World Challenge GT: Managing and Engineering a Dodge Viper

As time allowed during 2004 and 2005, I managed and engineered the Dodge Viper of privateer Michael Hartley in the SPEED GT series, enjoying a modicum of success for his part-time program.

On a highly restricted budget, Hartley had limited resources and even more restricted seat time to challenge for the top 12. With sparse testing and the late addition of a Motec data system, Mike’s fortunes did vastly improve from his form before I came into help, but as always happens, his tight budget eventually forced him out of the series.

I’ve always enjoyed helping the smaller teams, the “underdog’s,” I guess, so helping Mike fit in nicely to my other more serious efforts in ‘04 and ‘05. Guys like Mike are needed in SPEED GT to keep the flow of local talent in balance with the factory teams.

Keeping my hand in helping club racers, amateurs, and semi-pro drivers or teams is something I’ll always make time for.