Test driving the world's fastest autocross car, circa 1999 | #TBT

Kubotai said:

theruleslawyer said:

I wonder how practical an Amod with active downforce like the McMurtry Speirling would be? I know some of the FSAE cars are working on it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kb1yk_068Kc

 

Bowland built a sucker car for autocross but SCCA banned it from Solo II before he ever got a chance to run it there.  I believe he did run it in one of Skid Pad Challenge events - which it won.

In reply to kjchristopher :

Check out JG finishing third in our Neon in the Street Prepared class. 

And I didn’t realize that Bowland pulled 1.999g. So close.

David S. Wallens said:

And I didn’t realize that Bowland pulled 1.999g. So close.

Grady told me he was robbed of 2.0 by incorrect measurements.  

In reply to David S. Wallens :

I really feel like the Neon doesn't get the historical justice it deserves, or maybe I'm just out of the loop because it was a little before my time.

Colin Wood said:

In reply to David S. Wallens :

I really feel like the Neon doesn't get the historical justice it deserves, or maybe I'm just out of the loop because it was a little before my time.

Complete POS of a car from a normal street use perspective...and not even eye-catching styling.

But Dodge/Chrysler put a ton of effort into performance parts/option packages to make them fast around a race track or parking lot.  And the contigency support offerings were far beyond what anyone else was doing.  So people put up with driving a crap car around so they could win the big bucks.  Very successful lure with results to match.

Once the money dried up, people found better alternatives (MINI cast the next big lure).

Yup, back in the day, lots of GRM content about the Neons. The first issue that I worked on as a staff member had a Neon on the cover. I shot it behind some shopping center, I believe. I want to say it was in South Daytona. Why there, I can’t recall.

But the grids–autocross and SCCA club racing–were just packed with the things. By the time of that skid pad challenge, ours was in C Street Prepared trim so fat wheels, coil-overs, header, intake, etc. It started as a red car but, for its CSP conversion, was painted yellow. Pretty sure we swapped in the twin cam engine. We got that car in 1994, so I’m thinking this was towards the end of its tenure. JG still has the hood hanging in his shop. 

And a little bit about our Neon ACR here: What happened to all the Dodge and Plymouth Neons?