Filed under: Motorsports, Coupe, Performance, Racing, SRT
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SRT’s factory-backed racecar, the Viper GTS-R, debuted and raced at Le Mans and in the American Le Mans Series last year, but more recently SRT introduced the Viper GT3-R for private race teams. Ben Keating, who runs the highest Viper-volume dealership in the country, was the first customer to buy one. Keating has assembled quite the team to compete in the United SportsCar Racing (USCR) series, which combines the ALMS and Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series into one for the 2014 race season.
Keating was champion of the 2011 and 2012 Viper Cup series in a previous-generation Viper ACR-X. He’ll handle driving duties with primary co-driver Jeroen Bleekemolen, who won the FIA GT Championship in 2001 in a Viper GTS-R. Bleekemolen also has won his class at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the 24 Hours of Nürburgring, the 24 Hours of Dubai, the 12 Hours of Sebring and more. To say the man has endurance-racing experience would be a massive understatement.
So how did amateur racer Keating lure world-class talent such as Bleekemolen to drive with him? USCR’s GT Daytona class pairs amateur and professional co-drivers together, with a third driver added for 12-hour races, and yet another for 24-hour events; Bleekemolen fit in perfectly. “I feel like I’ve got the best car, the best class structure and the best co-driver. Everything is fitting together perfectly for success,” Keating says.
Keating and Bleekemolen will make the Viper GT3-R’s race debut at the 24 Hours of Daytona in January.Continue reading First customer team to race Viper GT3-R shaping up
First customer team to race Viper GT3-R shaping up originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 18 Sep 2013 13:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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