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April 29, 2011

SRT’s Dynamic Duo Readies for One Lap of America

Posted on: April 29, 2011 – 12:00 pm by RLD

onelap1 SRT’s Dynamic Duo Readies for One Lap of America tire rack summit point speed tests solo ii seasoned veteran performance objectives one lap of america nhra gatornationals motor trend magazine lead foot lap of america hot cars grissom air force base gainesville raceway Erich Heuschele Erich dynamic systems dynamic duo dodge daytona international speedway burning the midnight oil autobahn country club Adam Forte 40th anniversary  features photo

 
Our SRT team that has been burning the midnight oil, prepares for the historic 40th anniversary One Lap of America event that begins today.
 
The One Lap schedule covers more than 3,650 miles over 8 days with 18 timed competitions at 10 venues. There is a dedicated staff of volunteers to ensure a safe and level playing field among the numerous stops and within the respective classes. Over 70 competitors will travel to various tracks such as Summit Point in Virginia, and Autobahn Country Club Raceway in Chicago. The competition is not just limited to road courses as the Dynamic Dou will also assault Gainesville Raceway (home of the NHRA Gatornationals) for some quarter-mile blasts. They’ll also be hitting the Autocross Solo II venue at Grissom Air Force Base. The folks from Tire Rack and Motor Trend Magazine are once again the official sponsors.

 
After a two-year break, we are sending the “Dynamic Duo” of Erich Heuschele and Adam Forte to the One Lap. By day these SRT engineers tinker with things like vehicle integration and suspension dynamic systems. During their “off” hours, they can be found playing with a variety of hot cars to feed their need for speed. Erich is a seasoned veteran of six One Lap events and his list of accomplishments is quite impressive with three first place finishes in his respective class. For Adam, this might be his first time in the driver’s seat for the One Lap but he’s not shy behind the wheel of fast automobiles. One of Adam’s responsibilities at the SRT team, is to ensure each new vehicle meets the performance objectives before it’s launched. This includes a myriad of high-speed tests at numerous race tracks and drag strips throughout the US and Canada. His lead foot and on-board instruments makes sure each new SRT model performs the way it should. Both Erich’s and Adam’s skills and experience should complement each other during this week long event.
 
In the past, we’ve taken prisoners with some of our entries that included various SRT vehicles ranging from the Neon to a mix of Challengers, Chargers, 300Cs, Vipers, Rams and even Jeep Grand Cherokees. Our engineer/amateur racers actually have used the One Lap events to collect valuable data on how the tune suspension settings, shock and spring dampening rates to driveline durability.
 
Erich and Adam’s ride for this year is a bright white 2011 Challenger SRT8 that will compete in the SSGT2 Big Bore class. Other than the addition of Hella Rally 4000 driving lights and the mandatory completion decals, the Challenger is completely stock. Their plan is to win the class and finish in the top 10 overall and we know they have a great shot at doing it. The Challenger pays homage to the adventures of Brock Yates and the Cannonball excursions he made in his own white 1972 Challenger during the halcyon days of the 1970’s. Brock’s E-Body was powered by a Cotton Owens massaged 340 small-block but our boys will have the new 470 horsepower 392 HEMI® under its performance hood.
 
We’ll be covering the awesome One Lap adventures of Erich and Adam and their Challenger SRT8 on Red Letter starting this Monday. Make sure to check back with us for results and updates along with the fun and colorful stories our Dynamic Dou will be sharing as they hammer down the highway!
 
