The Pit

There was an aching need for speed for many in the IL Region Viper Club and awakening Saturday morning to heavy snowfall wasn't going to put a damper on the day as folks came out for the go-karting event at Chicago Indoor Racing in Addison.

Everyone started arriving around 3:30pm. There were 29 participants so they were separated into 3 groups and had 3 runs each to see who would be in the Championship race off. After check-in and a short safety video the group was off and racing. Now, these weren't just little slow go-karts, these were some "manly" carts! They moved! And everyone wanted to be in the race off, so competition was high! It was comedy watching folks getting accustomed to the karts. Then as competition ramped up, it got even funnier. There "might" have been a little bumping and such to guarantee a position in that final Championship race...

The day went on and the group really had a good time. People got the hang of the karts and the competition was intense. There were also many people new to go-karting, and it seems they were also hooked. Even some of the youngsters in attendance were showing the adults how to really drive.

That Championship race had Rob Morrison leading until the second to the last lap when he spun (maybe from a slight bump, but no video proof) to let Joshua Spata take the lead and the Checkered flag. A young kid took the whole race!! Egos were crushed! What a race!

After all the racing, the club reserved a spot so that everyone could gather to eat and drink and go over the day. Things finally wrapped up around 8:30pm. Special thanks to Dave Catalanello for finding and booking our location, Angela Berger for check-in and reserving our dining area, Dan Spata for getting there early to help direct everyone, and Dave Pinder for the photos. And of course thanks to all those who attended. This was a heavily attended event and a huge success. Looks like it'll be a staple event for the club in the off-season.  

Oh, and you're top 5 racers at the finish line: 1st place Joshua Spata,
2nd place Dan Spata, 3rd place Rob Morrison, 4th place Jeff Siegrist, and 5th Place Jim Cichy!

There comes a time when you just need to kick it up a notch for the sole purpose of showing people a good time. The 18th annual 2012 IL VCA Winter Fest Party was no exception as there wasn't a single person in the room who wasn't stunned with what they experienced.

IL Region parties are historic for their over-the-top bravado. It typically pulls 160+ people from within its membership which stretches not just across IL, but from many other states. The previous record was 171 members, set just a couple years ago. This year, the club went at the record big time, not just breaking it, but decimating the previous record with a staggering 217 people in attendance (yes, aside from some VIPs, they are all IL region members!) . WOW! Hats off IL Region!

This event pushed the envelope in every area. The club had prepared a completely free raffle valued over $10,000!! The auction items were beyond amazing - some practically priceless! The audio/video was upgraded big time - with full HD, new projection, and 16,000 watts of professional audio! The centerpieces for the evening were 4 months in the making and were artwork that could spark a war! There was a huge car display that included all generations of key Vipers including a 1992 Gen I with only 27 miles, the v-8 original viper VM-01 mule, and the 24 Hour #91 Daytona winner (several courtesy of our buddies at Chrysler)! And to top it off, a host of guests which included key sponsors, national VCA leadership, ex-Chrysler VIP's, and a host of current Chrysler big-wigs - including the SRT CEO himself - Ralph Gilles. You heard right!

The event started with setup in the early hours of the morning with trucks arriving from many origins with Vipers in their bellies. The theme for this year was the history of Viper, a spectacle for the lucky folks in attendance. There would be 7 Vipers total, and all of them would be in the actual dining room where the party was being held. The Vipers were comprised of key cars within every generation. There was an original 1992 Viper (with only 27 miles)! Next up was a 1996 Blue/white GTS. Also on display were 2003 and 2008 SRT-10's. We also had the famous last Viper built! That wasn't all, the group was shocked to see the 24 Hour Daytona Winner #91 on display! How cool, it's still in the same condition it was when it was pulled off the track - with rubber marks all over and a pitted front bumper. And last but not least, a shock for everyone to behold, we had the very first Viper in any form on display - the 1989 VM-01. This was the proof of concept Viper (actually had a v-8 engine). That's what started it all!

The cars were positioned and then the room could begin its transformation into the final product - a 220 seat luxury theatre packed with merchandise and auction items - ready to appease every soul that walked through the door. The stage was set.

As is typical, while the cocktail hour is at 6pm, excited people started to funnel in as early as 5pm. Members were greeted at the door for check-in where they received an amazing gift - A Viper club of IL Cheeseboard and knife set. This was no ordinary board as the knife set folds away inside the board and the Viper logo is burned into the wood itself. This was an extravagant gift and appreciated by all. But that wasn't all. Also included was a Bluray disc Afterglow DVD of the 2011 year. It had some additional special joke chapters that would cause laughter to be heard from the hilltops.

As 7pm approached, an announcement was made by Vice-president Gary Grube, it's the 5 minute warning. A hush fell over the crowd and folks found their seats and the evening was kicked off shortly after 7pm. The audio system suddenly boomed and on the screen began what was a hysterical "live" feed from the commander-in-chief, the President of the United States - Barack Obama . He welcomed the group and spoke a little about our commander-in-chief, Alex Ristanovic. And as an additional joke (all courtesy of your VP Gary Grube) there was even a CGI version of Alex himself who for some reason was very complimentary of his VP. After the laughter subsided, our President Alex Ristanovic was welcomed to the stage. With head shaking and nearly speechless, he responded simply "I'm not responsible for any of the content of that introduction". It set the tone for much of the wild evening people were about to have.

