SRT Viper GTS-Rs Finish 10th and 12th in Class at Mid-Ohio

The Viper GTS-RSRT Viper GTS-RUnited States of America, 2013 > present7 photos
made its race debut at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course on Saturday, August 4, in the two hour and 45 minute American Le Mans Series race. The cars finished 10th and 12th in class out of 13 cars in its class. It was not the best performance ever for a race debut, but both cars ran the entire race and finished without mechanical issues. 

The Vipers sounded amazing like the Corvettes with even more muscle. They also looked great lapping the track. They started in 12th and 13th place and raced against the Alex Job Racing Lotus EvoraLotus Evora GTEUnited Kingdom, 2011 > present8 photos
1 video
for nearly the entire race. They moved up one spot when the race-leading Corvette driven by Antonio Garcia and Jan Magnussen had a collision with a GTC PorschePorsche 911 GT3 CupGermany, 2010 > present12 photos
1 video
and had a suspension failure. The CorvetteChevrolet Corvette C6.RUnited States of America, 2012 > present3 photos
was able to get back on track but in last place. 

“Our first goal was to get through the race without any major problems. We accomplished that. In fact, we were making progress throughout the race. The cars were getting better. The race gives us an opportunity to know where the issues are and where we need to focus," said Gary Johnson, Road Racing Manger at SRTSRTUnited States of America, 2010 > present5 models
296 photos
1 video
Motorsports.

SRT says that it feels that the car is about two seconds a lap off the pace where it wants to be. There are still four races left this season in the ALMS, and those races should be looked at more as in-race development than real competition for the GTS-R. 

At the top of the GT class, the Flying Lizard Motorsport PorschePorsche 911 GT3 RSRGermany, 2012 > present6 photos
driven by Patrick Long and Jörg Bergmeister fought through the field to second place and was challenging the other Corvette driven by Tom Milner and Oliver Gavin for first place in the last 20 minutes of the race. The BMW M3BMW M3 GTRGermany, 2009 > present4 photos
driven by Jörg Müller and Bill Auberlen finished in third place. 

Honda's HPD ARX-03aHonda HPD ARX 03aJapan, 2012 > present2 photos
1 video
and ARX-03bHonda HPD ARX 03bJapan, 2012 > present2 photos
1 video
took first in class in the LMP1 and LMP2 classes. Although to be fair, they did not exactly have robust competition. 

The ALMS is not without its issues right now. First, there are only three cars in the LMP1 class: an HPD ARX-03a, Lola B12/60Lola B12/60 CoupeUnited Kingdom, 2011 > present2 photos
1 video
-Mazda and a Lola B11/66-Mazda. Only two of those cars have scored points this season. There are only four cars in the LMP2 class: an HPD ARX-03a, a Morgan-Nissan, a Lola B12/80-JuddLola B12/80 COUPE JuddUnited Kingdom, 2012 > present1 photo
and a Lola B11/80-Honda.