2nd Weekend of Viper Cup Madness Heats Up Hallet |
 
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Posted on August 13, 2010
This weekend, we’ll be at Hallet Raceway in Jennings, Oklahoma for the 3rd & 4th running of the Viper Cup. For those of you who aren’t already following this fledgling series, the Viper Cup is unlike anything Dodge has lent their name to in the past. While the Viper ACR-X is not a feat of automotive engineering to be dismissed, the real focus of this race is the owners themselves.
On Friday, we’ll be bringing the adrenaline of the track to you when we touchdown in Tulsa, Oklahoma, cameras and ballpoint pens poised to strike. We’ll be covering everything from the first practice lap to the last tire change, so be sure to follow the action on Facebook, Twitter, and of course here at RedLetterDodge.
Aug 14, 2010 @ 11:45:00
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. This “Viper-Only” series is a total bore and a waste of money. If Dodge isn’t racing against the competition (e.g., Corvette), then it’s of no interest to most Dodge racing fans. It only makes you (Dodge) appear to be afraid to match your car against “their” car. And why spend time and money promoting a model that sells only 2-300 cars per year?
Dodge needs to put its Motorsports money into NASCAR! Having only one Nascar team sponsored by Dodge (Penske) is absurd! Us Mopar fans have only 1 car (Kurt Busch) in the Cup series with a decent chance to win on Sundays, and that’s in a field of 43. One chance in 43!
I can tell the difference at the track too, in comparison to only a couple of years ago. I’ve observed a lot less fans with Dodge Motorsports or Dodge driver’s swag on. At Charlotte, I was surprised to see NO Dodge Motorsports souvenir trailers at the track! There was a Penske trailer but NO Dodge Motorsports trailers. Usually there has been two or more in the past!
It’s clear to me that Dodge is abandoning the hottest Motorsports venue in existence! Mr. Gilles tries to sugar-coat the situation with terms like, “a more focused effort,” but we’re not stupid, Mr. Gilles. We know that what you really are talking about is a “decreased” effort in Nascar!
Aug 14, 2010 @ 17:26:04
Speaking of racing, the Penske Dodge Challengers clean up at the NASCAR Nationwide Series at Michigan. Congratulations to Brad Keselowski for giving the Dodge Challenger its first win in NASCAR and for Justin Allgaier’s 4th place finish. A 1st and a 4th in just the second race with the Challenger. Realistically, this was the first race since they let Dale, Jr. win the first race (a little bit too obvious Mr. France). Great job, keep up the good work Dodge! By the way, we love the Viper but you post too many blogs on them. The people who can afford brand new Vipers don’t really read this blog or do they? Lets hear from them. At any rate, lets offer the V10 in the Challenger or at least offer a factory twin turbo or blown Challenger. Some of us like muscle cars and need a factory screamer that we still have to drive everyday that seats at least four. Don’t get me wrong, I love the Viper and think that its shape, headlights, etc. really replicates a venomous snake better than any car ever built but they are just too expensive for most people. Anyhow, keep the wins coming Dodge!
Aug 14, 2010 @ 21:06:05
Congrats DODGE, PENSKE, and of course BRAD KESELOWSKI on your Michigan Win!
Love the new Challenger on the track. I hope DODGE ups the effort next season in the cup series.
Now, we all know Special K can drive, but DODGE needs to give him the equipment in cup.
Hopefully. the blue deuce will bring him to the front next year. Too bad you guys missed out on Kahne. He could have replaced Sam Jr. and you would have had an awesome team. I like Sam Jr, I think he’s a nice guy but, I am thinking he’s not cut out for cup racing.
Congrats Chally on your first win!
Aug 15, 2010 @ 01:15:03
Yeh, letting Kasey Kahne get away was a major blunder on Dodge’s part. That guy had a lot of fans and was one of the main reasons that a lot of fans wore Dodge swag in the past. Kurt is a good driver but doesn’t have even close to the number of fans that Kasey has. I can’t believe that Dodge and Penske didn’t make Kasey an offer he couldn’t refuse!
Aug 15, 2010 @ 10:17:06
I can’t believe they passed on Kasey. Like tr4petty said,
he has a huge fanbase. I thought the guy had talent and
was an exciting racer, when he was with DODGE.
Everybody had the KK swag on, and it was dodge red too.
Now I got a lot of gear to throw away.
