SRT Motorsports Continues Hot Streak, Scores First GTLM Victory

SRT Motorsports has been on the fast track since joining the American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón for the final five races of the 2012 season, rolling out a pair of what were then known as SRT Viper GTS-Rs at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.

The team raced full time last season, with Marc Goossens and Dominik Farnbacher giving the Viper its first ALMS victory at Road America among five podium finishes.

The new Dodge Viper SRT GTS-R achieved another milestone last Friday with its first victory in TUDOR United SportsCar Championship GT Le Mans (GTLM) competition at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Jonathan Bomarito and Kuno Wittmer co-drove the No. 93 Dodge Viper SRT GTS-R to the Brickyard Grand Prix victory in the Viper’s competition debut at the famed venue.

The victory was the extension of a recent run of strong performances. Vipers took second and third at both the Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen and Canadian Tire Motorsport Park leading up to Indy. Bomarito and Wittmer also derailed Corvette Racing’s four-race winning streak, cutting the championship lead of No. 3 Corvette C7.R drivers Antonio Garcia and Jan Magnussen to 13 points over the No. 93 teammates with four races remaining (219-206).

Goossens and Farnbacher saw their bid for a third consecutive podium finish end with an eight-place Brickyard Grand Prix finish for the No. 91 TI Automotive Dodge Viper SRT GTS-R.

"This is incredible and I can't explain how proud I am of the entire team,” said Ralph Gilles, president and CEO of SRT Motorsports. “To have SRT Motorsports and the Dodge Viper take the checkered flag at a historic venue like this, it really can't get much better. Jonathan and Kuno did such a tremendous job and the entire team was impressive with the pit stops, strategy and maintaining the lead. We've had some solid results this year, but now we are where we want to be. We've shown that have what it takes to put the Viper GTS-R back in the winner's circle and we're eager to continue riding this wave of momentum.

“To take the win at Indy after a pair of double-podium results is a pretty impressive three-race stretch for SRT Motorsports."

Indy actually was the second consecutive victory for a Dodge Viper in TUDOR Championship competition. Ben Keating and Jeroen Bleekemolen won the GT Daytona (GTD) class at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park in the No. 33 Riley Motorsports Dodge Viper SRT GT3-R, and continued their podium streak by finishing third at Indianapolis.

"We're just over the moon,” said SRT Motorsports marketing director Beth Paretta. “We've been working so hard and really just hoping that we'd have a race go our way and what better place than at the Brickyard. …This class is so tight that it's really about making the fewest mistakes and I think we're getting better at that."

Viper’s last major appearance at the Brickyard was in 1991, when the legendary Carroll Shelby drove a Viper to pace the Indy 500.

“It’s been 23 years and the Viper was very special back then,” recalled Dick Winkles, SRT Motorsports powertrain manager. “Now to come back here and win with the Viper is really cool. It’s really special.”