4/30 – Grissom Air Force Base- Tire Rack Wet Skid Pad
5/1 – Summit Point Raceway Summit Point
5/2 – Carolina Motorsports Park National Standard Track
5/3 – Daytona International Speedway Road Course & Gainesville Raceway
5/4 – Circuit Grand Bayou Road Course
5/5 – Barber Motorsports Park
5/6 – Autobahn Country Club North Track
5/7 – Tire Rack Dry Skid Pad

 

P1010582 560 SRT’s Dynamic Duo Readies for One Lap of America tire rack summit point speed tests solo ii seasoned veteran performance objectives one lap of america nhra gatornationals motor trend magazine lead foot lap of america hot cars grissom air force base gainesville raceway Erich Heuschele Erich dynamic systems dynamic duo dodge daytona international speedway burning the midnight oil autobahn country club Adam Forte 40th anniversary  features photo

October 19, 2010

Urban Legend: Derek Ekins’ Chrysler 300 SRT10

Posted on: October 19, 2010 – 10:27 am by RLD

Amidst the Vipers circling Miller Motorsports Park at the 11th Annual Viper Owner’s Invitational last week were a few animals that clearly did not belong in the reptile exhibit. Most notable among them was Derek Ekins’ custom fabricated 2006 Chrysler 300 Touring, which harbors a sinister secret under the hood – 525 of them, to be exact. In place of the factory-installed 3.5-liter V6 that originally powered the vehicle sits Dodge’s gen III 8.3L Viper V10 engine, which Derek claims cranks out 25 more horsepower than the original. Even more inspiring than the performance, though, is how all of this came to be.

When you view Derek’s masterpiece for the first time, your only thought after regaining the ability to process abstract information is “Where’d you get it?” He answers with the amused laugh of a man who has fielded this question before, saying simply “I got it from a wrecking yard back east.” Disheartening images of a brand new Viper languishing gutless and forgotten immediately vanish from your mind, replaced by the next logical question “Who did it?” The answer is “Derek,” which unleashes another engulfing wave of respect. Though he farmed out the work that was admittedly above his available tool and skill set, everything save for the wiring harness (Hotwire Auto) and the computer reflash (DC Performance) was done solo. “It took me about a year because I had to figure everything out,” he explained, but he was bound and determined to finish. In a modest 2-car garage with little more than a jackstand, a welder, and an engine hoist, Derek worked tirelessly to preserve the authenticity of the Viper’s renowned capability. All outward indicators would suggest he was extremely successful.

Power from the 300’s V10 is channeled by a T56 Tremec 6-speed manual transmission and supported by Eibach adjustable coilovers on all four corners and a matching swaybar kit, all of which Derek claims can support horsepower far in excess of the engine’s rating. To feed the V10’s voracious appetite, the rear trunk space was fitted with a custom Aeromotive fuel tank while the cooling system was beefed up with a 3-inch thick C&R racing radiator and a custom Sprinter oil filter. Derek spared no expenses to accommodate the powertrain, which he acknowledges was a necessity, “I built it knowing about the power and trying to keep it reliable.” Despite the heavy upgrades, however, this was never intended to be a track car. “I didn’t really build it to race it,” he says, “I just wanted something different. I really liked the Viper, but I couldn’t fit my whole family in it.”

All told the craftsmanship is above reproach, as evidenced by the deafening exhaust note and enveloping sense of incredulousness felt when peering into the exposed engine bay. The level of care and dedication poured into this project is striking to say the least, and we proudly remove our hats in admiration.

March 5, 2010

Dodge CEO Brings The Viper Heat To Texas

gilles_testing_screenshotIn Brazos Valley, Texas, our own Ralph Gilles struck terror in the hearts of every wannabe racer within earshot when he took the limited edition Dodge Viper ACR-X – and all 640 of its horses – thundering around the Texas World Speedway. Purportedly prepping the beast for its limited production run, Gilles enthusiastically spoke to local reporters about the test laps, generating some excitement (on our ends, too) for the ACR-X’s impending launch.


Of course (even at the risk of sounding like Lavar Burton) don’t take our word for it. Hit the jump to check out video footage of our CEO in action, ripping up some Texas asphalt.

Filed under: Affiliate News — Tags: , , , , — admin @ 9:04 AM

December 1, 2008

Ralph Gilles at Chrysler Shows Off His Race Car