Corvette beware. Viper is back. BMW beware. Viper is back. Ferrari beware. Viper is back. The 2013 Viper GTS-R will make its factory-backed reincarnation later this year when it battles in the GT class of the American Le Mans Series.
SRT will build two of the SRT Viper-based, V10-powered racers for ALMS street course racing with Riley Technologies of Mooresville, N.C. deep in NASCAR country.As a factory-backed effort there's real money going behind the cars, which will swap paint with the aforementioned Corvettes, BMWs, Jaguars and cousin Ferraris in the most exciting road-racing series in North America.
Vipers are a frequent fixture on race tracks but factory support largely dried up through various owners. A crime because the cars are designed with the sort of to-the-limit performance that make great race cars and easily-crashed road-going vehicles. It's how they won 12 straight races between 1999 and 2000 and a Le Mans 24-Hour win.
Drivers for the team will include Kuno Wittmer, Marc Goossens, and four-time winner Dominik Farnbacher. This vehicle will also be downloadable in Forza 4, so you can add your name digitally to the space above the door.
The Viper GTS-R will start racing later this year, although they haven't yet committed to which race. Please please please please be VIR.