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DODGE<br />
TAKES TWO<br />
Dodge roared into the motorsports spotlight<br />
in 2005 by capturing two major championships.<br />
Ted Musgrave took home his first NASCAR<br />
Craftsman Truck Series title in the No. 1 Ultra<br />
Motorsports Mopar Dodge Ram. The win was<br />
also the first for team owner Jim Smith, one of<br />
the series founders.<br />
Also setting the pace last year was<br />
Gary Scelzi, who piloted the Mopar/Oakley<br />
Dodge Stratus R/T to the National Hot Rod<br />
Association’s Powerade Funny Car crown.<br />
The victory drove Dodge into the funny car<br />
record books for the first time since 1983.<br />
Test Your<br />
NASCAR Knowledge<br />
1. What color strip across the rear of a racecar<br />
signifies a rookie driver?<br />
2. The Charger was the first NASCAR racer to<br />
use what aerodynamic feature?<br />
3. What full-time farmer won the first modern-era<br />
Winston Cup Series with a Dodge Charger?<br />
4. The No. 88 Charger, which Buddy Baker drove<br />
at a record 200 mph in a closed-lap course,<br />
was often taken on what other kind of drive?<br />
5. What is the official pace car of the<br />
<strong>2006</strong> ARCA RE/MAX Series?<br />
6. What state has earned the nickname “NASCAR Valley”?<br />
— Saunders Robinson<br />
ANSWERS: 1. YELLOW; 2. A SPOILER; 3. RAY ELDER; 4. TEST-DRIVES FOR<br />
JOURNALISTS; 5. DODGE CHARGER; 6. NORTH CAROLINA (75 PERCENT OF ALL<br />
AMERICAN MOTORSPORTS EMPLOYEES WORK IN THE STATE)<br />
LIFE WITH A SNAKE<br />
Behind the wheel of the<br />
<strong>2006</strong> Dodge Viper SRT10 Coupe<br />
“Even if a snake is not poisonous, it should<br />
pretend to be venomous.” Those words, from<br />
an ancient Indian philosopher, referred to politicians.<br />
But they remind me of Dodge’s Viper<br />
SRT10 Coupe. On the racetrack it is definitely<br />
potent, but I wondered what it would be like on the<br />
street. Would it be poisonous or merely pretend?<br />
The Viper Coupe builds on the solid foundation of<br />
the SRT10 Roadster. The fixed roof adds 15–20<br />
pounds but increases chassis stiffness. Combine that<br />
with a taut suspension, and you might expect the Viper<br />
to ride poorly on the street. It doesn’t. Yes, you notice<br />
subtle road surface variations, but the ride is never<br />
harsh. The steering is quick and nicely weighted, the<br />
six-speed Tremec gearbox and clutch work better than<br />
I expected in traffic, and visibility is good for such a<br />
low-slung beast. Nothing too poisonous there.<br />
And yet, there is venom. With 510 horsepower and<br />
535 pounds per foot of torque on tap (90 percent<br />
available above 1,500 rpm), how could it be otherwise?<br />
The power tempts you every time you push the<br />
starter button. Curves beckon. The Viper’s sheer<br />
muscularity intimidates many fellow drivers. Still,<br />
challengers give you the nod at every stoplight.<br />
This is one car that demands respect. Aside from<br />
antilock brakes, it offers no other electronic nannying.<br />
It takes discipline to drive this snake on the<br />
street. That’s a big part of the satisfaction it provides.<br />
The V10 engine roars, and crowds gather when you<br />
park. There’s simply no need to pretend.<br />
— Eric Tegler<br />
TOMORROW SPECIAL RACING <strong>2006</strong> 5
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