Oreca Viper Era...

[RacingManiac]

Many people seems to think that no one does GTS better then they have done, that Corvette Racing merely become successful is because of the lack of Oreca Vipers.

Not to really start a argument, but I begged to differ....

During much of the Oreca legacy, the Viper had little real competition. The opponents were mainly the restrictor/aero disadvantaged 993 GT2, run by privateers of varying caliber, a big factory backed program like the Oreca Viper was simply too much for the rest of them. Much like the LMP situration with Audi vs the rest. When the Corvette came in, the program in the beginning was not as it is now. It was a small budget effort to test the water. Comparing to a professionally ran effort by Oreca, the Corvette seems small. When GM got into the thick of it in 2000, they are racing with a package thats constantly changing to adapt to their increasing understanding of the rule, compare to the Oreca which was on the way out with a completely figured out and developed package. The 2000 season was a perfect picture of Corvette's evolution and coming of age. From the overall battle for the Rolex 24 and losing to Oreca, and the Le Mans's defeat to Oreca. And during most of the ALMS races. The gap was getting smaller by the race and the at TMS they were finally equalled to the Vipers by beating them. And Petit, the Corvette won their first enduro over the Oreca. GM's effort in that one year brought them to the level of Oreca. If Oreca had stayed for 2001 the Corvette probably would still have had the upper hand.

But then 2001 arrived with seemingly lack of competition in GTS class, but the advent of the Saleen S7R clearly breaks that myth. Corvette never really had their way being easy in 2001. Losing to S7R at Sebring, and lost the driver crown to the S7R in the Championship. The Oreca fan might say their team would have done better, but that seems unlikely as the S7R was at the time a superior package that seems to remind people of the GT1 class philosophy of racing car first. And in 2002 it did get punished for it, as ACO sticks to their gun to shut off the critics. But 2002 saw the rise the Prodrive Ferrari 550GTS, a car that's a legitimate challenge to Corvette C5R in the "proper" rule package. Corvette rosed to the occasion and beat it at Le Mans and in the subsequent ALMS rounds(minus Laguna Seca, where rare mishap happened to the vette with fuel problem and fire).
2003 The Ferrari beat Corvette at Le Mans but the Corvette is holding their own at the ALMS races so far.

Corvette never had their way easy, while Oreca's success was aided much by the lack of real competition....

[RM40]

I have been wondering for some time how many podiums both the Corvette and Viper have had at Le Mans. Am I missing any for either car:

Viper:
1998 (Win)
1999 (Win)
2000 (Win)
2002 (Third)

Corvette:
2000 (Third)
2001 (Win)
2002 (Win)
2003 (Second)

[pitviper]

1994 (third in GT1, behind only the two Dauer Porsche 962LM's) for the Viper

and by the way, while there are shards of validity to some of your points (elequently posted i might add), the very simple fact of the matter is that if the same budget that is being tossed into the corvette programme for P&M was being equaled by DC for ORECA to be running Vipers, the vettes would simply not win like they currently do. does that mean that the Vipers would win the title? no. would they dominate? no. would the racing be at the killer level everyone wants it to be? yes, which is the point. all in all good post, even if i don't agree with all of it...

pit

[krt917]

Yes, good post. I don't think that either one of them would be overwhelmed by the other. I have a soft spot for the Oreca Vipers because I think they looked cooler than the Corvette. On a more serious note, you're probably right to say that the 'Corvettes are only succesful because Oreca aren't there' argument is wrong. They would be successful, but how much!?

It's a shame that we didn't get to see the fight for longer.

[pitviper]

very true...

[RacingManiac]

BTW, anybody saw the Speed GT race at Road American with the new Viper Comp Coupe? One of the had a paintjob that reminds me of the 2001(or 2000?) Corvette C5R with the yellow on the main part of the car, white on the side and black on the back...

[Chevyguy]

Maniac, glad you posted that, because alot of the Viper guys aren't going to listen to me, lol.

It was a battle that never really got to take place. If all goes as planned, we will get to see the next generation of American muscle sportscars go at it on equal ground. Don't know if it will settle anything, but at least it will provide some satisfaction. Add in the Carrera and 575s, and these threads are going to be hot with loyalists explaining why THEIR favorite car is above and beyond all the rest. GTS rules.

[pitviper]

lol...hey I'VE always listened. don't usually agree, but i listen, lol and you are right, GTS DOES rule. i have the utmost respect for the corvette crew, they have done a phenomenal job. i do wish that we could get everyone on the track at more or less the same time though! hopefully the ever-circulating news of ORECA working on the new Viper GTS racecar will come to solid fruition very soon...

pit