Alex welcomed the crowd and provided a warm welcome to everyone and some very special guests. Among them were Bobbi Cerchione (VCA Secretary), Marv Spatz (VCA President), Brandt Rosenbush (Head of historical Chrysler properties), Mike Stephans (the Mamba King), Herb Helbig (The Grailkeeper), Erich Heuschele (SRT Vehicle Dynamics), Dick Winkles (Chief Powertrain engineer), and last but not least, the CEO of SRT himself - Ralph Gilles! What a cast of practical celebrities of the Viper community. It was a true blessing. The crowd came alive with applause. Alex finished up with a look back on the 2011 club year and also a glimpse of what was to come in 2012. After that, dinner began and so did what was to become the first raffle to nearly make someone deaf from excitement...

Alex brought a pause to the festivities as he announced a break for everyone to stretch legs, get dessert, and spend some time bidding on auction items and shopping. After the break, it was time for the entertainment segment. These segments have become historic due to the nature of the creativity and fun the group enjoys. Alex kicked things off with club awards for everything from club participation to racing to rookie awards. Big congratulations to our Rookie Performance Driver of the Year, Roy Hallman and our Overall Rookie Member of the Year, Justin Harms!!! Alex also took significant time to introduce each and every one of the 20+ sponsors of the IL VCA. The crowd's applause rang through the building. But this was all just the beginning...

The video came rumbling to life again, as the skit known as the "BA Story" was shown. This is the story of our VP Gary Grube and how he became the BA (Badass) of the IL VCA (it's gone to his head folks - we've lost him completely). The hilarity ensued with a finish that included a poke at our young president who is always appreciates a good joke (and some sweet revenge afterward...). Alex, once again with head shaking, began the speaking portion of the segment with an exciting introduction of none other than the Grailkeeper himself - Herb Helbig! Herb addressed the group and provided a wonderful history of his relationship with the IL Region and also spoke about strong leadership and how important it was for the club. The crowd was definitely enthralled to be addressed by the legend!

Alex next quieted the crowd and asked for all photography and recording devices to please be hidden away. He then introduced the key speaker for the evening - none other than our CEO of SRT - Ralph Gilles!! Ralph stood up to a thundering applause and excitement. What a joy it was! Ralph had something awesome in store, as he treated the group to a specially planned presentation. It included a little about the "new" company and its boss, a little about the SRT product line and its future, and at the end, a little about... the new generation Viper! Ralph shared with the group some of the history and planning of the new car, along with specific pictures of portions of the car which helped give people confirmation of what was in store. It was a great moment. Ralph ended his segment in style and left to a rousing standing ovation. What a wonderful feeling it was!!!

And it wasn't over, to close the entertainment segment a final specially prepared video was shown - "I think I love you!". A story of a club member gone insane with his Viper. We can't describe what was in this video, buts let's just say that even Viper enthusiasts found this man - passionate... Alex then conducted the final order of business, the giveaway of the evenings centerpieces (master works of art by Tim Waedekin). Each person at the table had a number, Alex pulled the numbers out of a jar to name - backwards - to eliminate the LOSERS first. It was 3 minutes filled with groans and cheers, until the final winners realized their victory and screamed in delight. What an ending!

Alex then addressed the crowd with a thank you and urged them to continue their evening and closed the entertainment segment. The group really had their treat! The evening started to wind to a close around 11:30pm. Auctions began to close 5 at a time until the last one was done. If bidding was any sign of the economy improving, we're well out of a recession - it was wild!

The evening ended well after midnight in the banquet hall. The diligent IL VCA crew began to breakdown the room and remove cars as swiftly and masterfully as they assembled it. The after party began at the bar and lasted until 3:30am - and it included almost all of the SRT crew including our CEO Ralph Gilles! Can you believe that? We're very privileged and honored to have these great relationships. Folks, that's as real, as perfect, and as wonderful as it gets. You come for the car, you stay for the people! Thank you all who came and those who contributed. The energy in that room will be enough to last the rest of the year!

As an interim “appointed” Public Relations Director, I was not sure what to expect as my assignment.  I thought maybe it would have been covering a local interview or introducing the Viper to a local scout troop.  My first indication that this was not going to be an everyday assignment is when I needed to sign up for a “Media Pass”.  Yes, I was assigned to cover the SRT pre-opening of the 2012 Auto Show at McCormick Place.

On February 8, 2012, I found myself in the middle of a media extravaganza and the media coverage was awesome.  Approaching the SRT exhibition I could feel the exhilaration and heaving of my chest, proud to be a SRT owner.  Where in the few past years the Chrysler Dodge exhibits have melded with the others, this year was different.  There was a spark in the air with a huge display area. The Fiat, Chrysler, Dodge and SRT presentation was pure excellence and my attention was immediately drawn to the SRT area where I was greeted by Adam Barrera, SRT Social Media Manager, along with Beth Paretta and Dave Cotrell from SRT.

A Q&A session took place right in the middle of the show area, surrounded by the beautiful yellow (I love yellow) SRT Charger Super Bee, SRT Yellow Jacket Challenger, the 590 hp Redline SRT Charger and the new Dart.  Barrera, Paretta and Cottrell were very knowledgeable and helpful with the group’s questions. 

One of the highlights was when Ralph Gilles himself, President and CEO of the SRT Brand, walked over and said hello.  Ralph’s enthusiasm was immediately apparent and his love and determination for the SRT brand was impressive.  One thing that rings in my head is the statement that the SRT is considered as “not a production car” and one of the goals to the melding of the old with the new Mopar enthusiastsIt was clear to me that the folks at SRT are totally committed to the SRT program.  The styling, engineering and commitment are unparalleled. I too left with renewed desire and anticipation not only for the SRT line but eagerly awaiting the 2013 Viper that will make its appearance in New York on April 4. 

This is a combined endeavor.  Fiat and the SRT Band are both focused on once again making the Viper the American Icon of performance cars.  The support from our Club and other enthusiasts will be paramount in helping make the Viper and the SRT Brand “king of the road”.