Chrysler will return to endurance racing later this year after the manufacturer announced a new racing programme for the SRT Viper in the American Le Mans Series.
SRT Viper Racing is set to make its debut mid-season with an SRT Viper GTS-R, officials announced at the New Your Auto Show on Wednesday.
Chrysler has partnered with Riley Technologies to design and build the car over the past two years, while the car maker also confirmed that it had already signed Kuno Wittmer, Dominik Farnbacher and Marc Goossens as its three drivers.
"Racing has been a significant part of the illustrious history of Viper not only with significant wins on the track, but also in the continued development of the street cars - and our new 2013 SRT Viper models are proof of those lessons learned," said Ralph Gilles, President and CEO of Chrysler's SRT group.
"Now with our new team and the launch of the GTS-R, we're excited and proud to begin writing more chapters in the racing history of the Viper later this summer."
The Viper dominated GT racing in the ALMS and at Le Mans for over a decade, winning the 24-hour race each year from 1998 to 2000 in the category.
The original Viper GTS-R made its racing debut back in 1996.
"I don't think it's possible to overstate the significance of the SRT Viper returning to the top level of professional sports car racing," said ALMS president Scott Atherton.
"The Chrysler Group has a long, storied and very successful history of competing with the American Le Mans Series. We would be hard-pressed to come up with a better scenario than having the brand return with the simultaneous introduction of both the new production car and the competition version. What a great way for SRT Viper to come back to racing."
source : autosport.com
Good to see another marque spicing up GT1. They did 2 years over completing the car, so it should be a competitive package. Let's just hope it won't be a mobile chicane like the J-Loc Lambo or Jaguar in the past years.
And Goossens in the car too, go Goose
(good reason to finally get over to Atlanta this autumn).
