VCO Newsletter Quarterly Edition |
Viper Club of America / Ontario Region • Issue 5 • December 2004
Nabil Arafat President VCO |
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| oCONTENTS |
| oSponsorship Notice |
We are taking Sponsors! To run a club like the VCO requires commitment and effort from many individuals. Commitment in the form of monetary contribution is also very important and can also help to improve the club in many ways that all will benefit from. If you interested in helping out the club please contact Nabil Arafat for details. Contributers with businesses will aso be given space for a business banner and web link in this location.
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| oNew News! New Editor |  |
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NEWS! SONNY STONE IS THE NEW NEWSLETTER EDITOR. As Jeff Green’s tenure as newsletter editor is coming to a close (thanks Jeff!), we’ve asked Sonny to take over. After all, rumour has it that Sonny is a professional writer. Well he is, but he writes advertising. So although we won’t say he lies for a living (although we could…), he has spent 20 years convincing people to buy everything from condos to cars to spring water, beer and diet programs. What he hopes to do now is convince everybody in the Viper Club to come out to more events, making our club experience even more rewarding. If any members have any interesting ideas for newsletter stories or would like to post some cool photos, just email to sonnystone@shorecreative.com |
| oAMBASSADOR PROGRAM |
| All our VCO members should have received the "Preferred Purchase Pricing" certificates for DC's Ambassador Program. For special consideration for Ontario members is the possibility of an extension beyond the period of December 31, 2004. We're trying hard and we'll keep you posted |
| oLeMans Viper Hero & The Ontario Vipers |
| Club member Bruno
Bruso has been working with Viper legends Tommy and John Archer to
try and co-ordinate a track event for the VCO. The approximate price
is $15,000 US for a two day event (to be confirmed). It would include
Tommy Archer for two days of coaching and instruction, on track and
off. Also included will be Archer Racing's semi (tractor trailer)
with John’s staff, to provide tech assistance, parts, and set-up
help. Tommy routinely charges $7,000 US per day, just for coaching, (not including semi trailer) but he will give us a deal. The problem is track availability. The best time is near Labour Day, just before or after, because Tommy is racing @ Mosport Sept 2-4. Shannonville does not have any openings during that period. So we can try to find out who has it booked and try to join them - but we’d really like our own event. Cayuga still has not responded as to availability, and we’re not sure if their legal issues have been resolved. This could be one of the most memorable club events ever. Please - any suggestions are welcome. Contact Bruno Bruso at Bruno@bbracin.com or phone 416 616-7537. |
| oVIPER ODYSSEY ACROSS AMERICA • By Sonny Stone | |
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a long, strange and beautiful trip it was. Myself and sweetheart Caroline
Barrett spent only 3 days in Dallas with the club - because for the
next 2 1/2 weeks we went west in our Graphite Gray 2002 RT/10. You
should know that our Viper is a female named Veronica. I’ve
long suspected that’s why it feels so great every time I climb
in... but that’s another story for an automotive psychologist.
Leaving our Ontario and New York friends at The Gaylord, we were soon hammering through the southwest heartland of the USA. I’ve always loved Americans, but I’ve also heard lots of road-crime horror stories. The only serious problem was with a traffic cop in Estelline, Texas, who said he tracked me at 80 mph in a 55. Guess what? He lied about the speed, he lied about the radar – my Valentine never even burped! The good news? He was driving a Mustang GT patrol car. Poor, poor man. On through the Texas Panhandle, across surreal New Mexico and into the promised land: thy name is Arizona. If you haven’t seen The Painted Desert and the Grand Canyon, do it. They never, ever, disappoint and are truly life- affirming and awe-inspiring. And if you haven’t driven this part of God’s country in a screaming Dodge Viper, you should put it on the top 10 things you must do before you die. There is a canyon-run highway between Flagstaff (cool town) and Sedona that’s one of the best drives in North America. You drop about 2,000 feet, the temperature rises 20 degrees and you run through incredible twisties and red rock canyons. Then you finally hit Sedona - what a place: Think “Yorkville meets John Wayne”. It’s 95 Fahrenheit in the shade. Six hours later we’re freezing our buns off in the Nevada night. After California (yes we did route #1 with the top off) and Reno, we hit Wyoming, waking to snow and ice. Scary, but onward through Utah, Nebraska and Iowa. With steadfast care, we found ourselves cruising across the Great Plains at 105 – 110 mph for hours at a time: This is why we drive. And
it’s what I still dream of almost every night. With 4 lanes
of smooth new blacktop, not a state trooper in sight and that V10
growl, I am absolutely convinced that Vipers are living proof that
there is indeed, order in the universe - and life is better than
we sometimes think on this strange, marvelous planet.
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| oSPORTS CAR REVOLUTION - VIPERS RULE |
THE
CHALLENGE: To find the most powerful car in Ontario –
The car that dynos with the highest hp wins.
Click for larger image - photo credit - Chris Vogel
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Well with Christmas approaching and December almost over the Detroit Auto Show 2005 is rapidly approaching and should not be missed if your an auto enthusiast. Location: Times: Ticket Prices: Information and online ticket ordering for the "North American Auto Show 2005" can be found here http://www.naias.com/ * Hint - It's best to park at the Windsor Casino Parking lot and then take the shuttle bus to the Cobo Centre. Parking at the Casino is free and the Shuttle leaves at regular intervals. Access to and parking at the Cobo Centre is quite poor from Windsor. |
| oVCO Board Members Info |
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| MEMBERSHIP
INFORMATION President: Nabil Arafat Email:narafat@cogeco.ca Vice President: Jeff Green Email:ontariojeff@hotmail.com Treasurer: Eda Vanderveen Event Coordinator: Mike Buchanan Email: buchananmike1@rogers.com Event Coordinator: Paolo Rossi Email: paolo.rossi@sympatico.ca Event Coordinator: Jason August Email: jason@ebox.com Event Coordinator: Kevin McDonald Email:kmcdonald3@cogeco.ca |
| oGuest Column |
| Guest writters articles will be placed here. |
| oClassified Ads Section |
Have some items you want to place in the classifed ads section? Contact Nabil at narafat@cogeco.ca for information |
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| oReader Feedback |
| Have an opinion? Have a good idea? Email us at narafat@cogeco.ca and we'll consider it for the newletter. |
| oSubscribe/Unsubscribe Information | |
| Email us here narafat@cogeco.ca. Just type "Subscribe " or "Unsubscribe" in the "Subject Box" to be added to or removed for the newletter list. |