I guess popularity don’t matter to them, they let the KING go.
I think Dodge and Penske missed an opportunity
there. They could at least have 4 cars in cup.
Come on guys, give the fans what they want.
Aug 15, 2010 @ 16:38:55
Today’s Cup race in Michigan was a GOOD example of why Dodge needs to support more teams in Nascar. After only a few laps, the only Dodge in the field of 43 with a decent chance of winning (Kurt Busch) goes out with a blown engine! Now what do us Dodge Nascar fans have to do with the remaining 3 hours of racing?!?!? Rookie Brad K and ex (and should be still) open-wheel driver Sam H. were doing their typical “mid-pack, following the others routine.” They wound up 32d and 34th. If Dodge (Ralph Gilles) were still sponsoring RPM like they should be, we would of at least had some good racing to watch as the RPM guys all ran in the top ten part of the time and Kasey was on the pole for the race. Dodge Motorsports, under the leadership of Ralph Gilles, is making it very hard to remain a Dodge/Mopar fan.
Aug 15, 2010 @ 17:28:47
tr4petty, yeah, that was very disappointing, however, I turned off the TV and got a lot done today. Did a Chevy win the race?…probably and I am glad I didn’t stay tuned to see it. It looks like the Nationwide series is the only NASCAR we can watch and hopefully Brad Keselowski can continue with his dominance with his Dodge Charger and Challenger. Speaking of the Nationwide series, why doesn’t Chevy have a Camaro in the series? Why are there two sets of standards for those guys? And letting Toyota enter a Camry (the most boring and slow car in the world) as a “race car” is just plain ludicrous. Hopefully, the Dodge boys can win in NHRA drag racing. As long as Kurt can stay in the Chase and win it then I won’t complain anymore. If a Chevy wins the Sprint cup again this year then no one should even waste their hard earned money to go see a race. I know I don’t anymore.
Aug 15, 2010 @ 17:46:53
Sublime, you’re not going to like it, but a Chevy (Kevin Harvick) won the race! To be honest though, I’d rather Harvick win than Denny Hamlin in his Toyota. Hamlin came in second.
Chevy says that their Camaro is a very distinct and unique design and that the Nationwide series still didn’t allow enough manufacturer distinction in the bodies of those cars. Personally, I think the new Nationwide Challenger and Mustang are leaps and bounds ahead of the Cup cars in manufacturer distinction, but apparently still not enough for the Motorsports folks at Chevy. As far as Toyota is concerned; what else do they have? I mean, they don’t really have a muscle car like the Chally, Maro, or Stang, so I guess they just prefer to run their most popular body style.
Aug 15, 2010 @ 17:49:51
Oh, and one more thing you’re not going to like Sublime. Kurt dropped from 4th in the overall point standings, all the way down to 10th!!!!!!!! Luckily, Bristol and Atlanta have been pretty good tracks for Kurt in the past. Hopefully, he can climb back up some over the next two races.
Aug 15, 2010 @ 19:00:09
tr4petty, when you put all your eggs in one basket…well, you know the rest of that story. One more bad day for Kurt and no Dodges in the Chase this year. I think Jimmy Johnson’s crew put something in the oil or gas tanks of the Dodges to sabbotage them. They were probably still upset about Kurt calling him a pretty boy. If I was Penske, I would have better security around those cars.
Aug 15, 2010 @ 23:23:11
Sorry for the rant, guys, but I’m a huge Mopar fan and a huge Nascar fan. Ever since Mr. Gilles was put in charge of Dodge Motorsports, I feel like I’m watching a sinking ship! Only one car in 43 with a decent chance to win a Cup trophy on Sundays. No Dodge or Ram trucks with a chance to win in the Nascar Camping World truck series except for the 3 or 4 races that poor Brad Keselowski can scrape up enough money on his own to run in. Granted, Brad and Justin are doing a good job in the Nationwide series but wouldn’t it be nice if there were a few more competitive Dodges in that series to watch, too? But somehow, Dodge can come up with the money to run a Super Bowl spot that was one of the most boring Charger (or any car) commercials I’ve ever seen! I mean, by the time a person even realized it was a car commercial, they’d probably already gotten bored and went to the kitchen for another beer! And who’s decision was it to buy and run those stupid “My Name is Ram and My Tank is Full” spots! Geez Dodge guys, get it together! Put your money where it will get a return: NASCAR!