Dodge Racing History Goes to Barrett-Jackson
9 December 1999
Dodge Racing History Goes to Barrett-Jackson
AUBURN HILLS, Mich., Dec. 9 -- The auction of a rare and
untitled 1998 Dodge Viper GT2 sports car is sure to raise blood pressures at
the famed Barrett-Jackson Classic Car Auction & Exposition Presented by
Chrysler-Jeep(R)-Dodge. This exclusive Viper is expected to take the auction
stage as Lot #707 at or about 4 p.m. on Saturday, January 22, 2000, in
Scottsdale, Ariz.
The 1998 racing season was a stellar one for the Dodge Viper GTS-R, a
production-based race car. That year at the famed 24 Hours of Le Mans race,
the Viper team finished first and second in only its second-ever endurance
test of man and machine.
In addition to the stunning victory at Le Mans, team driver Justin Bell
won the '98 FIA GT2 Drivers Championship and Dodge took home the coveted '98
FIA GT2 Manufacturers Championship.
Celebrating these extraordinary victories, Dodge Division commissioned
Team Viper to create 100 street replicas of the victorious GTS-R race car.
With just a few minor tweaks, an extra 10 horsepower and 10 lb-ft of torque
was found for the stock power plant. The vehicles were serial numbered in
sequence from 001 to 100 and, like the real race car, the sleek bodies were
all finished in Viper Team ORECA white with blue stripes, complete with wide
five-point ORECA safety harnesses and special badging inside and out.
The 051 serial number of this Viper GT2 is the number of the race car
driven to Le Mans victory and the GT2 Manufacturers Championship by Dodge
driver Olivier Beretta.
The auction parcel includes an extensive Owner's Package hand-made
specifically for each replica GT2. This features a custom-fitted GTS-R car
cover embroidered with the vehicle identification number and logo, a unique
protective cover that accommodates the sports car's race-inspired rear wing.
Also included are a large number of collector items specific to this vehicle,
including individually numbered and autographed photos of the 1998 Viper Team
ORECA drivers and many more unique and irreplaceable collectibles.
Viper Team ORECA owner and manager Hugues de Chaunac has donated to the
package a set of '98 FIA GT2 decals and stickers as they originally appeared
on the Le Mans-winning GTS-R race car, plus an authentic Dodge Red driver's
suit worn by Olivier Beretta in the championship-winning 1999 American Le Mans
Series season. In the first year of this exciting new road racing series --
in which Vipers won every race they entered -- Dodge won the GTS Team
Championship and Beretta won the GTS Drivers Championship (his teammate Karl
Wendlinger was second).
Like the GT2 itself, all collectable items are certified factory original
and absolutely unique to the GT2 commemorative program. No one will want to
miss the chance to own and drive this legitimate piece of racing and sports
car history.
The Viper GT2 will be sold with no reserve. Barrett-Jackson's pre-
registration deadline is December 15, 1999. Bidder packets will be returned
via Certified Mail. Bidder packets will not be mailed after January 1, 2000.
After the December 15 pre-registration deadline, interested bidders may
contact Barrett-Jackson for additional registration opportunities. Registered
bidders may participate in any of four ways: in person, via the Internet at
http://www.barrett-jackson.com , by absentee bid or telephone bid. Only pre-
registered bidders may participate.
For more information about this significant automobile, or to learn more
about becoming a bidder in the program, please call Barrett-Jackson at
602-273-0791 or Viper Headquarters toll-free at 800-998-1110.