage that began in 1996 with the original Viper racing entry, the GTS-R, which earned five international GT championships and the 1997-1999 FIA GT championships. It also posted an amazing overall win at the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona in 2000 - the first for a production-based American car.

Viper finished one-two at The 24 Hours of Le Mans in GTS class in three consecutive years: 1998 - 2000 and also captured GTS class, manufacturer's and driver's championships in the American Le Mans Series in 1999 and 2000.

The Dodge Viper Competition Coupe, introduced in 2003, delivered the next chapter of that history with its coupe-shaped carbon/Kevlar body and a track-ready chassis, based on the Dodge Viper SRT10. The Viper Competition Coupe has continued the on-track prowess by capturing the 2004 SCCA Speed World Challenge GT title, championships in Formula D Drifting series in 2004 and 2006 and the British GT Championship in 2007 and 2008.

In 2010, Ryan Schimsk of Austin, Texas, captured the inaugural Dodge Viper Cup series championship by virtue of his five race wins and strong finishes in the other five races of no worse than fourth. Series regulars Ben Keating (Victoria, Texas) and Keith Verges (Dallas) finished second and third, respectively.

Keating captured the 2011 Dodge Viper Cup series championship by winning four races and seven pole positions. His championship run was not complete until the final race of the season at Daytona. Jeff Courtney and series rookie A.J. Morgan finished second and third, respectively. .
In 2012 Keating repeated the feat, becoming the first driver in series history to win back-to-back championships. Jim Booth finished second.

The newly launched Viper GTS-R returned to American Le Mans Series competition late in 2012 and is competing fulltime in 2013 with two factory-backed SRT Viper GTS-Rs.

North American Road Racing Association
In the business of entertainment as well as racing, the North American Road Racing Association's aim is to create the most spectacular events for drivers, teams, series, manufacturers, sponsors and fans. From three day national spectator events at premium venues to OEM driving experiences and one-off celebrity races, NARRA offers a full range of motorsport services including series and event sanctioning, management and promotion, publicity and in-house broadcast video production. Home to high-end, high-performance sports cars for over 19 years, NARRA is known for camaraderie as well as competition. NARRA caters to every skill level, from novice to
professional and allows participants to rise through its own ranks, from the US Performance Driver Education program with personal instruction to the Whelen US Time Trial Championship and US GT Championship. As well as sanctioning the SRT
Viper Cup and Radical Cup USA series, each of NARRA’s events feature ViperDays, allowing all Viper drivers to take to the track during real race weekends. For more information visit NARRAonline.com, follow us at facebook.com/NARRAonline or watch us on youtube.com/NARRAonline.

About the Mopar Brand
Mopar is Chrysler Group LLC's service, parts and customer-care brand and distributes 280,000 parts and accessories. With the creation of the Chrysler Group and Fiat S.p.A. partnership, Mopar is extending its global reach, integrating service, parts and customer-care operations in order to enhance dealer and customer support worldwide. Combined with Fiat S.p.A., Mopar's global portfolio includes more than 500,000 parts and accessories which are distributed in more than 120 countries. Mopar is the source for all genuine parts and accessories for Chrysler Group and Fiat S.p.A. brands.

Mopar parts are unique in that they are engineered with the same teams that create factory-authorized vehicle specifications for Chrysler Group and Fiat S.p.A. vehicles - a direct connection that no other aftermarket parts company can provide. A complete list of Mopar accessories and performance parts is available at www.mopar.com.

About SRT and SRT Motorsports
The Chrysler Group’s SRT (Street and Racing Technology) brand uses a successful product development formula featuring five proven hallmarks: awe-inspiring powertrains; outstanding ride, handling and capability; benchmark braking; aggressive and functional exteriors and race-inspired and high-performance interiors to remain true to its performance roots.

The SRT lineup in the 2013 model year features five vehicles that are world-class performance contenders and bring the latest in safety technologies and creature comforts. The Chrysler 300 SRT, Dodge Challenger SRT 392, Dodge Charger SRT and Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT are joined by the SRT flagship Viper and Viper GTS models, which are making their highly anticipated return to the high-performance sports car market.

The engineering expertise within SRT extends well beyond its high-performance street vehicles. Technical support for the Chrysler Group's various racing programs is provided by the astute engineers at SRT Motorsports, where lessons learned on the race track directly translate to improved vehicles for the company’s customers.

Follow SRT and Chrysler Group news and video on:
SRT site: http://drivesrt.com and www.drivesrt/racing
Twitter: www.twitter.com/drivesrt, www.twitter.com/teamSRT and www.twitter.com/chrysler Facebook: www.facebook/driveSRT
Chrysler media site: http://media.chrysler.com
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/pentastarvideo
Chrysler Connect blog: http://blog.chryslergroupllc.com
Streetfire: http://members.streetfire.net/profile/ChryslerVideo.htm
Corporate website: http://www.chryslergroupllc.com

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